Unit Plan 17 (Grade 3 Music): Revising Our Music
Grade 3 unit where students use teacher criteria to evaluate and revise personal melodies, improving rhythm, pitch, expression, and clarity with before-and-after sharing.
Focus: Evaluate and refine personal melodies using clear, teacher-provided criteria so musical ideas become more accurate, expressive, and purposeful.
Grade Level: 3
Subject Area: Music (Creating • Revising • Evaluating)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 sessions (3+ weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students learn that good music takes revision. They revisit short melodic ideas they have created in earlier units (or create new ones), then use teacher-provided criteria to decide what is working well and what could be improved. Students focus on elements such as steady beat, clear rhythm, pitch accuracy, and expressive choices. Through guided listening, discussion, and practice, they make small but meaningful changes to their melodies and explain how those revisions make their music stronger.
Essential Questions
- What does it mean to revise my music instead of just starting over?
- How can criteria (a simple checklist or rubric) help me improve my melody?
- Which musical elements—like rhythm, pitch, and expression—should I listen for when I evaluate my own work?
- Why is it helpful to look at my music with a “composer’s ear” and make changes?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Explain what criteria are and use a simple teacher-provided checklist to evaluate a short melodic idea.
- Listen to or perform their own melody and identify at least one strength and one area to improve based on the criteria.
- Revise their melody by making specific changes (e.g., fixing a rhythm, adjusting a pitch, clarifying dynamics or tempo).
- Demonstrate a “before and after” version of their melody and describe what changed and why.
- Reflect on how using criteria and revision can make their musical ideas clearer and more expressive.
Standards Alignment — Grade 3 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Cr3.1.3a — Evaluate personal musical work using teacher-provided criteria, such as use of musical elements and sound sources.
- Example: Checking if a piece uses dynamics as planned.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can use a checklist to look for specific musical elements in my melody (like steady beat, clear rhythm, accurate pitch).
- I can tell one thing that is working well in my music and one thing I can improve.
- I can change my melody (fix a rhythm, pitch, or expression) to make it stronger.
- I can show a before and after version of my melody and explain what I changed and why.
- I understand that revising my music is a normal part of being a composer.