Lesson Idea | Mi-Re-Do Creation Incorporating "Bought Me A Cat"

This 1-2 class, 2nd-grade UDL music lesson (Will Houchin, Berklee Institute) uses the familiar song “I Bought Me a Cat” to teach students to create and perform Mi–Re–Do melodic patterns that represent different animals using voice, hand signs, or pitched percussion; it’s aligned to California 2.MU:Cr1–Cr3 standards and emphasizes improvisation, pattern-generation, simple notation/recording, and expressive intent. Built with UDL in mind, the lesson offers multiple means of engagement and representation (choice of singing/playing/signing, visual timers, color-coded solfege-to-mallet charts, laminated rhythm cards) and multiple means of action/expression (writing, colored circles, group or independent work), plus accommodations for learners with autism, developmental delay, SLD, ADHD, and anxiety-making it ideal for inclusive 2nd-grade classrooms (and easily adaptable for nearby early primary grades).

The California Arts Standards for Music:

Anchor Standard: Generate and Conceptualize artistic ideas and work (2.MU:Cr1)
a. Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific purpose.
b. Generate musical patterns and ideas within the context of a given tonality (such as
major and minor) and meter (such as duple and triple).

Anchor Standard: Organize and Develop artistic ideas and work (2.MU:Cr2)
a. Demonstrate and explain personal reasons for selecting patterns and ideas for music
that represent expressive intent.
b. Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine, sequence,
and document personal musical ideas.

Anchor Standard: Refine and complete artistic work (2.MU:Cr3.2)
Convey expressive intent for a specific purpose by presenting a final version of personal
musical ideas to peers or informal audience.