SHARED FACILITIES PARENT CURRICULUM COMMUNICATION
      3rd Quarter 2011

MUSIC:

In the primary grades (kindergarten and first grade) we will continue to focus on five major themes in music: rhythm, melody, form, instruments and movement during third quarter. First graders will start to identify the symbols for quarter note, quarter rest, and eighth notes. Students will be demonstrating their understanding of high and low in melody by listening to short musical examples and identifying which notes are high and low respectively. We will start to use the xylophone more frequently during third quarter to add musical accompaniments to the songs we sing during class. Both first grade and kindergarten will understand how music relates to other academic subjects, specifically science, during their CAC units this quarter. 

In the intermediate grades (second and third) we will continue to focus on five major themes in music: rhythm, melody, form, movement, and instruments. Students will practice clapping and chanting rhythm patterns including quarter note/rest, eighth notes, and half note/rest at the beginning of every class. Students will begin to figure out music notation by using legos to show high and low pitches. We will learn and create songs in RONDO form during third quarter. Rondo form has one repeating musical section that is sandwiched by many other variations. Second grade students will explore how music and movement are related to other academic subjects, specifically science, when they work on their CAC unit this quarter. Third graders will start to learn musical pieces on the xylophone using traditional music notation.   

Upper grades (fourth and fifth) will continue to focus on five major themes in music: rhythm, melody, form, harmony, and theory. At the beginning of every class students will practice clapping and chanting rhythm patterns including quarter note/rest, eighth notes, half note/rest, whole note/rest, dotted rhythms, and syncopated rhythms. Students will continue to use rounds and partner songs as a way to sing parts in harmony. We will also be working hard to learn the names of the notes on the treble clef in order to learn melodies on other instruments like the recorder and xylophone. 
Please check my classroom website for more updates and classroom examples! http://www.disneymusicroom.webs.com/