MUSIC
Stapleton Elementary School
Stapleton Elementary School Music Curriculum
Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade
Our Kindergarten, First, and Second Graders are grappling with the concepts of beat, rhythm, pitch and vocal technique, meter, introduction to music reading, melody, dynamics, and tempo. They learn many of these concepts, along with mallet technique, through the Orff methodology, which consists of body percussion and instrument performance on our Orff instruments (xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels) as well as our classroom percussion instruments (triangles, drums, shakers, etc.). They will also solidify their concept of steady beat and rhythm by working through ideas from the Dalcroze, Kodaly, and Gordon Music Learning Theory pedagogies, such as identifying Macrobeats and Microbeats and the use of movement to establish beat. We also spend a great deal of time practicing our listening skills, and enjoy listening to music from all genres, styles, and cultures. Second graders in particular will spend some time learning about the Baroque Era of music. Through listening, we find the connections between music and other areas of learning, such as history, geography, culture, technology, science, math, and reading.
Third Grade
Our Third Graders continue to develop a deeper understanding of the concepts learned in Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade, in addition to applying their knowledge to their recorders. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to also learn (on a fairly inexpensive instrument) how to take care of a musical instrument, and learning the importance of practicing at home. Third Graders will also continue their study with the Orff and classroom instruments, and will spend some time learning about the Classical Era of music.
Click on the images below to bring up music for your recorder songs to earn your recorder belts! Click the Play button under each image to hear that song!
For those students who've already progressed through all the belts, try earning up through your 9th degree Black Belt!
Below you'll find your basic fingerings for all the notes on the recorder, as well as some bonus songs we'll play later on in the year!
Fourth Grade
Fourth Graders continue learning more about the concepts learned in their last four years at Stapleton, and begin to apply it on a more complex level.
The Fourth graders continue in general music, using classroom instruments and our new additions to the classroom, ukuleles! They begin to learn more about the structure of music, how notes and chords fit together, and how to construct their own music using these tools. Through our online curriculum resources in Quaver Music (see links at the top of the page) our fourth graders are able to work independently to drive their own music instruction. Fourth graders still spend time developing their listening skills, and focus in particular on the Romantic Era of music.
Fifth Grade
Fifth Graders get to spend their last year at Stapleton learning an instrument! Students have the choice between flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion, violin, and cello. Band and Orchestra are team-taught by Mrs. J, Mrs. Silva, and myself!
The most important aspect of Fifth grade music is PRACTICING. Without home practice, students will have difficulty making progress. Daily practice is essential to success, even if it's 10 minutes a day. Students will be provided with a method book for the year, and they will perform a concert at the end of the year!
Yearly Program
Every student at Stapleton gets music for an hour once a week. In addition, each class will rotate through their specials, so at some point in the year, they will also attend a second hour once a week, for about ten weeks.