Music Lesson Plan Ideas

Grade Level: K/1

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing Game

Title: Musical Chairs

Source: https://empoweredparents.co/music-games-for-kids/

Description:
This game is great for auditory discrimination as children need to listen carefully to the
difference between sound and silence. They also engage their whole body during the
game so this lesson also doubles as a movement lesson.

After desks are moved to the edges of the classroom to create space, set out chairs in a
circle around the room, one for each child. Play music and while the music is playing
allow children to dance around the room. Remove a chair while the children are dancing.
When the music stops, all the children must find a chair to sit on. Whoever doesn’t get a
chair is ‘out’ but still encourage them to listen and dance! Repeat this, removing a chair
until there are two students left. Whoever sits in the remaining chair is the winner!

Curriculum Connection: The songs used in the game can take on different
themes, for example, cultural exploration. Songs from different cultures are
what the children dance to.
Literacy Connection: “A Ticket Around the World” by Natalia Diaz and
Melissa Owens.
Music Standards utilized: K.MU:Cn11

Type of lesson (choose one): Movemnent Listening Instrument Singing

Game

Title: Animal Talk

Source:https://education.seattlepi.com/listening-games-first-grade-
kindergarten-classes-5890.html

Description:
Find a recording of different animal sounds, or you can make them yourself. Play the
recording or make the sounds and ask your class to tell you what animal makes that
sound. You can ask them to raise their hand and be called on for their guesses or you can
just have them call out the animal when they know it. You can end the lesson after the
recording is done or you can finish with a few minutes of “act like your favorite animal”
activity.

Curriculum connection: Social skills, builds understanding of instructions,

helps express thoughts with words
Literacy Connection: Dr. Suess’s Book Of Animals by Dr. Seuss
Music Standards utilized: K.MU:Pr4.3

(Lesson Plan Idea by classmate Megan HighBaugh)

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing

Game

Title: Telephone
Source: https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/listening-
activities-for-kids/

Description:
The kids stand in a circle or line and the first child sings a small melody that they will tell
the next student. The students will continue to pass the melody on until they go through
all of the students. Once the last student has received the sentence, they will share it with
the class and see what the melody turned into.

Curriculum Connection: think creatively, attention getter, retain information

Literacy Connection: Telephone by Mac Barnett, Illustrated by Jen Corace
Music Standards utilized: K.MU:Cr1.b

(Lesson plan idea by classmate Victoria Rodrigues)

Grade Level: 2/3

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing Game

Title: Melody Map
Source: https://makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_mmf_music_library/melody-map-
lesson

Description:
Students will listen to and map the melodic contour of a familiar song with yarn on the
floor of the classroom. Do a simple song, such as a nursery rhyme. First, have them
demonstrate the low and high notes by raising their hands in the air. Do it with them!
Then, have them draw a picture of the melody with the yarn by dividing them into
groups. Have them begin by laying their yarn in a straight line. Play or sing the melody
slowly and in chunks and have them shape their yarn to show the changes in pitch, high
or low. Have them continue this until there is a ‘listening map’ showing the melodic
contour of one or two phrases of the song.

Curriculum Connection: Choose a folk song such as Yankee Doodle for

children to map. This can allow for a connection to American history.
Literacy Connection: “Yankee Doodle” by Mary Ann Hoberman
Music Standards utilized: 2.MU:Pr4.2.a

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing

Game

Title: Musical Washing Line

Source: https://www.icancompose.com/6-engaging-classroom-listening-
activities/

Description:

Hang a clothes line across the classroom and give out musical cards glued to clothespins
to the students. The musical cards will have various instruments on them and students
will listen to a piece of music and pin the instruments they hear onto the clothesline. The
teacher will then review the song and choices with the students to determine if the
musical washing line has all the right instruments. Then, discuss what each instrument
adds to the music.

Curriculum Connection: Listening and evaluating music, connecting

instrument names to sounds.
Literacy Connection: Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss ISBN:
0671882392
Music Standards utilized: 2.MU:Re7.2

(Lesson Plan Idea by classmate Nalani Geary)

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing Game

Title: Hansel and Gretel

Source: Scott-Kassner, Carol, et al. Music for Elementary Classroom Teachers. W. W.
Norton, 2017.

Description:
First the teacher is going to read the story of Hansel and Gretel and afterward talk to the
students about how they felt during different parts of the story. Teach the children to sing
“Brother Come and Dance with Me” and talk about the happy mood of the song. Then
once the children know the words, have them pair up with a partner face each other, and
sing the words phrase at a time while doing movements that they feel fit with the music.

Curriculum Connection: common core, Singing, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music, Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

Literacy Connection: Hansel And Gretel By Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm and Wilhelm
Grimm

Music Standards utilized: MU:Pr4.1.2a

(Lesson Plan Idea by classmate Jillian Ruiz)

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing

Game

Title: Sound Story about Taking a Walk around town!

Source: Lesson Plans: Sound Story about Taking a Walk around town! (all,
Music) (teachers.net)

Description:
"Taking a Walk" is a sound story about taking a walk around the town and listening to
the sounds you hear. During the song students selected can make up rhythms and sounds
to go with each verse. There is a section during the Bridge of the song for the rest of the
class to make wind and bird sounds in the background and then also at the end of the
song.

Curriculum Connection: This activity has students listen to the sound story
and they will be able to make up rhythms and sounds. This can be a very fun
activity for the students,

Literacy Connection: “Sounds Around Town” by Maria Carluccio

Music Standards utilized: 2. MU:Cr a.

(Lesson Plan Idea by Monique Villavicencio)

Grade Level: 4/5

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing Game

Title: Key Word Filter

Source: https://www.icancompose.com/6-engaging-classroom-listening-
activities/

Description:
At the front of the classroom, show several columns that have key words under
appropriate headings.

Example:

Dynamics Tempo Instrumental Family

Forte Andante Strings

Piano Allegro Woodwind

Crescendo Ritenuto Percussion

Diminuendo Accelerando Brass

Students then listen to the music picked by the teacher and choose one word (to start
with) from each column to describe the music. The students then use the word in a full
sentence to give more information about where or how the word is used. When they listen
again, students choose another word to enhance what they already wrote. If you want to
expand this, give them more ‘advanced’ keywords in the columns, such as syncopation.

Curriculum Connection: Students are writing sentences using key describing

words (adjectives), therefore this coincides with ELA.
Literacy Connection: “Music and How it Works: The Complete Guide for
Kids” by DK
Music Standards utilized: 5.MU:Pr4.2.a

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing Game

Title: Boom Chicka Boom

Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nKq4jm4LD8&ab_channel=JackHart
mannKidsMusicChannel

Description:
This activity you are going to read a book to the students. After you are done reading you
are going to share with the students that they are going to repeat phrases that are on the
screen in front of them. With that we need to get them off their seats and ready to go.

Curriculum Connection: Physical Education

Literacy Connection: read an article about call and response in music
Music Standards utilized: 4.MU:Pr4.2.a

(Lesson plan idea by classmate Alyssa Harrison)

Type of Lesson (choose one): Movement Listening Instrument Singing

Game

Title: Rhythm Race

Source: https://pitchpublications.com/product/music-centers-rhythm-race-
notenaming-edition-level-5-rhythm-game/

Description:
This is a board game, the way I would utilize this board game is by first having students
read the book “Notebusters” in which they get introduced to the musical notes more in
depth. After reading this book students will get to take notes and listen, after that the
competitiveness will begin! Students will each call out a note cards “students race to the
finish line by naming the names of rhythm notes! Use in your daily lessons, as part of
center activities, or as a great sub plan! This is Level 5: Quarter Note, Quarter Rest,
Beamed Eighth Notes, Half Note, Whole Note, Beamed Sixteenth Notes, and Dotted Half
Note” (cited from website)

Curriculum Connection: Common Core Reading Standards for Listening 1d.

Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of information
and knowledge gained from the discussions
Literacy Connection: “Notebusters” by Karen Marie Spurney
Music Standards utilized: 5.MU:Pr4.2

(Lesson Plan idea by classmate Andrea Grijalva)