During the first week of school, the 1st grade music classes will begin a unit to review the basic skills of singing voices, steady beat, and beat groupings. Students will be using movement and games to show the steady beat of different songs such as playing a clapping game to Miss Mary Mack. We will also be singing several songs that utilize our whispering, speaking, shouting, and singing voices. The skills of pitch matching and keeping a steady beat are two of the basic building blocks for all other music skills, so we will continue to practice and assess these throughout the year. This unit will directly address Standard E-1.a Demonstrate melodic patterns that include same/different and three-pitch melodies; Standard E-1.c Demonstrate a steady beat while contrasting rhythms are being played; Standard E-1.d Apply the concept of steady beat to music with contrasting rhythms and tempos; Standard E-2.a Demonstrate a variety of culturally diverse songs while maintaining steady beat; Standard T-1.b Rhythm: Identify and demonstrate rhythmic patterns that include one sound for one beat, two equal sounds for one beat, and one silent beat (quarter note/rest, paired eighth notes, steady beat, strong/weak, beat vs rhythm, same/different); and Standard T-3.b Meter/Beat Groupings: Identify and demonstrate steady beat, in different meters/beat groupings.