Kindergarten
Big Ideas: Students learn about music so they can explore the world and to communicate musically. Students learn basic musical sounds and elements, and are encouraged to use their voices and classroom instruments as they learn songs together. Highlights include beat, tempo, rhythm, melody, harmony, listening skills, pitch matching, rhythm instruments, and the use of nontraditional and traditional code.
Grade 1 Big Ideas: Encourage children to explore musical sounds and to develop musical skills in singing, moving, listening, reading and writing music. Highlights include beat, rhythm and pitch awareness; introduction to solfege; audience manners; echo and rhythms; terms relating to tempo and dynamics; active listening; ostinati, traditional code for music literacy; and pitched and unpitched instruments.
Grade 2 Big Ideas: Through songs and games, children explore musical sounds, learn about different musical genres, and develop musical skills in singing, moving, listening, reading and writing music. Highlights include basic music theory, concepts, rhythm, solfege singing, active listening, percussion instruments, reading music notation, body percussion, composer studies, pitched percussion, ear training, polyphonic music, and music genres and cultures.
Grade 3 Big Ideas: Through hands-on activities, students explore musical sounds and elements, and develop a connection to the language of music through active participation, critical listening and public performance. Highlights include an introduction to recorders, singing, movement, basic music literacy, genres/styles of music, developing recorder skills, tempo and dynamics while playing instruments, audience manners, music literacy and composer studies.