Music & Choir
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Music Curriculum
Pre-School and Kindergarten
Music learning is especially important during early childhood. Young children can to achieve a variety of musical goals, and are encouraged to expand their natural abilities through singing, playing instruments, and chart reading. It is important to begin matching pitches early with careful attention to listening skills. Rhythmic awareness is established and children move, clap, stamp, and patschen (reinforcing the beat while speaking by lightly patting their knees) to a wide variety of pulses.
Grades 1-3
Students at the primary level need many experiences to continue to develop and reinforce their musical skills. Movement activities help to internalize the concepts of music. Students at this age are capable of inventing and composing music, and they are encouraged to do so. The early use of symbols to communicate personal and group musical ideas is essential to developing beginning reading skills. Pictures of instruments, Kodaly symbols, and other types of notation provide a means to achieve these goals. Musical production is achieved through singing and/or playing instruments. Participation in singing activities continues to be important as the vocal range is continuing to develop.
Grades 4-5
Students at this level begin to explore and manipulate the components of music. Music reading skills are reinforced at this level, and students are allowed to further develop them through singing and playing pitched and non-pitched instruments. The recorder is introduced in the fourth grade. Children are encouraged to participate in the band program beginning in the fifth grade if interested.
Grade 6
Continued learning of music is important for students beginning in the sixth grade. Their physical and emotional growth allows the students to build on their elementary school instruction and begin to work with higher-order skills. Instructional strategies include singing, creating, listening, and performing. Emphasis is placed on the continued development of musical understanding through active involvement with the components of music.
Pre-School and Kindergarten
Music learning is especially important during early childhood. Young children can to achieve a variety of musical goals, and are encouraged to expand their natural abilities through singing, playing instruments, and chart reading. It is important to begin matching pitches early with careful attention to listening skills. Rhythmic awareness is established and children move, clap, stamp, and patschen (reinforcing the beat while speaking by lightly patting their knees) to a wide variety of pulses.
Grades 1-3
Students at the primary level need many experiences to continue to develop and reinforce their musical skills. Movement activities help to internalize the concepts of music. Students at this age are capable of inventing and composing music, and they are encouraged to do so. The early use of symbols to communicate personal and group musical ideas is essential to developing beginning reading skills. Pictures of instruments, Kodaly symbols, and other types of notation provide a means to achieve these goals. Musical production is achieved through singing and/or playing instruments. Participation in singing activities continues to be important as the vocal range is continuing to develop.
Grades 4-5
Students at this level begin to explore and manipulate the components of music. Music reading skills are reinforced at this level, and students are allowed to further develop them through singing and playing pitched and non-pitched instruments. The recorder is introduced in the fourth grade. Children are encouraged to participate in the band program beginning in the fifth grade if interested.
Grade 6
Continued learning of music is important for students beginning in the sixth grade. Their physical and emotional growth allows the students to build on their elementary school instruction and begin to work with higher-order skills. Instructional strategies include singing, creating, listening, and performing. Emphasis is placed on the continued development of musical understanding through active involvement with the components of music.