Unit Plan 5 (Grade 6 Vocal Music): Solfege Basics
Use solfege (do–re–mi–fa–sol) to boost pitch accuracy and basic sight-singing as students read stepwise melodies and small skips, connect staff notation to what they hear, and apply solfege to learn songs faster.
Focus: Use solfege syllables to support pitch accuracy and basic music reading in simple vocal lines.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Vocal Music (Aural Skills • Literacy • Technique)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–55 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students use solfege syllables to build stronger pitch accuracy and confidence in reading simple melodies. They connect what they see on the staff to what they hear and sing, using stepwise patterns and small skips in a comfortable range. Through call-and-response, echo reading, and short written examples, students learn how solfege can act like a map for their voice, helping them find and stay on the right notes. By the end of the unit, students will read and perform simple melodic patterns using solfege and apply these skills to short songs.
Essential Questions
- How can solfege syllables help me find and match pitches more accurately?
- What is the connection between notes on the staff, hand signs, and the pitches I sing?
- How does reading with solfege make it easier to learn new songs in choir?
- How can I use solfege and simple rehearsal strategies to fix pitch mistakes on my own?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate singer’s posture and low breath while singing short solfege patterns.
- Read and perform simple stepwise melodies using solfege syllables (e.g., do–re–mi–fa–sol) from basic notation.
- Echo and perform short written patterns that include repeated notes and simple skips (e.g., do–mi, mi–sol).
- Use solfege to check and correct pitch accuracy when learning a short song or exercise.
- Explain how solfege, staff notation, and hand signs or visuals work together to support accurate singing.
Standards Alignment — Grade 6 Vocal Music (custom, NAfME-style)
- VM:Pr4.6b — Read and perform vocal music using basic notation, solfege, or lyric cues.
- Example: Students sight-sing a simple melody using solfege syllables.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can sing solfege syllables (like do–re–mi–fa–sol) in tune while using good posture and breathing.
- I can look at a simple melody on the staff and perform it using solfege.
- I can echo short patterns and tell when I am singing the same pitches I see or hear.
- I can use solfege to fix a note that doesn’t sound right in a warm-up or song.
- I can explain how solfege helps me understand and remember what I’m singing in choir.