Unit Plan 11 (Grade 6 Vocal Music): Creating Vocal Patterns

Focus: Improvise short vocal patterns using limited pitch sets and simple rhythms to express a clear idea or mood.

Grade Level: 6

Subject Area: Vocal Music (Creating • Improvisation • Expressive Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–55 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students explore improvisation—making up short vocal patterns in the moment using a small set of notes such as sol–mi–la or do–re–mi. Through echo games, call-and-response, and “mood challenges,” they discover how changes in pitch, rhythm, and dynamics can make a pattern sound calm, excited, or mysterious. By the end of the week, students will be able to create simple vocal patterns that match a given mood or idea and feel more comfortable trying musical ideas out loud.

Essential Questions

• What does it mean to improvise music, and how is it different from memorizing a song?
• How can I use a limited pitch set (like sol–mi–la) to create patterns that still sound interesting?
• How do rhythm, dynamics, and pitch direction help show a mood such as “calm,” “excited,” or “serious”?
• How can I improvise respectfully in a group—listening, taking turns, and supporting others’ ideas?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Define improvisation and improvise 2–4 note vocal patterns using limited pitch sets (e.g., sol–mi, sol–mi–la, do–re–mi).
2. Use changes in rhythm, dynamics, and pitch direction to match a given mood or descriptive word.
3. Participate in echo and call-and-response activities as both leader and responder, staying within the given pitch set.
4. Create and perform a short improvised pattern sequence (e.g., 3–4 connected patterns) that expresses a chosen idea or mood.
5. Reflect on which strategies help them feel more comfortable and successful when improvising.

Standards Alignment — Grade 6 Vocal Music (custom, NAfME-style)

• VM:Cr1.6a — Improvise simple vocal patterns using limited pitch sets and rhythmic patterns to express a given idea or mood.
  • Example: Students improvise a short echo pattern using sol–mi–la to match a “calm” or “excited” mood.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can explain what it means to improvise a vocal pattern.
• I can create a short pattern using only the notes in the given pitch set.
• I can change rhythm and dynamics so my pattern fits a mood (calm, excited, serious, playful).
• I can take turns leading and echoing patterns while listening to others.
• I can describe one idea or mood I tried to show with my vocal pattern.