Unit Plan 26 (Grade 2 Music): Musical Storytelling
Grade 2 music unit: students create and perform sound stories that represent characters and actions using simple rhythms/melodies, guided by personal interests, and explain their expressive intent.
Focus: Create music to represent characters or actions, using personal interests and simple musical ideas to tell stories and share expressive intent with classmates.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Music (Creating • Connecting • Performing)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 sessions (3+ weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students become musical storytellers. They listen to short stories or picture scenes and decide how to use sounds, rhythms, and simple melodies to represent characters, settings, and actions (sneaking, running, flying, stomping). Students draw on their own interests—favorite animals, games, superheroes, or activities—to choose instruments, patterns, and expressive qualities. Working in small groups, they plan and rehearse sound stories, then present a final version to classmates, explaining how their musical choices show what is happening in the story.
Essential Questions
- How can music help tell a story or show characters and actions without using words?
- How do our interests and experiences influence the musical choices we make?
- How can we choose instruments, rhythms, and dynamics to show what a character is like or what they are doing?
- What does it mean to present a final version of our musical story so others can understand our expressive intent?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe how music can represent characters, actions, or feelings in a short story or scene.
- Select instruments, vocal sounds, and/or body percussion to match specific characters or actions.
- Work in a small group to plan and rehearse a short sound story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- Present a final version of their musical story to classmates, aiming to show clear expressive intent (mood, action, character).
- Explain how their own interests, knowledge, or experiences helped them choose sounds and patterns for their story.
Standards Alignment — Grade 2 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Cr3.2.2a — 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 rhythm piece for the class.
- MU:Cn10.0.2a — Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.
- Example: Creating music inspired by a favorite activity.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can help tell a story using only sounds, rhythms, and simple melodies.
- I can choose instruments and sounds that match a character or action (sneaky, powerful, excited, sleepy).
- I can work with my group to create a musical story with a beginning, middle, and end.
- I can perform a final version of our sound story for the class.
- I can explain how my favorite things (animals, games, stories) helped me choose my musical ideas.