Unit Overview
Content Area: Music
Unit Title: Music Has Form and Texture and Exists in Every Culture
Target Course/Grade Level:
First
Timeline: School year
Unit Summary
In this unit we will continue to explore the elements of texture, form, history, and culture.
Students’ understanding of how music is structured, that it exists in every culture, and how it
differs from culture to culture will broaden. We will continue to explore our own cultural
traditions, the music that accompanies them and comparing these traditions to the traditions of
other cultures.
Primary interdisciplinary connections:
Art, Physical Education, Technology, Social Studies, Language Arts.
21st century themes and skills:
Creativity, Innovation, Communication, and Collaboration
Unit Rationale:
The elements of texture, form and culture help students to better understand music to enhance
their performance and creation of it. It is also important for students even at this young age to
have a more global concept of music. Through exploring our cultural traditions, the traditions of
those around us, and traditions from all over the world we see how similar we all truly are, even
in our differences. This knowledge better prepares our students to interact with our increasingly
globalized society.
Learning Targets
Standards:
1.1 The Creative Process: All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and
principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
1.2 History of the Arts and Culture: All students will understand the role, development, and
influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures.
1.3 Performance: All students will synthesize those skills, media, methods, and technologies
appropriate to creating, performing, and/or presenting works of art in dance, music theatre, and
visual art.
9.1 21st-Century Life & Career Skills: All students will demonstrate the creative, critical
thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills needed to function successfully as both global
citizens and workers in diverse ethnic and organizational cultures.
Content Statements:
Related content statements for Standard 1.1
 Ear training and listening skill are prerequisites for musical literacy.
 The elements of music are foundational to basic music literacy.
Related content statements for Standard 1.2
 Dance, music, theatre, and visual artwork from diverse cultures and historical eras have
distinct characteristics and common themes that are revealed by contextual clues within
the works of art.
 The function and purpose of art-making across cultures is a reflection of societal values
and beliefs.
Related content statements for Standard 1.3
 Prescribed forms and rules govern music composition, rhythmic accompaniment, and the
harmonizing of parts.
 Basic conducting patterns and gestures provide cues about how and when to execute
changes in dynamics, timbre, and timing.
Related content statements for Standard 9.1A
 The ability to recognize a problem and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to
solve the problem is a lifelong skill that develops over time.
Related content statements for Standard 9.1B
 Brainstorming activities enhance creative and innovative thinking in individual and group
goal setting and problem solving.
CPI #
1.1.2.B.1
1.1.2.B.2
1.2.2.A.1
1.2.2.A.2
1.3.2.B.6
1.3.2.B.7
9.1.4.A.1
9.1.4.A.5
Cumulative Progress Indicator (CPI)
Explore the elements of music through verbal and written responses to diverse
aural prompts and printed scores.
Identify musical elements in response to diverse aural prompts, such as rhythm,
timbre, dynamics, form, and melody.
Identify characteristic theme-based works of dance, music, theatre, and visual art,
such as artworks based on the themes of family and community, from various
historical periods and world cultures.
Identify how artists and specific works of dance, music, theatre, and visual art
reflect, and are affected by, past and present cultures.
Improvise short tonal and rhythmic patterns over ostinatos, and modify melodic or
rhythmic patterns using selected notes and/or scales to create expressive
ideas.
Sing or play simple melodies or rhythmic accompaniments in AB and ABA forms
independently and in groups, and sight-read rhythmic and music notation up to
and including eighth notes and rests in a major scale.
Recognize a problem and brainstorm ways to solve the problem individually or
collaboratively.
Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in classroom and family settings.
9.1.4.B.1
Participate in brainstorming sessions to seek information, ideas, and strategies
that foster creative thinking.
Unit Essential Questions
Unit Enduring Understandings
 How can we tell the difference
 Music can have more than one sound at one
between melody and harmony?
time.
 What are some differences between
 Music has specific structure or form.
solo singing and choral singing?
 Music comes from all over the world.
 What traditions do we celebrate in our
culture and how are they alike and
different from those of other cultures?
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Identify sections of a song that are alike and different.



Understand the difference between a refrain and a verse.
Listen to and perform songs in strophic, ABA, and AB form.
Sing and dance traditional folk music of different cultures and describe how they are alike
and different.
Evidence of Learning
Summative Assessment
Pre-assessment, participation, performance and observation, self and group assessment,
question and answer, classroom discussion, and games.
Equipment needed:
Folksong CD’s, piano or keyboard, rhythm sticks, various hand percussion instruments, poly
spots, mallet percussion instruments, various supplemental materials, books, and music.
Teacher Instructional Resources:
Music Express Subscription
Music K-8 Subscription
Tempo Magazine
Kodaly in the Classroom by Linda Rann
Discovering Orff by Jane Franzee
Orff-Schulwerk Applications for the Classroom by Brigitte Warner
Formative Assessments
Self and group assessment and concerts.
Integration of Technology:
Smart Board
Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
www.classicsforkids.com
www.musick8.com
www.menc.org
www.acda.org
www.sfskids.org
Opportunities for Differentiation:
Differentiate by student need, interest and readiness level.
Teacher Notes: