I have written four books for primary school curriculum classroom music, two designed to be used with Years 3 and 4 (using a class set of recorders), the other two with Years 5 and 6 (using electronic keyboards, typically one keyboard between two children).
The scheme is entitled Tutti Frutti. It’s highly differentiated, to allow for children who already learn instruments to be challenged and motivated, along with those who have had little or no experience of music beforehand. Accordingly, different fruits are used to define the level of work, and children can choose the level at which they feel most comfortable. The first and easiest level is Maraschino, moving through Blueberry, Plum and Tangerine, to Kiwi, which is intended for any gifted musicians in the class, or for the teacher.
The book is divided into “Segments” (like an orange!), and within each Segment there’s a video to watch, a story, some musicianship pages, two or more songs to sing, several pieces to play together (as an ensemble, with all the “fruits” layering up), activities and a set of assessment tasks to complete.
Children love Tutti Frutti – it gives them autonomy in their music and control over their progress. It’s hands-on, practical and really enjoyable.
All the music is original, or else in the public domain.
The scheme follows the government’s New Model Curriculum for Music, first published in March 2021.
Here is the cover of Tutti Frutti Book 1:
TF1_Front_Cover