Unit Plan 6 (Grade K Music): Beat in Songs
Kindergarten music unit where students sing familiar songs while keeping a steady beat, use feedback to improve timing, and share favorite songs for beat practice.
Focus: Maintain steady beat while singing familiar songs and using feedback to improve.
Grade Level: K
Subject Area: Music (Beat • Singing • Rehearsal)
Total Unit Duration: 2–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students practice keeping a steady beat not just with movement and instruments, but while singing songs they know. They learn to notice when their beat slips away and how to bring it back, using simple teacher and class criteria like “Are we together?” and “Is our beat even?” With guidance, students also begin to show which songs they are most interested in singing and moving to, and they use those favorites for extra practice.
Essential Questions
- How can we keep a steady beat while we sing?
- How do we know if our beat is together or not together with the class?
- How can listening to feedback help us make our singing and beat more accurate?
- Which songs do we like best for singing and keeping the beat, and why?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- With guidance, maintain a steady beat while singing familiar classroom songs.
- Use simple rehearsal strategies (e.g., slowing down, trying again) after teacher feedback to improve beat accuracy.
- Notice and describe whether their beat is together with the class or not.
- Show personal interest by choosing songs they enjoy singing and moving to.
- Sing and keep the beat with the class in a short sharing activity (e.g., beat circle or group performance practice).
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Pr5.1.Kb — With guidance, apply teacher-provided and collaboratively developed criteria and feedback to improve performance accuracy.
- Example: Singing again after teacher feedback to improve pitch or timing.
- MU:Pr4.1.Ka — With guidance, demonstrate and state personal interest in varied musical selections.
- Example: Choosing a favorite song to sing or move to.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can keep a steady beat while I sing a song.
- I can listen to feedback and try again to make my beat more accurate.
- I can tell if my beat is with the class or not together.
- I can say which song I like to sing and why I like its beat.