Music Lesson Plan Ideas

Grade Level: K/1-Angeles Lopez

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

Title: Grizzly Bear

Source: https://mrsmiraclesmusicroom.com/2016/10/favorite-kindergarten-music-activities.html

Description:
The students will stand and walk around in a circle counterclockwise for the first part of the
song “Grizzly bear oh grizzly bear, is sleeping in a cave.” During the phrase “Please be very
quiet” the students will stop and put a finger on their lips. For the next part “If you wake him if
you shake him” they will slowly begin to stop quietly to loud. In the end the student will end the
song with a big roar.

Curriculum Connection: Physical Education

Literacy Connection: Listening
Music Standards utilized: MU:Pr4.2.Ka With guidance, explore and demonstrate awareness of
music contrasts (such as high/low, loud/soft, same/different) in a variety of music selected for
performance.

Grade Level: 2/3 – Angeles Lopez

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

Title: Blake Snake

Source https://singtokids.com/three-singing-games-second-grade-music/ :

Description:
This game is similar to duck duck goose. The students will gather in a circle and one student will
be chosen to be the snake. The student who is chosen will get the opportunity to choose own
color. Once the color is chosen, let's say its red, which means they are the “red snake” and it will
be included in the song. For example the song they will be singing is “Red snake, Red Snake,
Where are you hiding x3” “Don't you bite me?” Once the student taps on another student's
shoulder then you can either choose to have the student sit in the middle of the circle or go back
to the other child spot in the circle. Then you can repeat the game with a new snake.

Curriculum Connection: Physical Education

Literacy Connection: Listening
Music Standards utilized: MU:Re7.1.2a Explain and demonstrate how personal interests and
experiences influence musical selection for specific purposes.

Grade Level: 4/5 – Angeles Lopez

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

Title: Sarasponda
Source: https://singtokids.com/three-singing-games-for-fourth-grade-music/

Description:
For this song activity the students will stand in a circle and one student will be holding a
medium sized ball. The students will pass the ball around to the beat. If the student who passes
the ball on the beat then the person holding the ball on the last beat is out. If a person is before or
after the beat then the person is called out. The game will be repeated until there are just two
people left.

Curriculum Connection: Physical Education

Literacy Connection: Listening
Music Standards utilized: MU:Cr1.1.4b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms, melodies, and
simple accompaniment patterns) within related tonalities (such as major andminor) and meters.

Grade Level: ⅘ - Andy Lindner

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

Title: Compose a song

Source: 9 Powerful 5th Grade Music Lesson Plans (2022) – Dynamic Music Room
Description:
 Students can select a familiar nursery rhyme tune to create a short song. They will compose
using as many vocabulary words as they can into the song.

Students will share and sing for the class

Curriculum Connection: English Language

Literacy Connection: Every Little Thing by Bob Marley adapted by Cedella Marley

Music Standards utilized: MU:Cr3.2.5 Present the final version of personal created music to
others that demonstrates craftsmanship , and explain connection to expressive intent.

Grade Level: ⅔ - Karla Anderson

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

Title: Blue Bird

Source: https://www.elementaryartsintegration.com/bluebird.html

Description:

Process

● Teach the singing game by playing it: Have the students stand in a circle with hands
pressed together to create "windows." Choose one student to be "it" and to "fly" through
the windows while the teacher sings the song. At the end of the song the child stands
facing another child and asks, "(Name), would you like to be the bluebird?" Usually
children say "yes." If "no," the one who is "it" asks, "Will you please ask someone else if
they would like to be the bluebird?" Then the one who was "it" joins the circle and the
game continues with the new bluebird.
● Encourage the children to sing along after they have heard the song 8 to 10 times.
● At some point, let the children choose what kind of bird they would like to be. The
questions are "(Name), would you like to be the bird?" "What kind of bird would you like
to be?" I feel the scripted questions are an important part of the game requiring the
children to speak in complete sentences and call each other by name.
● The game, at any point, can be played with multiple bird. Have the "windows" choose
whose name they will sing based on who is closest to them at that point in the song.
When the students are choosing what kind of bird to be, have the new ones who are "it"
huddle in the center of the circle and come to a quick consensus on what kind of bird they
would like to be and how that particular bird will fly.
 ● Encourage the students to fly like the bird they have chosen by asking them "How would
this bird fly?"
● In a subsequent lesson, have the students read about (research) different kinds of birds
and how each would fly and why.
● Then, at another point, play the game again with more informed decisions on how the
various birds would fly (or walk).

Curriculum Connection:

Standards

Science

● Life Science: Tell how external features affect an animals’ ability to survive in its
environment. (Indicator: Compare and contrast the characteristics of living things in
different habitats.)

Language Arts

● Reading Informational Text: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when,
why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
● Speaking and Listening: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

Drama

● Create: Define roles and responsibilities and participate in group decision making.
● Create: Create character through physical movement, gesture, sound and/or speech and
facial expression based on stories or through improvisation.

Dance

● Perform: Move safely in general space through a range of activities and group formations
while maintaining personal space.
● Perform: Demonstrate clear pathways and intent when performing locomotor and
non-locomotor movements.​
●
Literacy Connection: NO BOOK FOUND

Music Standards utilized: Music

● Perform: Sing folk, traditional, and call-and-response songs in tune, using a natural,
unstrained voice.
● Connect: Describe how music relates to personal, social, emotional, and intellectual
development, use life experience and additional content knowledge to inspire and
respond to music, and deepen understanding of another content area through music.

Grade Level: K/1 - Natalie Wilson

Type of Lesson (choose one): Singing Game

Title: Cho-co-la-te

Source: https://youtu.be/zWCLNACNObg

Description: This hand game is a great way to explore four-syllable words. First, learn the pattern
through imitation and then replace ch0-co-la-te with other four-syllable words. To further
enhance creativity, develop new actions for the game. Let each pair of students share their
actions and words with the class and let everyone else imitate. If there is an odd number of
students, the teacher can participate with a student or three students could develop a way to play
the game.

Curriculum Connection: phonics and syllable exploration!

Music Standards utilized: MU:Pr6.1.2a Perform music for a specific purpose with expression and
technical accuracy.

Grade Level: K/1 - Maritza Pardon

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

Title: Jingle Bells (with lyrics)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCptBphqkwU
Description:
Students will watch a kid’s version of Jingles Bells. The cute characters move through a colorful
Christmas winter wonderland, the lyrics of the song are shown on the screen, making it easy to
sing along. The tempo of the song is somewhat fast, so this can be a fun challenge for young
learners of English. Students will have fun with the illustrations and upbeat music of “Jingle
Bells" and learn the words of this holiday classic! The will present the song to their peers and
parents.
Curriculum Connection: National Core Arts Standards. Performing: Realizing artistic ideas and
work through interpretation and presentation
Literacy Connection: Students will be able to sing short songs in tune, with good breathing
habits and tone quality.
Music Standards utilized: MU:Cr3.2.Ka With guidance, demonstrate a final version of personal
musical ideas to peers.

Grade Level: ⅔ - Alexa Pierce

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

Title: Down Down Baby

Source: https://prodigies.com/blogs/music-teachers/singing-games-you-can-play-with-students

Description:

Most adults remember this as a game on the playground that starts out "Down down baby, down
by the roller coaster, Sweet sweet baby, I'll never let you go."

In this version, the students stand in a circle holding hands. As they sing "Down down roller
coaster, they make a downward wave motion with their hands. With the line "I'll never let you
go," they hug themselves. Other suggested movements include:

● "Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop," with the hands up in the air making a small,
explosive movement.
● "Grandma sick in bed," making a sad face.
● "Call the doctor," while making a phone gesture.
● "Ding Dong," while rocking the head from side to side.
● "Rhythm of the hands," with two claps.
● "Rhythm of the feet," with two stomps

Curriculum Connection: California Common Core Memorize and recite a poem or section of a
speech or historical document using rate, expression, and gestures appropriate to the selection.

Literacy Connection: This song has rhyming that will connect to rhyme for poems and so on

Music Standards utilized:· AS 5: Develop and refine artistic work for presentation
Grade Level: ⅔ - Lauren Evans

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

Title: down by the banks

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8n8bQXtCNI

Description:

This could be done as a whole class or in small groups. The students in either situation sit in a
circle and sing the song while taking turns in the circle clapping the person next to them hand.
Whoever gets their hand clapped last is out of the circle and it continues till there’s only one
person left.

Curriculum Connection: listening, paying attention, motor skills

Literacy Connection: down by the banks by kay widdowson

Music Standards utilized: K.DA.Cr1: Respond in movement to a variety of stimuli (e.g.,

music/sound, text, objects, images, symbols, observed dance).