Music

Music Curriculum (K-8)

Music education at St. Raphael Catholic School provides students with the tools to understand and actively experience music throughout their lives. Students learn to appreciate, create, compose, listen and express themselves musically. Through study and performance, music opens an aesthetic and cultural awareness of themselves and other cultures. The curriculum is based on Orff Schulwerk, Kodaly and traditional styles.

 

Content Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

Grades K - 4

• sing independently, on pitch and in rhythm, with appropriate timbre, diction, and posture, and maintain a steady tempo
• sing expressively, with appropriate dynamics, phrasing, and interpretation
• sing from memory a varied repertoire of songs representing genres and styles from diverse cultures
• sing ostinatos, partner songs, and rounds
• sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding to the cues of a conductor

Grades 5 - 8

• sing accurately and with good breath control throughout their singing ranges, alone and in small and large ensembles
• sing with expression and technical accuracy a repertoire of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6, including some songs performed from memory
• sing music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed
• sing music written in two parts

 

Content Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

Grades K - 4

• perform on pitch, in rhythm, with appropriate dynamics and timbre, and maintain a steady tempo
• perform easy rhythmic, melodic, and choral patterns accurately and independently on rhythmic, melodic and harmonic classroom instruments
• perform expressively a varied repertoire of music representing diverse genres and styles
• echo short rhythms and melodic patterns
• perform in groups, blending instrumental timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding to the cues of a conductor
• perform independent instrumental parts while other students sing or play contrasting parts

Grades 5 - 8

• perform on at least one instrument accurately and independently, alone and in small and large ensembles, with good posture, playing position, and good breath, bow or stick control
• perform with expression and technical accuracy on at least one string, wind, percussion, or classroom instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6
• perform music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed
• play by ear simple melodies on a melodic instrument and simple accompaniments on a harmonic instrument

 

Content Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments

Grades K - 4

• improvise "answers" in the same style to given rhythmic and melodic phrases
• improvise simple rhythmic and melodic ostinato accompaniments
• improvise simple rhythmic variations and simple melodic embellishments on familiar melodies
• improvise short songs and instrumental pieces, using a variety of sound sources, including traditional sounds, nontraditional sounds available in the classroom, body sounds, and sounds produced by electronic means

Grades 5 - 8

• improvise simple harmonic accompaniments
• improvise melodic embellishments and simple rhythmic and melodic variations on given pentatonic melodies and melodies in major keys
• improvise short melodies, unaccompanied and over given rhythmic accompaniments, each in a consistent style, meter and tonality

 

Content Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines

Grades K - 4

• create and arrange music to accompany readings or dramatizations
• create and arrange short songs and instrumental pieces within specified guidelines
• use a variety of sound sources when composing

Grades 5 - 8

• compose short pieces within specified guidelines, demonstrating how the elements of music are used to achieve unity and variety, tension and release, and balance
• arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments other than those for which the pieces were written
• use a variety of traditional and nontraditional sound sources and electronic media when composing and arranging

 

Content Standard 5: Reading and notating music

Grades K - 4

• read whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in 2/4, and 4/4 meter signatures
• use a system (that is, syllables, numbers or letters) to read simple pitch notation in the treble clef in major keys
• identify symbols and traditional terms referring to dynamics, tempo, and articulation and interpret them correctly when performing
• use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, pitch and dynamics in simple patterns presented by the teacher

Grades 5 - 8

• read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth and dotted notes and rests in 2/4, *, 4/4, 6/8, 3/8 and alla breve meter signatures
• read at sight simple melodies in both the treble and bass clefs
• identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression
• use standard notation to record their musical ideas and the musical ideas of others

 

Content Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

Grades K - 4

• identify simple music forms when presented aurally
• demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about, and by describing aural examples of music of various styles representing diverse cultures
• use appropriate terminology in explaining music, music notation, music instruments and voices, and music performances
• identify the sounds of a variety of instruments, including many orchestra and band instruments, and instruments from various cultures, as well as children's voices and male and female adult voices
• respond through purposeful movement to selected prominent music characteristics or to specific music events while listening to music

Grades 5 - 8

• describe specific music events in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology
• analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse genres and cultures
• demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions in their analyses of music

 

Content Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances

Grades K - 4

• devise criteria for evaluating performances and compositions
• explain, using appropriate music terminology, their personal preferences for specific musical works and styles

Grades 5 - 8

• develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music performances and compositions and apply the criteria in their own personal listening and performing
• evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and others' performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by applying specific criteria appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions for improvement

 

Content Standard 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts

Grades K - 4

• identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used in the various arts
• identify ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with those of music

Grades 5 - 8

• compare in two or more arts how the characteristic materials of each art (that is, sound in music, visual stimuli in visual arts, movement in dance, human interrelationships in theater) can be used to transform similar events, scenes, emotions or ideas into works of art
• describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in school are interrelated with those of music

 

Content Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Grades K - 4

• identify by genre or style aural examples of music from various historical periods and cultures
• describe in simple terms how elements of music are used in music examples from various cultures of the world
• identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use
• identify and describe roles of musicians in various music settings and cultures
• demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of music performed

Grades 5 - 8

• describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres and styles from a variety of cultures
• classify by genre and style (and, if applicable, by historical period, composer, and title) a varied body of exemplary (that is, high-quality and characteristic) musical works and explain the characteristics that cause each work to be considered exemplary
• compare, in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles of musicians, and conditions under which music is typically performed