Music got off to a rousing start this fall. The students are progressing nicely and this year we instituted some exciting, new curriculum for the Grades 6-8th. Don’t miss the link at the bottom explaining the benefits of music education from the National Association for Music Education.
Kindergarteners are exploring the opposites in music, high-low and soft –loud. Movement is a very important component at the kindergarten level they are learning how to keep a steady beat, playing musical instruments(rhythm sticks and rhythm eggs) along with their songs. They are also developing listening skills to determine if the music is getting faster and/or slower. Students repertoire includes action songs that facilitate and develop their gross motor skills; enhance hand eye coordination, increase their language skills and cultivate an appreciation for music.
First grade is working on three musical concepts: steady beat; rhythm and pitch. The students are learning the steady beat, the beat under the song and also rhythm of the song (the long and short sounds that make the pattern of the song). First graders are also learning to use quarter notes (Ta) and eighth notes( ti-ti) to perform the rhythm in the songs. They are also learning the the basic of solfege for singing notes ( i.e., sol and mi). They are writing ‘simple” songs and playing along with instruments.
Second grade music students are also working on solfege syllables( Sol, mi and la). Students were also introduced to the the staff and learned the notation for a half note (ta-ah). Second graders are writing songs, learning various folk dances and using bar lines on musical staffs.
Third – Fifth Grades
Third grade music students are learning the pentatonic scale do-Re-Mi-Fa – So and La) and how to improvise within that scale. Third graders are also learning about music dynamics like piano, mezzo forte, and tempos (the speed of songs, andante, presto, moderato). They are singing and playing instruments and developing 4 beat measures using various notations.
Fourth grade music students also use the pentatonic scale, in order to compose songs using instruments and singing. In addition, they are learning to conduct songs using a variety of time signatures. They are further enhancing their knowledge of dynamics and tempos.
Fifth graders are learning to count and identify syncopation in songs and learning more complex time music time signatures. The curriculum includes drumming, playing glockenspiels, and rhythm sticks to accompany songs. Students have the opportunity to learn and sing songs from different countries and perform folk dances.
6th - 8th Grades
This year Rhythm and Moves, enhanced the curriculum for students in grade 6 through 8, making music classes more project focused to engage students.
Sixth grade students learned about the science of sound, sound wave frequencies and using found objects to make musical instruments. The students then created their own instruments from various materials (e.g. vegetables, rubber bands and pipes). With their instruments the student composed a song.
Seventh grade students learned about the role of music in storytelling and filmmaking. They explored and discussed how music is connected to their stories. In addition they examined film produced by student filmmakers. As a final project, the students worked in groups and created silent films, adding soundtracks.
Eighth grade students explored and studied messages in music over historical periods. Students compared and contrasted contemporary and past works by songwriters. Students worked in groups to analyze the impact of various songs on social issues.
At each grade level, students are assessed using music standards.