Unit Plan 16 (Grade 5 Music): Selecting Music for Purpose
Grade 5 music: choose and justify performance music for specific audiences and events, considering style, mood, length, difficulty, and performer skills, plus personal interests.
Focus: Explain how musical choices (style, difficulty, forces, length, mood) fit a specific audience, performer group, and context, and how personal interests and experiences influence music selection.
Grade Level: 5
Subject Area: Music (General • Performance • Listening/Response)
Total Unit Duration: 1 required session (core), plus up to 2 optional extension sessions; 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students step into the role of a music planner or student conductor who must select appropriate pieces for different audiences and situations. They compare short examples from different styles and difficulty levels and think about who is listening, who is performing, where the performance happens, and what the purpose of the music is (celebration, reflection, background, school event, etc.). Students also reflect on how their own interests, experiences, and skills influence the music they enjoy and the music they might choose to perform.
Essential Questions
- How do audience, setting, and purpose influence which music is a good choice to perform?
- In what ways do interests, experiences, and technical skill affect the music that performers select?
- How can we explain and support our music choices with evidence from both the music itself and the performance context?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify key factors in selecting music for performance, including audience, context, purpose, difficulty level, and interests (MU:Pr4.1.5a).
- Compare at least two musical excerpts and explain which is a stronger choice for a specific event (e.g., school assembly, classroom performance, background for art show) with supporting reasons (MU:Pr4.1.5a, MU:Re7.1.5a).
- Explain, citing musical and contextual evidence, how a selected piece connects to students’ interests, experiences, and the event purpose (MU:Re7.1.5a).
- Work with a small group to select a piece or excerpt for a given scenario and present a short justification for their choice.
- Reflect on how their own music preferences and performance skills shape the kinds of music they might choose in the future.
Standards Alignment — Grade 5 Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Pr4.1.5a — Explain how the selection of music to perform is influenced by interest, knowledge, context, and technical skill.
- Example: Choosing music appropriate for both the audience and performers’ abilities.
- MU:Re7.1.5a — Explain, citing evidence, how selected music connects to and is influenced by interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts.
- Example: Explaining how instrumentation signals celebratory music.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can list important questions to ask when choosing music (Who is listening? Where? Why? Can we play it well?).
- I can compare two pieces and explain which is a better fit for a specific audience or event.
- I can cite evidence from the music (tempo, style, instruments, lyrics) and the context (who/where/why) to support my choice.
- I can work with my group to select music and briefly present why we chose it.
- I can explain how my own interests and experiences affect the music I like and the music I might choose to perform.