Unit Plan 23 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Music & Personal Identity
Grade 7 choir unit reflecting on how personal identity, interests, and experiences shape musical choices and goals, guiding growth in choir.
Focus: Reflect on how personal identity, interests, and experiences shape musical choices and goals as a singer, and use that reflection to guide future growth in choir.
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: Vocal Music (Choir • Reflection • Connections)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students explore how who they are—their identity, interests, background, and experiences—influences the music they enjoy, the way they sing, and the goals they set in choir. Through listening maps, playlists, discussion, and writing, students connect favorite genres and songs to tone, style, and expression. They then use these insights to set personal vocal goals and consider how their unique identity can positively shape the choir community.
Essential Questions
- How do my identity, interests, and experiences influence the music I listen to and enjoy?
- In what ways do my favorite genres, artists, and songs connect to how I sing and the goals I set as a vocalist?
- How can understanding my own identity help me become a more confident, expressive, and authentic singer?
- How can a choir benefit from having singers with different identities and musical backgrounds?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify key elements of their personal identity and experiences (e.g., culture, family, hobbies, values) that relate to their musical interests.
- Describe connections between their favorite genres, artists, and songs and specific vocal qualities (tone, style, expression, text themes).
- Reflect on how their identity and musical interests influence their goals as a singer (e.g., confidence, range, style, leadership).
- Create a short Music & Identity Reflection (written or spoken) that explains how identity, interests, and experiences shape musical choices and choir goals.
- Share at least one personal singing goal with the class community and explain why it matters to them.
- Demonstrate respect for classmates’ identities and musical preferences during discussion and sharing.
Standards Alignment — Grade 7 Vocal Music (custom, NAfME-style)
- VM:Cn10.7a — Explain how personal identity, interests, and experiences influence musical choices and goals as a singer.
- Example: Students write a reflection connecting their favorite genres to performance goals (tone, style, expression).
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can describe parts of my identity and how they connect to the music I like.
- I can explain how my favorite music influences how I want to sound and perform as a singer.
- I can set at least one clear goal for myself as a vocalist and explain why it matters to me.
- I can create a reflection that shows how my identity, interests, and experiences shape my musical choices and choir goals.
- I can listen respectfully to others’ musical stories and understand that different identities bring strength to our choir.