Unit Plan 32 (Grade 1 Music): Favorite Songs

Focus: Perform favorite songs with growing expression by using simple rehearsal strategies to solve tricky spots and prepare music for a clear classroom purpose.

Grade Level: 1

Subject Area: Music (Performing • Rehearsing • Expressing)

Total Unit Duration: 2–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students prepare and perform favorite songs with more focus and expression. They learn that musicians don’t just sing; they rehearse to fix tricky parts, start and stop together, and match the song’s purpose (welcome, celebration, calm, etc.). With limited guidance, students use simple strategies—like slowing down a hard part, echo practice, and checking starting pitch—to improve their singing. They then share songs for a specific classroom purpose, performing with confident voices, appropriate volume, and simple expressive choices.

Essential Questions

• Why do musicians need to rehearse before performing a song?
• How can we use strategies to fix tricky parts and make our singing more accurate?
• What does it mean to sing with expression and for a purpose (welcome, calm, celebration)?
• How can we show we are ready to perform for an audience in our classroom?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Use simple rehearsal strategies (slowing down, echoing, isolating a phrase) to improve accuracy in familiar songs.
2. Sing favorite classroom songs with steady beat, mostly accurate pitch, and clear words.
3. Perform songs with basic expressive choices (dynamics, tempo, facial expression, posture) that fit a chosen purpose.
4. With limited guidance, describe one strategy they used to make their singing better.
5. Perform at least one favorite song for a specific classroom purpose (e.g., greeting, celebration, transition) with appropriate decorum.

Standards Alignment — Grade 1 Music (NAfME-Aligned)

• MU:Pr5.1.1b — With limited guidance, use suggested strategies in rehearsal to address interpretive challenges of music.
  • Example: Slowing down a tricky section to improve accuracy.
• MU:Pr6.1.1a — With limited guidance, perform music for a specific purpose with expression.
  • Example: Singing a welcome song with confident voices and gestures.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can use a strategy (like slowing down or echoing) to fix a tricky part of a song.
• I can sing my favorite songs with clear words and a steady beat.
• I can choose loud/soft and fast/slow to fit what the song is for (welcome, calm, celebration).
• I can explain one thing I did in rehearsal that helped my singing.
• I can sing for my class with good posture, focus, and kind audience behavior.