UNIT PLAN- GRADE 1 September

4 Lessons
Generative Topic: In the beginning of the school year, especially with having a new teacher it is
important for me to use my time wisely with the grade ones. With only seeing them once a week, the
students will need support and a basic understanding of what I want to see from them immediately.
Therefore, the month of September will be dedicated to explaining rules and expectations in the music
classroom, as well as getting to know the students and allowing them to get to know me while
developing connections through music making.
Unit Title: Getting to know you; basic expectations and rules in the music classroom.
Big Idea: By the end of this unit, students will understand That beat is steady
Essential Questions:

1. How can we show that beat is steady using body percussion?

2. Does music always have a consistent beat?
3. How can we show that beat is steady using non- pitched percussion instruments?
Concepts Taught:

Curricular Outcomes:

Beat

RH1- Music may move to a steady beat

Long/ Short Sounds

RH3- Music is made up of long sounds, short

sounds and silences

Fast/ Slow beat in music

EX1- Beat in music may be fast or slow

Using body percussion to show beat

Be able to steadily play beat using rhythm

instruments

MO2- Move to the beat in music (through

various movements)

MO3- Respond to beat through action and

simple body percussion

PI2- Play a steady beat using rhythm

instruments

SI2- Respond to tone matching and echo

games

SI5- Sing in tune rhythmic and melodic songs

Activities:

Classroom Rules and expectations

Action name game
So Mi name game
Beat is steady
Feeling Beat
Star light star bright
Doggie Doggie Wheres your bone?
Marching to the beat
Jumping Joan
Jungle Beat
Bend and Straighten is the game
Everyone keep the beat
My Hands Keep Moving
Number One
Basic simple beat games
Simple paper quizzes for students to depict
beat

Materials Needed:

Basic non- pitched percussion instruments

Various classical music to show change in

beat

Classroom rules and expectations

Basic melodies and songs

Assessment
Assessment Tool

Outcomes

Observational
checklist to assess
name games and
basic body
percussion

Observational
checklist to assess
students movement
to beat

Observational
checklist while
singing melodies
back and forth to
students to ensure
basic pitch

Observational
checklist to assess
students showing
beat- performing in
groups using body
percussion, voices,
or instruments.

Description

For

RH1- Music may

move to a steady
beat
MO3- Respond to
beat through action
and simple body
percussion

Students will be moving around to the

beat as well as learning various simple
melodies in the first day. The
observational checklist will be used by
the teacher in order to quickly assess
students abilities to grasp the concept
of beat.

EX1- Beat in music

may be fast or slow
MO2- Move to the
beat in music
(through various
movements)

This checklist will be used to give

students a grade (1-4) of whether they
can grasp the concept of beat.
Teacher will also be able to check
whether students are able and willing
to move to the music.

PI2- Play a steady

beat using rhythm
instruments
SI2- Respond to
tone matching and
echo games
SI5- Sing in tune
rhythmic and
melodic songs

This checklist will be used to give

students a grade (1-4) on their ability
to keep beat on their instruments, as
well as whether or not they are able to
match tone and sing in tune during
echo games.

RH3- Music is made

Students will perform in groups of 2-3
up of long sounds,
a simple melody song that they have
short sounds and
done over the past four classes. They
silences
will have time to practice the beat, and
MO3- Respond to
then will perform their beat for the
beat through action
class. Students will be assessed and
and simple body
given a grade on their ability to play a
percussion
steady beat, sing in tune, and their
PI2- Play a steady
concept of music being made up of
beat using rhythm
long and short sounds.
instruments

Of

Lesson Summary
Lesson

By the end of the lesson, students

will be able to

Assessment/
Evaluation

Repeat the classroom rules and

expectations, as well as be able to
realize that beat is steady through using
body percussion.

Observational checklist
to assess name games
and basic body
percussion

Move to the beat through music and

understand that beat may be fast or
slow.

Observational checklist
to assess students
movement to beat

Activities

Sing various simple melodies in tune

taught through rote and repetition while
keeping a steady beat on rhythmic
instruments.
Show that music is made up of long
sounds, short sounds, and silences
using body percussion and rhythmic
instruments.

Observational checklist
while singing melodies

back and forth to

students to ensure basic

pitch
Observational checklist
to assess students
showing beatperforming in groups
using body percussion,
voices, or instruments.

Classroom Rules and

expectations
Name Games
Beat is steady
Feeling Beat
Beat is steady
Feeling Beat
Marching to the beat
(speed up and slow
down)
Basic simple beat
echos
Star Light Star Bright
Doggy Doggy
Bend and Straighten is
the game
Students will be
performing songs while
tapping the beat in
partners or groups of
three
They may use any song
that was their favourite
over the last few days