General Music: 2nd Grade

Standard 1.0 Singing

The students will sing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Learning Expectations

The student will

• 1.1 Develop skill in singing songs in major, minor, and pentatonic tonalities.
• 1.2 Use smooth and detached articulation accurately when singing.
• 1.3 Develop skill in singing simple ostinati to produce harmony.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Sing, accurately, pentatonic and diatonic melodies.

• Perform lullabies with smooth articulation.
• Sing a vocal ostinato with a group while the teacher sings a melody.

Level 2

• Sing, accurately, songs in major and minor tonalities.

• Perform appropriate songs using short, detached articulation.
• Sing a vocal ostinato with group A while group B sings the melody.

Level 3

• Demonstrate accuracy in singing major, minor, and pentatonic songs in an extended

range with good vocal technique (e.g., correct posture, breathing, pitch matching,
blending).
• Use correct articulation appropriately when singing familiar songs.
• Alternate singing between ostinato and melody.

Sample Performance Task

The students will sing an ostinato with the word “boom-dah” on a single pitch (do) while the
teacher sings a song, such as “Sarasponda.” (Most pentatonic songs can be performed in this
way.) The teacher will observe whether the students can maintain the ostinato pattern
independently.

Integration/Linkages
Language Arts, Science.

Standard 2.0 Playing Instruments

Students will perform on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Learning Expectations

The student will

• 2.1 Perform duple and triple meter.

• 2.2 Play using smooth and detached articulation.
• 2.3 Interpret symbols for simple rhythmic patterns.
• 2.4 Perform steps, skips, and repeated tones on classroom melody instruments.
• 2.5 Play simple ostinati to accompany the class singing a song.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Play on all beats in duple and triple meter.

• Play short, detached sounds on selected instruments.
• Interpret symbols for rhythmic notation that show steady beats.
• Play, on melody instruments, patterns with repeated tones.
• Play ostinati using steady beats to accompany the class singing a song.

Level 2

• Play only on the strong beats in duple meter.

• Play smooth, connected sounds on selected instruments.
• Perform patterns from rhythmic notation that include quarter notes, eighth notes and
rests.
• Play, on melody instruments, short patterns containing repeated tones and steps.
• Play ostinati containing steady beats and rests to accompany the class singing a song.

Level 3

• Play on all beats in duple and triple meter, accenting each strong beat.
• Play smooth or detached articulation on selected instruments.
• Perform patterns from rhythmic notation that include quarter notes, eighth notes, half
notes and rests.
• Perform, on melody instruments, short patterns incorporating steps, skips and repeated
tones.
 • Play ostinati incorporating quarter notes and eighth notes to accompany a song being
sung by the class.

Sample Performance Task

The students will play the melodic pattern contained in the song “Hot Cross Buns” on classroom
melody instruments. (The pattern mi, re, do and rest occurs three times in the song.) The teacher
will assess for technique and accuracy based on observation of small groups or individuals.

Integration/Linkages

Language Arts, Physical Education, Science, Mathematics.

Standard 3.0 Improvising

Students will improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments.

Learning Expectations

The student will

3.1 Improvise using word rhythms.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Improvise a melody based on word rhythms associated with icons. (e.g., ma-ple, oak, sy-
ca-more).

Level 2

• Echo phrases of songs or poems, choosing pitches from the pentatonic scale.

Level 3

• Play word rhythms of familiar short songs or poems, using the pentatonic scale.

Sample Performance Task

The students will select from the pitches in a pentatonic scale to play the word rhythm of the
poem “Engine, Engine, Number Nine.” They will then respond to phrases of the poem by
playing an improvised response. The teacher will assess for understanding by evaluating the
rhythmic response.
Integration/Linkages

Language Arts.

Standard 4.0 Composing and Arranging

Students will compose and arrange music within specified guidelines.

Learning Expectations

The student will

4.1 Compose short melodies using pitches from the pentatonic scale.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Arrange pitches using visual prompts to create short melodies (e.g., icons displayed on
flannel board).

Level 2

• Assign pitches from the pentatonic scale to a given eight-beat rhythmic phrase.

Level 3

• Create and notate short (sixteen-beat) melodies using notes from the pentatonic scale.

Sample Performance Task

The students will assign pitches in the pentatonic scale to each syllable in the word rhythm of a
familiar song or poem, such as “Rain, Rain, Go Away” or “Two, Four, Six, Eight, Meet Me at
the Garden Gate.” This will create a new melody to a familiar poem or song. The teacher will
assess for understanding by evaluating the melodic response.

Integration/Linkages

Language Arts, Mathematics, Critical Thinking Skills.

Standard 5.0 Reading and Notating Music

Students will read and notate music.

Learning Expectations

The student will

• 5.1 Recognize symbols which represent rhythmic patterns.

• 5.2 Recognize symbols which represent melodic patterns.

Performance Indicators

The student will

Level 1

• Perform, accurately, rhythms read from icons that represent quarter notes, eighth notes
and quarter rests.
• Perform, accurately, vocal and instrumental sounds read from visuals representing up,
down, and same.

Level 2

• Perform, accurately, traditional notation for quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes and
quarter rests.
• Sing or play notated patterns that consist of so, mi, and la.

Level 3

• Construct rhythmic patterns from dictation with the use of manipulatives.

• Sing or play notated patterns in the pentatonic scale.

Sample Performance Task

Students will read quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes and quarter rests from traditional
notation. The notation need not be on a staff and may be presented on flash cards. Students will
express the rhythms by speaking given words or syllables or by playing classroom instruments.
The teacher will assess by observing responses.

Integration/Linkages

Language Arts, Mathematics.

Standard 6.0 Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

Students will listen to, analyze and describe music.

Learning Expectations
The student will

• 6.1 Recognize, aurally, same and different sections in music.

• 6.2 Recognize, aurally, musical instruments and classify into families.
• 6.3 Describe the tempo and dynamics of musical selections.
• 6.4 Differentiate between smooth and detached articulation.

Performance Indicators : Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Identify same and different sections in familiar music.

• Recognize and name classroom instruments by sight and sound.
• Use appropriate movement to express the tempo or dynamics in music.
• Use appropriate movement to express the difference in smooth or detached music.

Level 2

• Label contrasting sections in a song as verse and refrain.

• Identify families of instruments.
• Describe, accurately, music as fast, slow, medium, loud, soft or moderate.
• Describe, accurately, music as smooth or detached.

Level 3

• Identify same and different sections in unfamiliar music.

• Recognize orchestral instruments by sight and sound.
• Describe music using vocabulary such as allegro, andante, largo, forte or piano.
• Describe, accurately, music using vocabulary such as staccato or legato.

Sample Performance Task

The students will listen to a recording of “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from the Peer Gynt
Suite by Edvard Grieg. As they listen, they move their arms as if they are driving a car (a paper
plate makes a great steering wheel). They will express the changes in tempo and dynamics with
movement. Students will describe the changes in tempo and dynamics. The teacher will assess
understanding based on individual responses.

Integration/Linkages

Language Arts, Science, Physical Education.

Standard 7.0 Evaluating

The students will evaluate music and music performances.

Learning Expectations

The student will

7.1 Evaluate musical performances based on given criteria.

Performance Indicators: Evidence the Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Evaluate classroom performances based on stopping and starting together, balance, and
accuracy.

Level 2

• Evaluate classroom performances based on correct technique and ensemble skills.

Level 3

• Evaluate recorded performances based on tempo and dynamic choices.

Sample Performance Task

The students will sing and play a familiar song while being recorded. Then, as the tape is
played, students will use appropriate vocabulary to critique their performance based on
guidelines given by the teacher. Assessment will be based on individual student responses.

Integration/Linkages

Language Arts, Critical Thinking Skills, Speech.

Standard 8.0 Interdisciplinary Connections

Understanding relationships between music, the other arts and disciplines outside the arts.

Learning Expectations

The student will

• 8.1 Connect music and language arts through children’s literature.

• 8.2 Illustrate the science of sound through the use of musical instruments.
Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Explore the relationship between story and song sequencing (e.g., beginning, middle and
ending).
• Identify the source of vibrations in classroom instruments.

Level 2

• Reconstruct, correctly, the sequence of events in a narrative song.

• Classify instruments by method of sound production.

Level 3

• Explore the connection between folk tales in children’s literature and folk songs.
• Anticipate, correctly, the sounds that will be produced by instruments of different sizes.

Sample Performance Task

The students will classify instruments according to the method of sound production. Each
student is given a picture of a musical instrument. Students will move to a place in the room that
has been designated for pictures of either string instruments, wind instruments, or percussion
instruments. The teacher will assess each student's understanding by the appropriate placement
of his picture.

Integration/Linkages

Language Arts, Science.

Standard 9.0 Music in History and Culture

Students will understand music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Expectations

9.1 Identify music of contrasting time periods and cultures.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1
 • Identify songs and singing games from different time periods and cultures in America.

Level 2

• Identify and perform dances and/or singing games from different countries and time
periods.

Level 3

• Compare selected examples of contrasting music from different time periods or countries.

Sample Performance Task

The students will learn a folk dance to “The Irish Washerwoman” (or “The Rakes of Mallow.”)
They will then listen to an early American fiddle or bluegrass tune, such as “Cripple Creek” and
compare it to “The Irish Washerwoman." The teacher will assess for understanding by
observing the appropriateness of student participation and individual responses.

Integration/Linkages

History, Geography, Physical Education.