Unit Plan 7 (PreK Music): Music & Movement Play
PreK tempo unit with fast/slow movement and freeze cues to build listening and movement skills.
Focus: Respond to tempo changes (fast/slow) using whole-body movement and simple feeling words.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Music (Creating • Performing • Responding • Connecting)
Total Unit Duration: 3–4 sessions (2+ weeks), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Children explore how music makes their bodies want to move in different ways when it is fast, slow, or changing. Through simple games, locomotor movement (walking, tiptoeing, marching), and freeze poses, they learn to listen for tempo and respond safely in their own space. Children also practice using simple feeling words (“happy,” “tired,” “excited”) to describe how the music and movement make them feel.
Essential Questions
- How can my body show what I hear in the music?
- How does fast or slow music make me want to move?
- How can I tell a friend or teacher how the music makes me feel?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Children will:
- Move their bodies in different ways (walking, tiptoeing, marching) that match fast and slow music.
- Start, stop, and change movement when the tempo in the music changes.
- Use simple words or pictures to describe how the music makes them feel (e.g., happy, calm, excited).
- Participate in a short “Music & Movement Play” activity where their motions and expressions show they are listening.
Standards Alignment — PreK Music (NAfME-Aligned)
- MU:Pr4.1.PK — Demonstrate awareness of music through movement and sound. Children respond physically or vocally to music they hear.
- Example: Moving fast to fast music, slow to slow music.
- MU:Re7.2.PK — Describe how music makes them feel. Children express emotional responses to music.
- Example: “This song makes me happy.”
Success Criteria — Child-Friendly Language
- I can move my body fast or slow to match the music.
- I can start and stop my body when the music changes or pauses.
- I can tell or show how the music makes me feel (with words, faces, or pictures).
- I can play a movement game safely in my own space while listening to the music.