Unit Plan 19 (Grade 1 Music): Listening for Details
Grade 1 music “detective” listening unit where students identify steady beat, high/low pitch, and expressive elements (dynamics, tempo, timbre) to describe different styles and explain how musical choices fit purposes like marching, dancing, or resting.
Focus: Listen for and identify beat, pitch (high/low), and expressive elements (dynamics, tempo, timbre) in different kinds of music and explain how they are used for a purpose.
Grade Level: 1
Subject Area: Music (Responding • Listening • Describing)
Total Unit Duration: 2–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, first graders become “music detectives” who listen closely for details in the music they hear. Students practice finding the steady beat, noticing high and low sounds, and describing expressive elements such as loud/soft, fast/slow, and different instrument sounds (timbre). They learn that these details help music fit a purpose—for example, making us want to march, sleep, or dance.
Essential Questions
- How can I tell if music has a strong beat or a gentle beat?
- How do high and low sounds and melodies change how music feels?
- How do dynamics, tempo, and timbre help music fit a purpose (marching, dancing, resting)?
- What listening skills help me notice small details in the music I hear every day?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- With limited guidance, identify and demonstrate the steady beat in different styles of music (march, lullaby, dance).
- Point out high and low sounds and describe how pitch direction changes the feeling of a piece.
- Describe how dynamics (loud/soft), tempo (fast/slow), and timbre (which instruments/voices they hear) help music fit a purpose.
- Use simple listening maps, gestures, or drawings to show details they hear in music.
- Explain in simple language how one or two music concepts (beat, pitch, expressive elements) are used for a specific purpose in a piece.
Standards Alignment — Grade 1 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Re7.2.1a — With limited guidance, demonstrate and identify how specific music concepts (such as beat or pitch) are used in various styles of music for a purpose.
- Example: Explaining why marches have a strong beat.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can move or tap to show the beat in different songs.
- I can tell when music is high or low and show it with my hands or voice.
- I can say if music is loud or soft, fast or slow, and what instruments I hear.
- I can explain how those music details help the song be good for marching, dancing, or resting.
- I can show what I hear using gestures, simple pictures, or check marks on a listening paper.