At the end of this school year, I had the opportunity to collaborate with some of my incredible colleagues to update our district’s scope and sequence for general music—and when I say I had fun, I mean it!
Talking things through, sharing perspectives, and hearing how other teachers approach long-term planning was not only enjoyable, but also incredibly eye-opening. I’ve created a long-term planning video series before over on my YouTube channel, and (if I do say so myself 😉) it’s still full of great tips! But after working on this committee, I realized there were a few things I had misunderstood or overlooked.
So in today’s post, I’m walking you through how our team created a meaningful and manageable scope and sequence—and how you might do the same!
📘 What Is a Scope and Sequence?
This was the first big question our committee tackled—what do we even call this document? Curriculum map? Pacing guide? Curriculum guide? Scope and sequence?
After some thoughtful discussion (and a solid hour of back-and-forth), we landed on the term “scope and sequence.”
Here’s how we defined it:
- Scope = What you are teaching
- Sequence = When you are teaching it (which grade level and when during the year)
We avoided terms like “curriculum map,” which didn’t reflect when concepts were taught, and “pacing guide,” which felt too tightly tied to specific curriculum materials.
🎼 Start with the Elements of Music
Once we knew what we were building, we started by identifying the main elements of music—the broad categories that would anchor our entire plan.
Think of these like national or anchor standards: big, overarching concepts that stay consistent across grade levels.
Our elements included:
- Pitch
- Rhythm
- Timbre
- Expression
- Form
- Texture
Here’s where I had gone a little off track in the past. I used to include things like movement, listening, and instruments as elements. But in reality, those are ways students experience the elements—not elements themselves.
🧠 Brainstorm the Concepts Under Each Element
Once we had our elements nailed down, we brainstormed all the skills or concepts that fall under each one. One of my amazing colleagues came to the meeting with a document already started—each element listed with a long list of related skills and vocabulary underneath. From there, we worked together to expand and refine the list.
Here’s a simplified example of what we came up with for Rhythm:
🕐 Rhythm Concepts:
- Steady Beat
- Beat vs. Rhythm
- Long/Short Sounds
Note & Rest Values:
- Quarter Note
- Paired Eighth Notes
- Quarter Rest
- Half Note / Half Rest
- Whole Note / Whole Rest
- Sixteenth Notes
- Dotted Half Note
- Dotted Quarter Note
- Syncopation
- Triplets
Meter, Form, Reading Notation:
- Barlines
- Measures
- Repeat Sign
- Duple Meter
- Time Signatures
📊 Plug the Concepts into Grade Levels
Once you’ve outlined all the skills under each element, it’s time to build the actual scope and sequence.
We created a simple table format:
- Rows = Each element of music
- Columns = Grade levels (K–5 in our case)
I recommend starting with one element at a time, such as rhythm. Begin at Kindergarten and work your way up, identifying a clear progression of concepts from year to year.
Here’s an example of what that might look like:
| Element | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Rhythm | Steady Beat, Long/Short, Pre-Rhythm | Beat/Rhythm, Quarter, Eighths, Quarter Rest | Half Note/Rest, Whole Note/Rest | Barlines, Measure, Repeat Sign, Duple Meter | Sixteenth Notes, Dotted Half | Dotted Quarter, Time Signatures, Syncopation, Triplets |
Repeat this process for each element, and you’ll have a living, flexible scope and sequence that supports vertical alignment, thoughtful pacing, and purposeful instruction.
✨ Final Thoughts
Being on this committee was a fantastic professional experience. Not only did I grow my understanding of curriculum development, but I also walked away with renewed clarity on how to structure long-term learning for my students.
If you’re looking to build or revise your own scope and sequence, I hope this post gave you a helpful starting point. Whether you’re working solo or with a team, the key is to stay grounded in the elements of music, break concepts down by skill, and plan with progression in mind.
