Unit Plan 8 (Grade 2 Music): Exploring Classroom Instruments

Focus: Identify and safely play classroom percussion instruments, explore their sounds (timbres), and begin to improvise rhythmic ideas for a purpose, including with music from different cultures.

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: Music (Performing • Creating • Timbre/Rhythm)

Total Unit Duration: 1–3 sessions (3+ weeks), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students explore classroom instruments and how to use them safely and musically. They learn names and playing techniques for common unpitched percussion (woods, metals, shakers, drums) and use them to keep a steady beat and simple rhythmic patterns with songs, including music from different cultures. Students also begin to improvise short rhythmic patterns that match a purpose—such as footsteps, rain, or a parade—learning that different instruments and patterns can help tell a musical story.

Essential Questions

• What classroom instruments do we have, and how do we play them safely and respectfully?
• How do different instruments make different sounds (timbres), and how can we use them to keep a beat or play patterns?
• How can we choose instruments and rhythms to match a specific purpose or idea (rain, marching, sneaking, cheering)?
• How do instruments help us perform music from different cultures and support the feeling or purpose of the song?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Name and correctly hold/play several common classroom percussion instruments (e.g., hand drum, rhythm sticks, triangle, shaker).
2. Demonstrate safe, respectful playing (taking turns, using proper technique, protecting instruments and ears).
3. Use instruments to keep a steady beat and perform simple rhythmic patterns with songs, including music from a variety of cultures.
4. Describe how an instrument’s sound (timbre) and rhythmic pattern can support a song’s purpose (dance, march, story, sound effect).
5. Improvise short rhythmic patterns on classroom instruments for a specific purpose (e.g., to sound like rain, footsteps, or a parade) and share their intent.

Standards Alignment — Grade 2 Music (NAfME-Aligned)

• MU:Pr4.2.2a — Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts (such as tonality and meter) in music from a variety of cultures selected for performance.
  • Here: Using classroom percussion to keep steady beat and simple patterns in songs from varied cultures, noticing how patterns fit the meter (e.g., “walk-walk” in duple).
• MU:Cr1.1.2a — Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific purpose.
  • Here: Creating short rhythmic ideas on instruments to represent rain, footsteps, or other images/events and explaining their choices.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name and play several classroom percussion instruments the correct way.
• I can show safe and respectful instrument use.
• I can keep a steady beat and play simple rhythmic patterns on instruments with a song.
• I can explain how an instrument’s sound and pattern help music fit a purpose (like marching or sneaking).
• I can make up a short rhythm on an instrument and tell what it is supposed to sound like or show.