The goal of The Gillispie School’s music program is to develop the musical potential of every child through a balanced, comprehensive, and sequential curriculum in the study of music.
Music activities in the first five years are a natural means of fostering a wide variety of developmental skills, such as social, cognitive, motor, affective, and creative. Many opportunities are provided for young children to explore music through singing, moving, listening, and playing instruments. Group music time allows children to experience the important social and musical aspects of sharing music and making music together.
In Kindergarten through Sixth Grade, musical skills and knowledge are acquired through singing, playing instruments, moving to music, listening to music, and creating music. Opportunities are provided for each child to respond to and use the elements of music, to perform and create music, and to understand both their own historical and cultural musical heritage and that of others within their communities and beyond. Listening to a variety of music styles as well as composing and improvising allow for a broad musical experience with which to make informed judgments about music. Choir is offered before school to students in grades four, five and six for more singing opportunities.
There are two major performances during the school year that involve all the children*. These programs are a wonderful opportunity for the students to work together to present something special for their family and friends.
Curriculum Benchmarks – Fall 2011
Kindergarten
By the end of Kindergarten, your child will be able to–
- Identify and demonstrate basic elements in music (e.g. high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, beat)
- Use the singing voice to echo short melodic patterns
- Sing age-appropriate songs from memory
- Play classroom instruments and move his/her body to demonstrate awareness of beat, tempo, dynamics, and melodic direction
- Create accompaniments, using a variety of classroom instruments
- Listen to specific music and create corresponding movements
Grade 1
Skills and understandings achieved in Kindergarten will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, by the end of Grade 1, your child will be able to–
- Identify simple musical forms (e.g., verse/refrain, echo)
- Sing in a developmentally appropriate range
- Sing age-appropriate songs from memory
- Play or improvise simple accompaniments on classroom instruments
- Identify common instruments visually and aurally
- Identify the elements of a piano keyboard
- For increasing lengths of time, listen silently to various musical genres, including opera
- Create movements to music that reflect focused listening
Grade 2
Skills and understandings achieved in previous grades will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, by the end of Grade 2, your child will be able to–
- Read, write, and perform simple rhythmic patterns, using eighth notes, quarter notes, and rests
- Identify simple musical forms, emphasizing verse / refrain, AB, and ABA
- Identify individual wind, string, brass, and percussion instruments used in a variety of music
- Play rhythmic ostinatos on classroom instruments
- Recognize line notes vs. space notes on the staff
- For increasing lengths of time, listen silently to uniquely American music genres, including the blues
Grade 3
- Skills and understandings achieved in previous grades will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, by the end of Grade 3, your child will be able to–
- Read, write, and perform simple rhythmic patterns, using eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, and rests
- Name the treble lines and spaces on the staff
- Listen silently to various musical genres, including jazz
- Sing age-appropriate songs from memory, including rounds
- Play rhythmic and melodic ostinatos on classroom instruments
- Play simple tunes on the recorder using the notes B, A, and G
Grade 4
- Skills and understandings achieved in previous grades will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, by the end of Grade 4, your child will be able to—
- Identify visually and aurally the four families of orchestral instruments
- Listen silently to various musical genres, including classical
- Play simple tunes on the recorder using a full octave
- Perform in a musical play with a California history theme
- Sing “We Love You, California” (CA state song) by heart
Grades 5 & 6
- Skills and understandings achieved in previous grades will be reviewed and expanded. In addition, during Grades 5 & 6, your child will be able to–
- Define instrumentation, measure, and texture
- Use the GarageBand music program to create musical pieces
- Perform in a musical play, including choreographed elements
