Unit Plan 4 (Grade 2 Music): Beat vs. Rhythm
Grade 2 music unit helping students tell beat from rhythm through chants and songs, read simple rhythms, and explain how beat and rhythm support marching, dancing, and chanting.
Focus: Differentiate beat from rhythm using chants and songs, and connect these concepts to how music is used for different purposes.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Music (Responding • Performing • Beat & Rhythm)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 sessions (3+ weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students learn the difference between beat (the steady heartbeat of the music) and rhythm (the way the words or sounds go) through speaking chants, singing simple songs, and using body percussion. They practice keeping a steady beat while clapping or tapping rhythm patterns, and begin to read and perform short iconic or standard notated rhythm patterns. Students also talk about how beat and rhythm help music serve different purposes, like marching, dancing, or speaking a clear chant.
Essential Questions
- What is the difference between beat and rhythm in music?
- How can I show the beat and the rhythm at the same time with my body?
- How do beat and rhythm help music be good for marching, dancing, or chanting words?
- How does reading simple notation help me perform rhythm patterns more accurately?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a steady beat using body percussion or movement while hearing or performing a chant or song.
- Perform simple rhythm patterns that match the words of a chant or song.
- Show the difference between beat and rhythm by keeping the beat in one way (e.g., patting) and the rhythm in another (e.g., clapping).
- Read and perform short iconic or standard notated rhythm patterns (e.g., quarter notes, paired eighths, quarter rests).
- Describe how beat and rhythm help music support specific purposes (marching, dancing, clear speaking/chanting).
Standards Alignment — Grade 2 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Re7.2.2a — Describe how specific music concepts are used to support a specific purpose in music.
- Example: Explaining how steady beat supports dancing.
- MU:Pr4.2.2b — When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using iconic or standard notation.
- Example: Reading simple melodic patterns on barred instruments.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can show a steady beat with my hands or feet.
- I can clap or tap the rhythm of the words in a chant or song.
- I can show beat and rhythm at the same time in different ways.
- I can read and perform short rhythm patterns from pictures or notes.
- I can explain how beat and rhythm help music be good for marching, dancing, or speaking clearly.