Fifth Grade
Grade Five general music integrates closely with the Grade Five social studies curriculum. It incorporates the evolution of music starting with the caveman “rock band”, proceeding on to African/Chinese /Egyptian and Native American drumming, dancing and song, and culminating with medieval stick dancing. American folk songs provide the material to teach music literacy. This music literacy includes solfege patterns (do, re, mi, sol, la) , solfege hand signs, letter names, and simple rhythms in the key of C played on xylophones and keyboards. The students demonstrate their knowledge of theory through compositions, improvisations, performances and dictation.
Sixth Grade
Grade Six music integrates with the Sixth Grade social studies curriculum. The students experience music from the American colonial period to include Native American Pow Wow music, Play Party Games, Square Dancing and Drum and Fife ditties. They will also study European classical music from the same time period such as Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in d minor. Instrumental, choral, sight-reading and literacy practice continues throughout the trimester to include the full major and minor scale and sixteenth note rhythms.
Seventh and Eighth Grade
Seventh and eighth graders who do not elect to participate in band and/or chorus will be placed in a general music class with Mr. Robins.
Students in Mr. Robins’ class will be covering the general music curriculum (basic music literacy and other topics covered in depth in the performance classes) through the study of guitar. The guitar topics will be very basic as it is assumed that most children will have little to no experience with the instrument. It is our hope that, through the study of the language of music and the discipline required to play an instrument, even as a hobby, children will gain a lifelong appreciation for the art.
It is likely that some children will come into the guitar class that do have some experience with the instrument. They will serve as models for the class and will likely be asked to rise to the occasion and assist with students who may be encountering some challenges with the instrument.