Unit Plan 10 (Grade 3 Music): High, Low & Melodic Direction
Grade 3 music unit exploring high/low pitch and melodic contour through singing, movement, and listening, linking melody shape to song form in A/B sections.
Focus: Explore high and low sounds and melodic direction through singing, movement, and listening, noticing how melodic contour and structure shape musical responses.
Grade Level: 3
Subject Area: Music (Melody • Listening • Structure)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 sessions (3+ weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students explore how melodies move: up, down, or stay the same. Through singing, movement, and simple visuals, they trace melodic contour (the “shape” of a tune) and notice where patterns repeat or change. Students compare sections of familiar songs (like A and B parts), noticing how high/low movement and melodic structure help them recognize and remember the music. They also describe how these musical choices affect what they feel, imagine, or notice when they listen.
Essential Questions
- How do melodies move (high, low, same) and what is melodic contour?
- How does the structure of a song (repeated vs. new melodies) help us follow and remember it?
- How do changes in melodic direction and patterns affect how we feel and respond to music?
- How can we use our voices, hands, and drawings to show the shape of a melody?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Distinguish high and low pitches with their voices and bodies (e.g., hands/arms moving up and down).
- Trace and show melodic contour of short phrases using movement (hand shapes in the air) and simple line drawings.
- Identify repeated and contrasting melodic sections (e.g., A and B parts) in simple songs.
- Sing or play short melodic patterns while matching their hand/visual contour to the way the melody moves.
- Describe how melodic direction and structure (repetition, contrast) influence their responses to music (what it reminds them of, how it feels).
Standards Alignment — Grade 3 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Pr4.2.3a — Demonstrate understanding of the structure of music selected for performance.
- Example: Identifying verses and choruses in a song.
- MU:Re7.2.3a — Demonstrate and describe how responses to music are informed by structure, musical elements, and context.
- Example: Noticing how a repeated rhythm helps define a style.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell when a sound is high or low and show it with my voice and movement.
- I can show the shape of a melody (up/down/same) with my hand or a contour line.
- I can point out parts of a song that repeat and parts that are different (A, B sections).
- I can describe how the melody’s direction and structure affect how the music feels to me.
- I can use words like high, low, melody, contour, pattern, and section when I talk about music.