- Definition
A melody is the main tune of a song, made up of different musical notes played one after another. It's what you often hum or sing along to.
The first seven notes of 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' form a simple melody.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A melody is like the tune you hum from a song, made of notes that go up and down.
Ask your child: When you hum 'Happy Birthday,' where do the notes go up?
Common mix-up: Kids often confuse melody with rhythm. Melody is the tune you sing, while rhythm is the beat you tap your foot to.
Examples
- A doorbell that rings a simple two-note tune.
- The tune a bird sings outside the window.
- The part of the 'Happy Birthday' song where the notes go up on the word 'day'.
melody is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
+4 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
