Primary Music KS2: Romans - 1. Signals!

The first song explores how the Romans used instruments to convey battle signals.

Introduction

We meet Mercury - messenger of the Roman gods and goddesses - and learn to say his 'chant' in rhythm to whizz us from place to place. He takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

We perform rhythm-actions for making buildings, bridges and roads and learn how the Roman army communicated movements in code, with fanfare signals.

In the song ‘Signals!’ we try out some fanfare horn-calls in an echo-game and also learn to sing the Latin names of three cities in Roman Britain. The song focuses on melodic shape - especially how tunes go 'up' and 'down' - and on rhythms with short and long notes.

The song: 'Signals!'

Song 1: 'Signals!' (Vocal). Sing along to the full-vocal version of the song 'Signals!'

Song 1: Backing track - 'Signals!'. Sing along to the backing track of the song 'Signals!'

Downloads

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More from this series

Exploring the historical truth behind some well-known Roman stories.

2. Is that a fact?

Exploring Boudicca and the revolt of the British tribes against the Romans.

3. Boudicca!

Exploring the layers of Roman society...from Emperor down to slave.

4. Oh, the strata of society