Unit Plan 16 (Grade 2 Music): Choosing Music for a Purpose
Grade 2 unit where students choose rhythms, melodies, tempo, dynamics, and instruments to match a purpose or feeling, then justify their choices and evaluate which music best fits classroom situations.
Focus: Select musical ideas (rhythms, melodies, dynamics, tempo, and instruments) that match a specific feeling or use, and explain personal reasons for those choices.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Music (Creating • Responding • Expressive Intent)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 sessions (3+ weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students explore how music can be chosen and shaped for a purpose—such as a calm reading time, an energetic movement break, a welcome song, or a game. They listen to short musical examples and decide which ones fit different situations best, using words about mood and purpose. Then, they select musical patterns and ideas (rhythms, dynamics, tempo, instruments) to match a chosen feeling or job and give simple reasons for their choices. Finally, they practice evaluating music for specific purposes, using their own preferences to explain which music works best and why.
Essential Questions
- How can music help us with different purposes (like calming down, lining up, celebrating, or moving)?
- How do rhythms, instruments, dynamics, and tempo help music fit a certain feeling or job?
- How can I choose musical ideas that show what I want my music to express?
- How can I use my own preferences and opinions to decide which music fits a purpose best—and explain why?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe different purposes for music in the classroom and daily life (e.g., calming, energizing, moving, welcoming).
- Select musical patterns and ideas (e.g., fast/slow rhythms, loud/soft dynamics, certain instruments) to match a chosen feeling or use.
- Explain personal reasons for their choices, connecting musical features to expressive intent (“We chose fast rhythms to sound like running”).
- Listen to two or more musical options for a specific purpose and state which one they prefer, using simple reasons.
- Apply personal and expressive preferences when evaluating music for a given situation, such as a classroom routine or school event.
Standards Alignment — Grade 2 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Cr2.1.2a — Demonstrate and explain personal reasons for selecting musical patterns and ideas that represent expressive intent.
- Example: Explaining why fast rhythms fit a running character.
- MU:Re9.1.2a — Apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music for specific purposes.
- Example: Explaining which song best fits a classroom routine.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name what my music is for (calm time, game, movement, welcome, etc.).
- I can choose rhythms, instruments, tempo, and dynamics that match the feeling I want.
- I can say why I picked those musical ideas (“I chose drums and fast beat for running”).
- I can listen to two pieces and tell which one I think fits a purpose better and why.
- I can use my own preferences to talk about which music works best for a job, not just which one I like.