Unit Plan 21 (Grade 1 Music): Music & Movement Stories
Grade 1 music unit where students respond to music with creative movement and simple storytelling, performing short movement stories that show feelings, characters, and actions.
Focus: Respond to music with movement and simple storytelling, then share short “music and movement stories” that show feelings, characters, or actions.
Grade Level: 1
Subject Area: Music (Responding • Creating • Performing)
Total Unit Duration: 2–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, first graders explore how music can inspire movement and stories. Students listen to short pieces and show what they hear by moving like characters, acting out actions, or telling simple stories with their bodies and faces. They notice how dynamics, tempo, and timbre help music sound happy, sneaky, sleepy, or excited, then work in small groups to create and perform a short movement story that matches a piece of music.
Essential Questions
- How do movement and actions help us show what we hear in music?
- How do dynamics, tempo, and timbre change the story or feeling of a piece?
- How can we use our bodies to tell a story that matches the music?
- How can we share a short movement story with classmates so they understand our expressive intent?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify and demonstrate how expressive qualities (dynamics, tempo, timbre) change the feeling or story of a piece of music.
- Respond to music by using creative movement to show characters, actions, or emotions.
- Work with others to create a short movement story that matches a piece of music.
- Present a final version of their movement story to classmates, showing clear expressive intent (happy, sneaky, sleepy, etc.).
- Use simple language to explain how their movement story fits the music.
Standards Alignment — Grade 1 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Re8.1.1a — With limited guidance, demonstrate and identify how expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, and timbre) are used in performers’ and personal interpretations to reflect expressive intent.
- Example: Changing tempo to make music sound exciting or calm.
- MU:Cr3.2.1a — With limited guidance, convey expressive intent for a specific purpose by presenting a final version of personal musical ideas to peers or an informal audience.
- Example: Performing a completed song created for a classroom celebration.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can move my body to show what I hear in the music (fast, slow, loud, soft, smooth, bouncy).
- I can tell how dynamics, tempo, or timbre make the music sound happy, calm, or sneaky.
- I can help my group make a movement story that matches a piece of music.
- I can perform our movement story so the feeling is clear to the audience.
- I can say why our movement story fits the music.