Adaptive/Modified Music Curriculum

For the self-contained music classroom

Learning Targets (in order of importance)
1. Give each student the opportunity to spend time outside of their self-contained classroom.
a. For some students, the goal is for them to make it through an entire class period outside of
their classroom. That’s okay. That type of transition/social emotional learning is good.
2. Engage all students in the music making process in whatever way they are capable of.
a. Tier 1: listening and responding (verbally or nonverbally)
b. Tier 2: singing OR moving, listening, and responding
c. Tier 3: singing AND moving, listening, and responding
3. Allow each student an opportunity to experience joy in music.
a. Find something each kiddo enjoys and makes them happy.
b. Choice plays a huge role in this.
c. Often times their behaviors and focus are indicative of their interest in the activity
4. Allow students to interact with each other and other adults in the room positively.
a. We do a lot of social-emotional learning in music. Often, I modify games to reflect certain
social skills.
i. For example, we will sing “Bluebird” and practice flying the puppet around the
room with free movement and then choosing another student to give it to.
b. Choosing partners is a big part of this.
i. Encourage children to choose “kid partners.” They’re often attached to certain
paraprofessionals.
ii. Encourage eye contact and communicating directly with their “kid partner,” rather
than having an adult communicate for them.
5. Allow them to respond to simple “this or that” questions.
a. These can be assessment based
i. Did this song go fast or slow?
b. They can be choice based.
i. Would you rather sing the song with a fast voice or a slow voice?
 c. Forming questions in this way allows them to experience when responding. They struggle to
respond to open ended questions.
i. Responses aren’t always verbal.
1. If a student is nonverbal, offer up both hands and have them say both
choices and have them tap or look at the hand they choose.
2. Visuals help.
a. I.e. when choosing between fast and slow, show a picture of a
bunny and a picture of a turtle.
3. Sometimes you can tell responses by the student’s reaction to each
choice.
a. I.e. Aaliyah will smile or wave when presented with the choice she
prefers.
6. Improve upon their individual IEP goals
a. Read and understand each IEP to help students achieve their academic, social, emotional,
and physical IEP goals.
b. Make opportunities for students to address these goals in the music classroom and adapt
known songs and games to reflect this.

Curriculum Emphasis
● Musical Key concepts: Four Voices, Comparatives, Beat, Vocal Exploration
● **The following can be done simultaneously throughout the year and carried over from year to year.
Repetition is key to developing an understanding of these key musical concepts.
1. Four voices
a. Speak
b. Sing
c. Whisper
d. Shout
e. ***Bonus: Magic Music Lips
i. When you put them on, no sound is allowed to come out of your mouth, but you
hear the song inside your head. In music we call this Audiating
2. Fast/Slow
 a. Start with big tempo distinctions, then move to smaller ones.
b. Introduce f/s as vocabulary word “Tempo”
3. Loud/Soft
a. Start with large dynamic distinctions, then move to smaller ones.
b. Introduce L/S as vocabulary word “Dynamics”
i. Introduce vocab words “Piano” and “Forte”
4. High Low
a. Start with octaves when singing and opposite ends of the piano when playing, then narrow
it down to smaller intervals, like a 5th.
b. Introduce Vocabulary word “Pitch”
5. Steady Beat
a. Keeping steady is comparable to your heartbeat or an analog clock.