The Curriculum - Our general and choral curriculums are 'spiraling curriculums' meaning that each objective addressed is continually revisited and built upon.  Nearly every lesson in music class includes opportunities to sing, move, read music, improvise and play a wide variety of musical instruments.

Materials – In Kindergarten through sixth grade, we use various music series which are constantly updated to bring your child the most current materials. Many other teacher-created activities including smartboard lessons supplement the series.  Listening lessons comprised of many composers and time periods are offered.

Classroom instruments a large set of Orff (barred percussion) instruments, an array of percussion instruments representing many countries, boomwhackers, and bells. We also make musical use of parachutes, scarves, beanbags, streamers, etc.

In addition, we employ:

World Music Drumming in grades four through six;

Recorders in third & fourth grade;

Ukuleles in fifth & sixth grade; and

Handchimes in fifth & sixth grade (HES)   

Basic Curriculum

Kindergarten

Singing: unison, emphasis on pitch matching

The opposites - loud/soft, slow/fast, high/low, steady beat/unsteady beat, long/short

Four voice functions

Iconic (picture) representation of music notation

Same and different melodies & rhythms

Grade 1

Singing: unison, emphasis on pitch matching

The opposites - loud/soft, slow/fast, high/low, steady beat/no steady beat, long/short

Rhythm reading: quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes

Pitch reading: mi, sol, la

Form:  AB, ABA

Culture:  American/European Music, Hispanic & African Music

Instrument family:  pitched and unpitched percussion instruments

Grade 2

Singing: unison, emphasis on pitch matching & reading from score

Rhythm reading: quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, half notes, dotted half notes, time signature

Pitch reading: do, re, mi, sol, la & absolute pitch names

Form:  AB, ABA, ABC, rondo

Culture:  American/European Music, Hispanic, African & Asian Music

Instrument family:  Brass

Grade 3

Singing: unison, rounds

Introduction to recorders

Dynamics, articulation, tempo

Rhythm reading: quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, half notes, dotted half notes, time signature

Pitch reading: do, re, mi, sol, la, do' & absolute pitch names

Form:  AB, ABA, ABC, rondo, verse-refrain

Culture:  American/European Music, Hispanic, African & Asian Music

Instrument family:  Strings    

Grade 4

Singing: unison, rounds, partner songs 

Recorders

Dynamics, articulation, tempo

Rhythm reading: sixteenth notes, quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, half notes, dotted half notes, whole notes, time signature

Pitch reading: do, re, mi, sol, la, do' & absolute pitch names

Form:  AB, ABA, ABC, rondo, verse-refrain, call & response

Culture:  American/European Music, Hispanic, African & Asian Music

Instrument family:  Woodwinds

Introduction to World Drumming

Grade 5

Singing: unison, rounds, partner songs, simple two-part

5th grade chorus 

World Music Drumming

Ukuleles

Handchimes

Dynamics, articulation, tempo

Rhythm reading : syncopation, sixteenth notes, quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, half notes, dotted half notes, whole notes, time signature

Pitch reading: so, , la, , do, re, mi, sol, la, do' & absolute pitch names

Form:  AB, ABA, ABC, rondo, verse-refrain, call & response

Culture:  American/European Music, Hispanic, African & Asian Music

Instrument family:  Percussion

Grade 6

Singing: unison, rounds, partner songs, simple two-part

6th grade chorus 

World Music Drumming

Ukuleles

Handchimes

Dynamics, articulation, tempo

Rhythm reading: syncopation, sixteenth notes, quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, half notes, dotted half notes, whole notes, time signature

Pitch reading: so, , la, , do, re, mi, sol, la, do' & absolute pitch names

Form:  AB, ABA, ABC, rondo, verse-refrain, call & response, theme & variations

Culture:  American/European Music, Hispanic, African & Asian Music, American Musical Theater, 20th century American pop music

Instrument family:  Keyboards