Music

In first grade, students’ listening skills are more refined, as is their ability to be expressive through singing. Fine motor skills are becoming more developed, and cognitive skills increase through active learning experiences. Throughout the four Artistic Processes, students will experience, with limited guidance, the following six concepts of music: rhythm (beat/rhythm, Ta/Ti-Ti/Rest; 4/4 2/4 3/4 meter), melody (step/skip/repeated pitches, so/mi/la), form (AB, ABA), timbre (shakers, scrapers, woods, metals, skins, pitched percussion), harmony (texture, bordun), and expression (legato, staccato). These concepts will be experienced through the following skills: performing (singing and playing instruments), creating, reading/writing, and listening/responding/evaluating. The skill of connecting is embedded throughout all standards and grade levels.

In second grade, students are beginning to exhibit more independence in their thought processes and are able to understand more complex concepts. They exhibit independence in using acquired knowledge to form opinions and personal choices. However, they continue to need teacher guidance and monitoring. In the music classroom, second-grade students are refining their musical skills by accomplishing increasingly rigorous standards. Throughout the four Artistic Processes, students will experience the following six concepts of music: rhythm (eighth note & rest/half note & rest/whole note & rest), melody (do/re/mi/so/la), form (AAB, AABA, rondo), timbre (strings, woodwinds, brass), harmony (texture, ostinato), and expression (piano, forte, crescendo, decrescendo). These concepts will be experienced through the following skills: performing (singing and playing instruments), creating, reading/writing, and listening/responding/evaluating. The skill of connecting is embedded throughout all standards and grade levels.

In third grade, students are active, curious, and eager to learn. They need greater independence as they progress in cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Students remain primarily concrete learners, acquiring knowledge through multi-sensory and hands-on experiences. The learning environment of the third-grade music classroom is one that reflects the energy and enthusiasm of its students. Students work together as a community of learners in an atmosphere in which their ideas and contributions are valued. This environment promotes self-confidence, and is one in which students are more receptive to suggestions for improvement. Throughout the four Artistic Processes, students will experience the following six concepts of music: rhythm (syncopation, dotted half, sixteenth notes), melody (octave, low la, low so), form, timbre, harmony (texture, partner songs, canons), and expression (pp, mp, mf, ff, allegro, adagio). These concepts will be experienced through the following skills: performing (singing and playing instruments), reading/writing, and listening/responding/evaluating. The skill of connecting is embedded throughout all standards and grade levels.

Students in Grade 4 are becoming more expressive. They are developing both socially and emotionally and often look to their peers for social acceptance. Fourth grade students are intrigued with the varied sounds they make with their voices and find opportunities to use their speaking and singing voices with proper pitch, phrasing, pace, modulation, and gestures. To nurture this interest, the classroom environment promotes the active engagement of students in their own learning through independent and group projects. Throughout the four Artistic Processes, students will experience the following six concepts of music: rhythm, melody (ti, fa), form (phrase markings, theme and variations), timbre (choral and instrumental ensembles), harmony (texture, counter melody, I-V), and expression. These concepts will be experienced through the following skills: performing (singing and playing instruments), creating, reading/writing, and listening/responding/evaluating. The skill of connecting is embedded throughout all standards and grade levels.

Students in Grade 5 are experiencing rapid emotional and social development. As they become more aware of their surroundings, their interest in the expanded environment begins to emerge. Students need guidance to recognize relationships between music and other disciplines as they develop a more sophisticated sense of music, using it to reflect their feelings and emotions. The fifth-grade music classroom provides a positive learning environment that encourages students to participate in classroom activities. Throughout the four Artistic Processes, students will experience the following six concepts of music: rhythm (syncopation, odd meter), melody (low ti, whole and half steps), form, timbre, harmony (texture, major/minor, three-part round, I-IV-V), and expression (slurs versus ties). These concepts will be experienced through the following skills: performing (singing and playing instruments), creating, reading/writing, and listening/responding/evaluating. The skill of connecting is embedded throughout all standards and grade levels.