CONTENT AND SKILLS

KINDERGARTEN MUSIC

Content / Skills
Rhythm
* Respond to a steady beat / * Show a steady beat through movement (clapping, marching, patting, etc.)
* Keep a steady beat on classroom percussion instruments
* Maintain a steady beat
* Identify and differentiate between long and short sounds / * Make long and short vocal sounds
* Play long and short sounds on instruments (triangle vs. wood block)
* Respond to long and short sounds through movement
* Read rhythms from picture notation
* Differentiate between sound and silence (rest) / * Respond though movement to the silent beats (rests) in a listening selection
* Echo rhythm patterns that use combinations of sound and silence
* Identify like and different rhythm patterns / * Echo rhythm patterns
* Play a question/answer game using rhythm patterns
* Respond to even and uneven rhythms / * Show even and uneven rhythms through movement
* Echo rhythm patterns / * Demonstrate ability to wait and listen before imitating
Melody
* Differentiate between high and low sounds / * Produce high and low tones with speaking and singing voice
* Experiment with instruments to find high and low sounds
* Identify and play high to low, low to high patterns in a song
* Experience a variety of songs to build awareness of pitch, rhythm, tone quality, and phrasing / * Learn and perform a variety of children’s songs
* Engage in musical conversation and spontaneous singing
* Recognize melodic direction as upward and downward / * Respond to melodic direction with body movement
* Differentiate between songs in major and minor keys / * Describe songs as happy or sad
*Echo melodic patterns / * Demonstrate the ability to wait and listen before imitating
Form
* Recognize like and different sections of music / * Show the contrast of musical sections through movement
* Identify repetition in musical selections / * Perform call and response songs
*Listen for and identify repeated parts in a song
Expression
* Differentiate between loud and soft sounds / * Show contrast between loud and soft sounds by using voice, body percussion and instruments
* Identify objects that make loud and soft sounds
* Sing, hear and perform different dynamic levels / * Choose appropriate percussion sounds to accompany and match the dynamic level of a musical selection
* Differentiate between fast and slow music / * Demonstrate awareness of fast and slow through movement
* Identify objects that reflect fast and slow motion
Tone Color
* Identify vocal sounds of different tone qualities / * Perform using voice in contrasting ways (speaking, singing, whispering, shouting)
* Experiment with vocal tone colors by singing songs that use animal sounds
* Identify the vocal singing timbre of a child, man, or woman
* Differentiate among wind, string and percussion sounds of orchestral instruments / * Explain how sound is produced (blowing, bowing or hitting)
* Categorize instruments by family
* Differentiate between wood, rattle, metal and membrane sounds / * Experience playing classroom percussion instruments
* Explain how sound is produced either by striking, shaking or scraping
* Play appropriate sound effects using rhythm instruments
* Visual and aural identification of instrument sounds / * Match sounds using picture cards
* Explore ways to make sounds with voices and body percussion
* Become familiar with music from a variety of cultures, styles and genres / * Describe characteristics of a music from different cultures, genres and styles using words, movement and pictures

CONTENT AND SKILLS

FIRST GRADE MUSIC

Content / Skills
Rhythm
* Develop an ability to perform a steady beat / * Experience beat as a steady pulse movement
* Play the steady beat to accompany songs
* Listen to music and identify the steady beat
* Differentiate between steady beat and rhythm / * Perform the beat from picture notation
* Perform rhythms based on the steady beat (learn about subdivision- two sounds to a beat)
* Differentiate between long and short sounds / * Play long and short sounds on instruments
* Respond to long and short sounds through movement
* Identify long and short sounds aurally and visually
* Perform and identify rhythmic values from stick notation / * Interpret and perform a score of long, short and silent sounds
* Identify a recurring rhythm pattern from stick notation
* Perform a variety of rhythm patterns / * Clap a recurring rhythm
* Create word rhythms
* Perform rhythm patterns with voice and instruments
* Echo rhythm patterns / * Demonstrate the ability to wait and listen before imitating
* Imitate using good articulation and diction when speaking
* Experience duple and triple meters / Respond to meter by moving in twos and threes
Melody
* Sing and identify sol, mi, and la / * Learn songs that use the pitches sol, mi, la
* Use solfege syllables to sing simple melodies
* Sing to become aware of tone quality, phrasing, rhythm and pitch / * Learn and perform a variety of songs by memory
* Engage in musical conversation and spontaneous singing
* Distinguish aurally and visually between higher and lower pitches / * Experience high and low using pictures, movement and sound
* Explore low-to-high and high-to-low patterns using tone bells
* Recognize tones that repeat and tones that leap / * Hear and play tones that repeat
* Play octaves on bells
* Sing and identify tones that are the same
* Identify a repeated melody pattern
* Differentiate between songs in major and minor keys / * Identify the mood of a listening section
* Echo melodic patterns / * Demonstrate the ability to wait and listen before imitating
* Imitate using good articulation and diction when singing
Form
* Identify like and different sections of music / * Perform songs in AB and ABA forms
* Respond to contrasting sections in a song through movement
* Become aware of repetition and contrast in a circle dance
* Identify repetition in music / * Identify parts of music that repeat
* Aurally and visually discover repeated patterns
Harmony
* Experience ways to make harmony / * Perform simple ostinati using do and sol
Expression
* Sing, hear and perform different dynamic levels / * Perform songs using loud and soft dynamics
* Identify tempo changes in music (getting faster, getting slower) / * Distinguish through movement the difference between fast and slow
* Use instruments with a song that changes tempo
* Differentiate between fast and slow tempi / * Compare and contrast songs played at slow or fast tempi
* Describe music as having a fast, medium or slow tempo
Tone Color
* Experiment with sound sources / * Choose and play percussion instruments that reflect the words of a song
* Imitate sounds with percussion instruments
* Use “found sounds” to accompany a song
* Identify vocal sounds of different tone qualities / * Imitate animals with vocal sounds
* Identify classmates from the sound of their singing voices
* Perform using contrasting voice types (speaking, singing, whispering and shouting)
* Identify and describe the special sounds of men, women, and children’s voices.
* Experience solo and group singing / * Sing a solo part and as a part of a group
* Identify singing as performed by a soloist or chorus
* Differentiate between a variety of percussion instruments / * Describe how sound is produced on percussion instruments
* Identify percussion sounds heard on a recording
* Experiment with a variety of percussion
* Differentiate among wind, string and percussion sounds of orchestral instruments / * Match pictures of instruments with their sounds
* Discriminate aurally between high and low pitched instruments
* Classify instruments according to family
* Become familiar with music from a variety of cultures, styles and genres / * Describe characteristics of a music from different cultures, genres and styles using words, movement and pictures

CONTENT AND SKILLS

SECOND GRADE MUSIC

Content / Skills
Rhythm
* Perform and identify duple and triple meter / * Play, sing and move to songs in duple and triple meters showing the strong beat.
* Identify the meter by listening
* Sight read rhythms in duple and triple meters
* Perform a variety of rhythmic patterns / * Play rhythm patterns on percussion instruments
* Create verbal ostinati to perform with songs
* Identify rhythm patterns as even or uneven
* Read rhythms using standard notation / *Sight-read rhythms from notation
* Identify rhythm patterns by matching their sound with a picture
* Explain the mathematical relationship of rhythm values
* Show awareness that some beats have sounds and others are silent
* Demonstrate the steady beat / * Keep the beat through movement
* Perform a hand jive
* Demonstrate steady beat by playing instruments
* Demonstrate an understanding of rhythm as opposed to beat / * Move to long and short sounds
* Play different note values on different instruments
* Listen for short and long sounds in an instrumental piece
* Play patterns of long and short sounds to accompany a song
Melody
* Sing and identify pitches within the pentaton
do, re, mi sol, la (major) la, do, re mi, sol (minor) / * Sing from memory a variety of pentatonic songs
* Use solfege to sing simple melodies
* Identify and perform tones that repeat, move higher or move lower by step / * Perform simple melodies that use repeated, higher and lower tones on melody instruments
* Create original melodies that use repeated, higher and lower tones
* Use body movement to show melodic direction
* Identify aurally whether tones stay the same, move upward or downward
* Recognize steps, leaps and repeats from notation
* Sing to become aware of tone quality, phrasing, rhythm and pitch / * Sing using good intonation and proper voice placement
* Sing with proper articulation, diction and breath control
* Show phrasing through movement
* Sing each phrase on one breath
* Aurally distinguish between major and minor / * Describe and discuss how music affects students’ feelings
* Harmony
* Experience ways to make harmony / * Perform an ostinato with voice or melody instrument
* Begin to experience partner songs
* Create melodic ostinati to accompany songs
Form
* Experience binary and ternary form / * Respond to different sections in a song through movement
* Label sections of song by using shapes and letters A, B, and C
* Explain the terms verse and refrain
  • Aurally identify combinations of AB form

Expression
* Sing, hear and perform different dynamic levels / * Sing songs with loud and soft dynamics
* Experience getting louder and getting softer when singing
* Use the term dynamics when describing music
* Sing, hear and perform music using a variety of tempi / * Sing songs and move to music in a variety of tempi
* Play accompaniments for music selections using a variety of tempi
* Use the term tempo when describing music
Tone Color
* Distinguish between different tone qualities / * Describe the differences between child, adult, solo and group vocal timbres
* Perform songs that use singing and speaking voices
* Experiment with the speaking parts of a song in a variety of ways
* Distinguish between brass, percussion, woodwind and string instruments / * Classify instruments by name and family
* Discriminate between sounds of woodwind, string, brass and percussion instruments
* Discover the wide variety of sounds that string instruments can make / * Develop a vocabulary to describe how sounds are made ( strum, bow, pluck)
* Experiment with string sounds
* Make a string instrument
* Become familiar with music from a variety of cultures, styles and genres / * Describe characteristics of a music from different cultures, genres and styles using words, movement and pictures
* Identify and describe differences and similarities in music from several contrasting cultures, genres and styles

CONTENT AND SKILLS

THIRD GRADE MUSIC

Content / Skills

Rhythm

* Identify meter signatures / * Identify and perform music in a variety of meters
* Perform and identify rhythmic notations:
ti-ri-ti-ri, ta-i-ti and ta-a-a / * Identify and perform sixteenth note patterns
* Identify and perform a dotted quarter note followed by an eighth note
* Identify and perform a dotted half note
Melody
* Recognize that each note on the staff has a different letter name / * Identify the pitches on the staff according to lines and spaces
* Identify the G clef, staff, bar and double bar and their relationship to pitch and meter
* Identify the scale as pitches that follow an order on the staff
* Experience a variety of songs to build awareness of pitch, rhythm, tone quality and phrasing / * Perform a variety of children’s repertoire
Harmony
* Perform rounds and drones to produce harmony / * Discover that harmony is produced through the performance of rounds
* Discover that harmony is produced through the performance of bass tones with a melody
Form
* Perform selections using call and response / * Describe and perform selections that are call/response
Expression
* Sing, hear and perform music using different dynamic levels / *Perform music with changing dynamics: pianissimo, piano, mezzo forte, forte, fortissimo
* Use body movements to show changing dynamics
* Differentiate between music played at a variety of tempi / * Demonstrate awareness of largo, andante, allegro tempi through movement
Tone Color
* Identify and classify instruments / * Aurally classify the brass, percussion, woodwind and string family of instruments of the orchestra
* Become familiar with music from a variety of cultures, styles and genres / * Describe characteristics of a music from different cultures, genres and styles using words, movement and pictures
* Identify and describe differences and similarities in music from several contrasting cultures, genres and styles
* Identify and describe difference types of male and female voices / *Aurally distinguish between female and male voices
* Use the terms soprano, alto, tenor and bass to identify and describe voices of differing range

CONTENT AND SKILLS

FOURTH GRADE MUSIC

Content / Skills

Rhythm

* Perform and identify rhythmic notations:
ti ti-ri and ti-ri ti / * Perform and name the notations ti ti-ri and ti-ri ti using an eighth and 2 sixteenth notes
* Perform and name rhythmic patterns
*Identify meter signatures of 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 / * Perform music in groups of 2, 3, and 4, responding to conducting cues

Melody

* Experience a variety of songs to build awareness of pitch, rhythm and tone quality / * Perform a variety of children’s repertoire using correct pitch, rhythm and tone quality
* Perform repertoire from various genres and cultures with accurate pitch, rhythm and tone quality
* Sing and identify do and sol / * Sing and identify do and sol within a melody in major and minor tonalities

Harmony

* Perform harmony by singing countermelodies and descants / * Sing partner songs
* Create a simple second part for a familiar melody

Form

* Perform selections using canon and ABA form / * Demonstrate the ability to sing 2-part and ABA songs
* Create ABA songs
* Identify and describe rondo form / * Create a listening map to demonstrate understanding of rondo form

Expression

* Sing, hear and perform music using different dynamic levels / * Perform music with dynamics-- >, <, adagio, presto

Tone Color

* Identify and classify instruments / * Aurally identify the difference between band and orchestra
* Identify various vocal ranges / * Compare and contrast the ranges of bass, tenor, alto and soprano
* Become familiar with music from a variety of cultures, styles and genres / * Describe characteristics of a music from different cultures, genres and styles using words, movement and pictures
* Identify and describe differences and similarities in music from several contrasting cultures, genres and styles

CONTENT AND SKILLS

FIFTH GRADE MUSIC

CONTENT / SKILLS
Rhythm
* Perform and identify tim-ri / * Identify and perform a dotted eighth followed by a sixteenth
* Complete an 8-measure dictation using rhythms
* Identify meter signature in 2/4,3/4, and 4/4 / * Insert correct time signatures into given rhythmic examples
* Identify compound meter 6/8 / *Perform groupings using the a variety of 6/8 rhythm pattern combinations
Melody
*Experience a variety of songs to build awareness of pitch, rhythm, and tone quality / *Perform songs with correct diction, placement and breathing
Harmony
* Perform rounds and other two part songs / * Show harmony by singing rounds and melodic ostinati
* Perform and create 2-part songs
* Produce harmony using I, IV,and V triads / * Aurally differentiate between I and V triads
* Perform I and V triads on barred instruments
* Aurally differentiate among I, IV and V triads
* Create and perform canons and 2-part songs / * Create ostinati to accompany known songs
* Sing countermelodies / * Sing simple countermelodies
Form
* Identify and create a theme/variation form / * Create a simple theme/variation using class instruments
* Create and perform ABA, ABC form / * Perform songs using simple ABA, ABC forms
* Create pieces using simple ABA, ABC forms
* Create and notate rondo form / * Create and write simple rondo pieces: ABACAD, etc.
Expression
* Perform music and poems using changing dynamics / * Perform in songs.
Tone Color
* Distinguish between male/ female voices / * Aurally differentiate between the voices
* Aurally identify orchestral instruments / * Create a listening map to show the difference between the various instruments
* Become familiar with music from a variety of cultures, styles and genres / * Describe characteristics of a music from different cultures, genres and styles using words, movement and pictures
* Identify and describe differences and similarities in music from several contrasting cultures, genres and styles