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Elementary school music
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Elementary music
program: Grade 1
In first grade the essential elements of
the curriculum focus on:
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Vocal development and exploration
-Helping each child find their own healthy singing voice
and using that singing voice properly.
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Rhythmic movement -Moving to the
beat in a variety of ways, exploring space, flow, weight
and time.
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Tonal & Rhythm patterns -Patterns,
not single notes, are the basic units of meaning in
music. They are roughly analogous to words in language.
Learning sequence activities help students give musical
meaning to the individual pitches and durations that
combine to form tonal and rhythm patterns.
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Rote songs/chants.
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Percussion instruments- Students
have an opportunity to explore a variety of classroom
percussion instruments.
Elementary music
program: Grade 2
In second grade the essential elements
of the curriculum focus on:
-
Vocal development -Helping each
child expand the range and ability of their own healthy
singing voice learning a variety of songs and styles.
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Rhythmic movement -Moving to the
beat in a variety of ways, exploring space, flow, weight
and time.
-
Formal instruction of folk dancing
begins.
-
Tonal & rhythm patterns-These
building blocks of music are extended (to increase music
vocabulary) and labeled with rhythmic/tonal syllables.
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Rote songs/chants.
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Transfer of skills to a variety of
percussion instruments such as drums, triangles, sticks,
xylophone etc.
Elementary music
program: Grade 3
In third grade the essential elements of
the curriculum focus on:
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Vocal development -We continue to
help students expand their singing abilities so that
they can achieve a clear head voice with a warm quality
singing songs of many cultures.
-
Rhythmic movement-Folk dancing
continues with an added focus on integrated movement
(Moving to the primary beat and secondary beat at the
same time).
-
Tonal & rhythm patterns-These
building blocks are extended to increase students’
vocabulary and labeled with rhythmic/tonal syllables.
Students also begin to recognize tonal and rhythmic
music patterns in standard notation.
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In addition to rote songs, 3rd
graders begin part singing using rounds and partner
songs.
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Extend tonal and rhythmic skills to
a variety of classroom instruments such as recorders,
xylophone, African drums etc.
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Instrumental music - All 3rd grade
students take an aptitude test called the IMMA and have
the opportunity to try out many of the instruments in
preparation for the 4th grade instrumental program. A
parent informational night is held each year in May to
answer questions regarding the beginning instrumental
music program.
Elementary music
program: Grades 4 & 5
In fourth and fifth grades the essential
elements of the curriculum focus on: Music Literacy.
Students move from recognizing familiar patterns to the
beginning stages of decoding to reading musical notation for
meaning. Beginning improvisation or the ability to
spontaneously create music within the framework of patterns
and harmonic function coupled with music literacy are the
basis of a budding independent musician.
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Fourth and Fifth grade students also
have the opportunity to begin instrumental music
lessons. Students may choose to take an instrument and
have weekly group instruction during the school day.
Students who have gained enough skills may join a band
or orchestra and have an opportunity to perform in an
ensemble at a concert.
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Fourth and Fifth grade students also
have the opportunity to join chorus, which rehearses
once a week after school. For students who like to sing,
chorus is an enriching experience giving students vocal
executive skills combined with cooperative team
activities. Chorus members perform in several evening
concerts throughout the year gaining self-confidence
through public performances.
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