Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes

Musical autumn leaves

Explore a melody about autumn leaves

Student music resource developed by The Arts Unit

Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 music

What will I learn?

You will:

  • learn a basic melody about autumn leaves

  • play the melody on an instrument or music program

  • sing the words to the melody.

Before you begin

Are you ready to have fun making music?

Watch this video to get you started.

X is for xylophone

See below for xylophone apps available for free download if required.

  1. Watch

Watch the video of Autumn Leaves being played on a glockenspiel to see the melody we are going to learn to play.

2. Learn

Helpful hints before playing the melody

  • Always start with the highest 'C' on your instrument – on a glockenspiel or xylophone this is the smallest 'C'.

  • All notes played are next to each other and go from right to left on the instrument.

  • The largest 'C' should always be on your left when the instrument is in front of you.

Xylophone diagram. Be sure to start on the 'C'.

Image of xylophone with notes on keys. Start at 'C'

Keyboard diagram. Be sure to start on the 'C'.

Image of keyboard with notes on keys. Start from 'C'

Are you ready to learn to play the melody?

Watch the video and play along as we take you through the melody.

Autumn Leaves – melody chart

Melody - C C C C B B A A A A G F F F F E E E E D D D D C

You might also like to try playing along with this piano version.

Let's see how you go.

3. Sing

Watch the video to learn the song 'Autumn Leaves' to go with the melody you have been playing.

Autumn Leaves – singing

Duration: 02:12
Autumn leaves are falling, orange, red and brown. See them swirling in the wind and falling to the ground.

4. Putting it together

Are you ready to put the music and the words together!

Let's try to sing and play your instrument at the same time. It's pretty tricky! I am sure if you keep practising you will get it.

Autumn Leaves – melody and words chart

Melody - C C C C B B A A A A G F F F F E E E E D D D D C. Words - Au-tumn leaves are fall-ing, ora-nge red and brown. See them swirling in the wind and falling to the ground.

4. Music extension

Use your instrument or music app to create your own piece of music about autumn leaves!

Think about the movements of the autumn leaves. Can you make the music sound like:

  • a tree swaying in the breeze

  • leaves starting to fall off the tree

  • leaves swirling and whirling in the wind

  • the leaves landing and rustling on the ground.

Have fun. Experiment. Let your creativity take over!

Amazing! Now you are a composer!

Don't forget to share your work with your teacher.

Enjoy Autumn

Celestine GuyerGoulburn East Public SchoolOperation Art 2018
student artwork showing a girl with long hair flowing in the breeze under a tree with autumn leaves falling

Fantastic work!

You have completed this @The Arts Unit Creative Class.

We hope you had fun exploring visual arts, dance and music with us!

Third-party content attributions

  • Enjoy Autumn © Celestine Guyer, 2018, reproduced and communicated with permission.