Unit Plan 20 (Grade 1 Music): Music Choices
Grade 1 music unit where students choose and explain music for classroom activities using personal interests and simple words like fast, slow, calm, or energetic.
Focus: Listen to different kinds of music and explain why certain pieces are good for specific activities (reading, moving, cleaning up, resting), using personal interests and simple music words.
Grade Level: 1
Subject Area: Music (Responding • Evaluating • Connecting)
Total Unit Duration: 2–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, first graders explore how their own interests and experiences guide the way they choose music for different classroom activities. Students listen to a variety of short music examples and decide which ones are best for quiet reading, clean-up, movement breaks, or celebrations. They practice saying what they like, why they like it, and whether the music fits a purpose by using simple music vocabulary such as fast/slow, loud/soft, and calm/energetic.
Essential Questions
- How do my experiences and interests help me choose music I like?
- Why might one song be better for quiet reading and another better for a movement break?
- How can I use words like fast, slow, loud, soft, calm, and energetic to explain my music choices?
- How can we choose music that fits the purpose of what our class is doing?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- With limited guidance, describe how their own interests and experiences influence what music they like for certain activities (reading, moving, cleaning up).
- Choose from several music examples the one that best fits a specific classroom purpose and explain why.
- Use simple music vocabulary (fast/slow, loud/soft, calm/energetic) when talking about music choices.
- Share personal preferences and listen respectfully to classmates’ opinions about music.
- Complete a simple Music Choices chart or drawing that shows which music they would use for at least one classroom activity and their reason.
Standards Alignment — Grade 1 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Re7.1.1a — With limited guidance, identify and demonstrate how personal interests and experiences influence musical selection for specific purposes.
- Example: Choosing calming music for quiet reading time.
- MU:Re9.1.1a — With limited guidance, apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music for specific purposes.
- Example: Choosing which song best fits a classroom activity and explaining why.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can say which music I like for specific activities (reading, cleaning, moving) and tell why.
- I can use words like fast, slow, loud, soft, calm, and energetic to explain my choice.
- I can tell which song fits a classroom activity and say, “This song is best for __ because __.”
- I can listen to others’ opinions and notice that friends might choose different music than I do.