Example · Music · P5 · Scotland

A New Waulking Song for Portree

Mairi, Portree, Isle of Skye

Built by ALF Studio from exactly what each teacher typed, then changed the way that teacher teaches.

What she typed · word for word

“Can we write a new waulking song for Portree today? Pupils learn two traditional òrain luaidh, feel the beat by waulking cloth round a table, compose new Gaelic verses about the town as it is now, and perform the finished song to local elders and families at a school ceilidh.”

On the form: Scotland (Curriculum for Excellence) · P5 · Music · 4 weeks · 2 lessons a week, 60 minutes · Portree, Isle of Skye

Why it is here

Pupils put their hands on the cloth and feel why the songs have the pulse they do, then add a verse to a living tradition.

What a school would ask first

Dry cloth for the waulking; the visitor procedure for the singers; image consent.

Example teacher

Mairi

Portree, Isle of Skye

Teaches: P5 Music, Scotland (Curriculum for Excellence).
Her lessons: 2 a week, 60 minutes.

Standards on the form

EXA 2-01a: I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances.Suggested by ALF, kept
EXA 2-16a: I can sing and play music from a range of styles and cultures, showing skill and using performance directions, and/or musical notation.Suggested by ALF, kept
EXA 2-18a: Inspired by a range of stimuli, and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities.Chosen with Choose your own

The unit as she left it

Drafted Oct 8 in 20 seconds · 6 changes since

Music · P5 · 4 weeks

A New Waulking Song for Portree

Driving question

How can we write and perform a new waulking song that shares our life in Portree today?

Standards

EXA 2-01a

I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances.

TAUGHT IN Week 3, activity 1; Week 4, activity 1; Week 4, activity 2ASSESSED BY Performance and Audience Engagement

EXA 2-16a

I can sing and play music from a range of styles and cultures, showing skill and using performance directions, and/or musical notation.

TAUGHT IN Week 1, activity 1; Week 1, activity 2; Week 2, activity 2; Week 3, activity 2; Week 4, activity 1ASSESSED BY Singing and Style

EXA 2-18a

Inspired by a range of stimuli, and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities.

TAUGHT IN Week 2, activity 1; Week 2, activity 2; Week 3, activity 1; Week 3, activity 2ASSESSED BY Musical Composition

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Overview

Pupils explore the tradition of Scottish Gaelic waulking songs (òrain luaidh) by singing traditional songs and working together to beat tweed around a table in steady rhythm. Inspired by daily life in Portree, groups compose new verses describing their town today, complete with Gaelic call-and-response refrains. After peer critique and rehearsal, pupils perform their completed song and waulking demonstration for an audience of local elders and families at a school ceilidh.

Entry event

The teacher lays a long strip of wet woven tweed along a joined row of tables and plays an authentic audio recording of a Gaelic waulking song. Pupils are invited to sit around the cloth, catch the strong thumping beat with their hands, and feel how the rhythmic work moves the cloth together.

Need to know

What is a waulking song and why did people sing them?
How does the rhythm help everyone waulk cloth together?
What Gaelic words or vocables do we need for the chorus lines?
How do we write lines about modern Portree that fit the steady beat?
How will we organise our performance for the ceilidh?

Week by week

Your lessons: 2 a week, 60 minutes.

Week 1

Learn how waulking songs work by singing a traditional call and response in rhythm around the table.

Listen to archive waulking songs, learn the call-and-response vocables of a traditional òran luaidh, and practice singing the chorus together. Move the final performance to the Aros Centre and invite local Gaelic singers to carry the chorus with the class.
· 1 lesson
Sit at the waulking table with wet tweed to practise steady four-beat thumping and passing actions while singing the traditional song in time.
· 1 lesson

Supports

Provide phonetic word strips and audio prompts for EAL and Gaelic learners; provide padded table mats for pupils with ASN needing sensory moderation; extend pupils by having them lead the solo vocal call.

Deliverable

A group performance of one traditional waulking song section with steady table actions.

Week 2

Compose new verses and a traditional vocable chorus based on sights, sounds, and daily life in Portree.

Brainstorm landmarks, harbour sounds, and daily routines in Portree, then draft rhythmic verse lines paired with traditional Gaelic response refrains. Let each group choose whether their verse is about the harbour, the Lump, or a Saturday in the Square.
· 1 lesson
Set drafted verses and vocable choruses to a melody in pairs with fluent speakers, testing syllable counts against the steady table beat.
· 1 lesson

Supports

Provide rhyming word banks and phrase sentence starters for EAL pupils; offer rhythmic visual beat strips for pupils with ASN.

Deliverable

A written draft of two original verses and a vocable refrain set to a steady pulse.

Week 3

Combine verses into a whole-class waulking song and refine the performance through peer feedback.

Sing and waulk draft verses to another group, using a two-stars-and-a-wish peer critique protocol to check beat consistency and vocal projection.
· 1 lesson
Revise song lyrics based on peer feedback, finalise the running order of solo calls, and rehearse the full routine with cloth actions.
· 1 lesson

Supports

Pair EAL pupils with bilingual peers for lyric tweaks; allow pupils with physical ASN to keep time using hand-held beaters or hand taps; encourage advanced pupils to arrange dynamic contrasts.

Deliverable

A completed, revised song score sheet and a run-through video check.

Week 4

Rehearse staging and perform the finished waulking song live for families and community elders at the school ceilidh.

Conduct a full dress rehearsal of the ceilidh set, practising introductions, audience etiquette, seated posture, and clear vocal calls.
· 1 lesson
Perform the original waulking song around the cloth for elders and families at the school ceilidh, then complete written pupil self-reflections.
· 1 lesson

Supports

Use visual cue cards from the front for pupils needing memory cues; provide designated quiet spaces before the performance for pupils with sensory ASN; extend pupils by having them introduce the song's historical background to the audience.

Deliverable

Live ceilidh performance and completed self-reflection sheet.

Critique and revision

End of week 3, lesson 1

Groups perform their draft verses at the waulking table for a partner group, using a structured rubric to give feedback on rhythm, vocal clarity, and Gaelic pronunciation.

Student reflection

Pupils complete a structured reflection sheet identifying how their singing, cloth timing, and collaborative composing developed across the unit.

Final product

What they make

Pupils compose and perform an original waulking song with coordinated rhythmic cloth waulking around a communal table.

Options

Pupils choose whether to sing lead solo calls or choruses, select the modern Portree themes featured in their verses, and decide whether to play a steady percussion beat or work the cloth directly.

Who sees it

Local community elders, Gaelic speakers, and families at the school ceilidh during the final lesson of week 4.

Teams

Mixed-ability groups of 4 to 5 pupils for verse composition, joining together as a whole class of 10 to 12 pupils around each waulking table for the final performance.

Rubric3 rows · 4 levels

Criterion	beginning	developing	proficient	advanced
Singing and Style EXA 2-16a · individual	Sings with inconsistent pitch and misses response cues during the waulking song.	Sings choruses in time but hesitates on Gaelic vocables or waulking rhythms.	Sings Gaelic choruses and verses accurately with good projection and steady rhythm while waulking.	Leads vocal calls confidently with clear diction, accurate Gaelic pronunciation, and expressive musical character.
Musical Composition EXA 2-18a · team	Drafts lines about Portree that do not match the metre or rhythm of a waulking song.	Writes verses describing Portree, but syllables feel uneven against the table beat.	Composes rhythmic verses about Portree that fit the call-and-response pattern and steady four-beat meter.	Crafts vivid, rhythmic verses blending local imagery and Gaelic phrases seamlessly into traditional song structures.
Performance and Audience Engagement EXA 2-01a · team	Shows difficulty staying focused during performance and struggles to sustain table actions.	Performs verses and actions with occasional loss of synchronisation or audience focus.	Presents a coordinated, energetic performance with steady cloth movements and respectful audience etiquette.	Delivers an engaging, highly synchronised performance that communicates traditional heritage and modern Portree life to the audience.

Singing and Style

EXA 2-16a · individual

beginning

Sings with inconsistent pitch and misses response cues during the waulking song.

developing

Sings choruses in time but hesitates on Gaelic vocables or waulking rhythms.

proficient

Sings Gaelic choruses and verses accurately with good projection and steady rhythm while waulking.

advanced

Leads vocal calls confidently with clear diction, accurate Gaelic pronunciation, and expressive musical character.

Musical Composition

EXA 2-18a · team

beginning

Drafts lines about Portree that do not match the metre or rhythm of a waulking song.

developing

Writes verses describing Portree, but syllables feel uneven against the table beat.

proficient

Composes rhythmic verses about Portree that fit the call-and-response pattern and steady four-beat meter.

advanced

Crafts vivid, rhythmic verses blending local imagery and Gaelic phrases seamlessly into traditional song structures.

Performance and Audience Engagement

EXA 2-01a · team

beginning

Shows difficulty staying focused during performance and struggles to sustain table actions.

developing

Performs verses and actions with occasional loss of synchronisation or audience focus.

proficient

Presents a coordinated, energetic performance with steady cloth movements and respectful audience etiquette.

advanced

Delivers an engaging, highly synchronised performance that communicates traditional heritage and modern Portree life to the audience.

Materials

Strips of woven tweed or heavy woollen fabric suitable for dampening and waulking
Sturdy trestle tables arranged in a long communal line
Archive audio recordings of authentic Scottish Gaelic waulking songs
Pronunciation guides and word lists for common Gaelic waulking refrains and vocables
check before use
A simple percussion frame drum or woodblock for beat reinforcement

Week 3, ready to teach

2 lessons · Built Oct 9 in 66 seconds

The week card on her unit reads: "Started from your changes to weeks 1 and 2: Made it local, Gave students a choice, Made it easier, Changed the grouping." Each lesson is a page for her, the task sheet is for the class, and ALF wrote the attachments the lessons hand out.

Week 3 · Lesson 1 of 2

Calling, responding, and steady waulking

Minutes60

Prep5 minutes

Parts4

BuiltOct 9

Checkpoint

Each group performs their draft verse while working the cloth to receive peer feedback, evidenced by an annotated critique card handed in by each reviewing group.

Learning intention

We are learning to sing and play music from a range of styles and cultures, showing skill and using performance directions.

I can keep an unvarying pulse on the cloth during call-and-response verses

I can project Gaelic vocables clearly over communal working noise

I can critique another group's beat consistency and vocal projection

Need to know

How do our call-and-response verses stay in time while our hands pound the cloth?

Sequence, 60 minutes46 of 60 minutes planned. The rest is yours.

Starter · 6 min

Pupils sit around the tables and review their draft verse notation sheet from last week. The class chants a familiar traditional Gaelic vocable refrain in unison while tapping a steady four-beat meter on the table surface. The teacher establishes the working pulse consistency count: ___ beats per minute.

Main · 10 min

The teacher explains that Scottish Gaelic waulking songs use call-and-response form where a solo caller sings each new line and the communal working group sings fixed vocables in unison. A steady pulse synchronises communal physical work, maintaining an unvarying metre so waulking cloth beats match musical accents across verse transitions. Vocal projection in traditional communal song relies on forward resonance and clear Gaelic vowel sounds rather than strained shouting over working noises. For example, a solo caller projects 'Dh'èirich mi moch' forward across the table on beats one and two, and the circle thumps the cloth while answering 'Hò ro gheallaidh' on beats three and four without rushing the tempo.

Task · 23 min

Groups of four to five pair up around the communal table to test their lines using the length of waulking tweed. One group performs their draft verse with alternating caller lines and cloth strikes, while each pupil in the listening group observes beat consistency and vocal clarity. The listening partners evaluate the performance and collaborate to create an annotated critique card, writing two specific stars and one wish using the peer critique feedback card prompts. The teacher circulates, verifying that every pupil sings and works the cloth rather than observing passively, while checking that critique comments focus on pulse consistency and forward resonance.

Check and plenary · 7 min

Each pupil writes and hands in their own peer critique feedback card recording one observation on pulse consistency and one on vocal clarity for the teacher to keep. For pupils who miss the check, the teacher checks their draft verse notation sheet directly to ensure timing notes are added before next lesson. Next lesson, groups will use this feedback to finalise the full song score and caller running order.

Blanks (___) are yours to fill in.

Resources

havedraft verse notation sheet

havelength of waulking tweed

makepeer critique feedback card

Watch for

Pupils shouting instead of using forward resonance when singing over the table thumps; remind them to shape tall, open Gaelic vowels.

Support and challenge

Support.Vocabulary lists in home languages where the school has them, with pictures where it does not, to assist pupils learning English with Gaelic vocable pronunciation and critique terms.

Challenge.Pupils lead the caller role using dynamic contrast between the solo narrative line and the group response.

Next lesson

Groups revise their Portree lyrics using their feedback cards and build the whole-class running order chart.

Her three edits

Each labeled by ALF after the save

What Mairi changed in the draft, in her own words, with the label ALF gave each change and the reason it suggested.

Made it localWeek 1 · Activity 1Probably: local context
Listen to archive waulking songs, learn the call-and-response vocables of a traditional òran luaidh, and practice singing the chorus together. Move the final performance to the Aros Centre and invite local Gaelic singers to carry the chorus with the class.
Gave students a choiceWeek 2 · Activity 1Maybe: fits my students
Brainstorm landmarks, harbour sounds, and daily routines in Portree, then draft rhythmic verse lines paired with traditional Gaelic response refrains. Let each group choose whether their verse is about the harbour, the Lump, or a Saturday in the Square.
Trimmed itWeek 2 · SupportsMaybe: time
Provide rhyming word banks and phrase sentence starters for EAL pupils; offer rhythmic visual beat strips for pupils with ASN; extend pupils by challenging them to incorporate full Gaelic couplets into their verses.
Provide rhyming word banks and phrase sentence starters for EAL pupils; offer rhythmic visual beat strips for pupils with ASN.
The catalogue expected Cut; ALF read it as Trimmed it and that label stands.

Then she pressed Adapt this week

Week 2 · Too hard

Her note, with Too hard picked

“A full Gaelic verse is too much for the newer learners; give them the vocable chorus to compose and pair them with fluent speakers for the verses.”

ALF suggested. Week 2 simplified with vocable choruses and paired verse writing.

Kept · ChangedMade it easier
Compose new verses and a Gaelic chorus based on sights, sounds, and daily life in Portree.
Compose new verses and a traditional vocable chorus based on sights, sounds, and daily life in Portree.
Focusing on vocables simplifies the chorus composition for newer Gaelic speakers.
Kept · ChangedChanged the grouping
Set drafted verses to a melody, testing syllable counts against the steady table beat in small working groups.
Set drafted verses and vocable choruses to a melody in pairs with fluent speakers, testing syllable counts against the steady table beat.
Pairing newer speakers with fluent peers supports everyone through the melodic setting.
Kept · ChangedMade it easier
A written draft of two original verses and a Gaelic refrain set to a steady pulse.
A written draft of two original verses and a vocable refrain set to a steady pulse.
A vocable refrain keeps the deliverable achievable for newer speakers.

She kept 3 of 3.

Then ALF built week 3. The week card reads “Started from your changes to weeks 1 and 2: Made it local, Gave students a choice, Made it easier, Changed the grouping.” Read the lessons.

Build one from your own idea

Type what you want to teach the way Mairi did. ALF drafts the unit, and you change whatever does not fit your class.

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