Unit Plan 19 (Grade K Music): Listening for Music Details
Kindergarten music unit on listening for instruments, voices, details, and sharing favorites, music choices for class activities.
Focus: Listen closely to identify instruments, voices, and sound details in music and share personal preferences and purposes for different pieces.
Grade Level: K
Subject Area: Music (Responding • Connecting)
Total Unit Duration: 2–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students become “sound detectives” who listen carefully for instruments, voices, and special sounds in music. They learn to notice details like how a sound is made (shaken, tapped, blown, sung) and whether it is high/low, loud/soft, or long/short. Students also connect these listening details to their own lives by explaining which music they like, why they like it, and when they might choose it (rest time, play time, celebrations).
Essential Questions
- What sounds do I hear in music (instruments, voices, and other sounds), and how can I tell them apart?
- How do music details (like instruments, voices, and sound effects) change how a song feels?
- How do my interests and experiences help me choose music for different times of my day?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Listen to short musical examples and identify if they hear instruments, singing voices, or other sounds (e.g., claps, environmental sounds).
- Point to or name common classroom instruments and voice types (speaking, singing, whispering, calling) they hear in a piece.
- Use simple music words (e.g., loud/soft, high/low, fast/slow) to describe what they notice while listening.
- Share which musical example they like best and explain why it fits a certain purpose (rest time, dancing, cleaning up).
- Help create a simple Listening Chart (song title, sounds heard, feelings/purpose) to show how we choose music for different classroom activities.
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Re7.1.Ka — With guidance, demonstrate and identify how personal interests and experiences influence music choices for specific purposes.
- Example: Choosing calming music for rest time.
Success Criteria — Student-Friendly Language
- I can point to or name instruments, voices, and sounds I hear in music.
- I can use words like loud/soft, high/low, or fast/slow to tell about what I hear.
- I can say which song I like for a certain activity and tell why I chose it.
- I can help my class make a Listening Chart that shows different songs and how we might use them.