Music

The music curriculum includes vocal music, instrumental music, and music theory, history and appreciation.  Music class is required for all students in grades one through eight, and is taught in a separate music classroom. The goal of the music program is to have each child experience singing, playing percussion and pitched percussion instruments, a wind instrument, a string instrument and a keyboard instrument at the different grade levels. It is also required that students learn to read musical notation. Vocal music includes unison singing, rounds, partner songs, and choral music sung in two and three voice parts.  Instrumental music includes melodic bells, rhythm instruments, metallaphones, xylophones, bass tone bars, drums, soprano and alto recorders, autoharps, baritone ukuleles, guitars, and keyboards. Band and orchestra instruments are incorporated into class activities; however the band and orchestra meet after school.  Music theory is taught at every grade level.  The lives of composers are taught and their compositions are listened to in each grade.  The themes from famous composers’ compositions are used in instrumental activities. The lives of the composers are related to a historical time line that merges famous historical happenings in the world.