BWSD Elementary Music
ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC
K
KINDER.
Kindergarten students will first work to establish a consitent, steady beat accompanying various pieces of music.
We will then work to develop their musical understanding of simple rhythms and melodic phrases. Students will identify one and two sound notes which corresponds with quarter and paired eighth notes. They will also begin singing pentatonic scale, starting with "so," "mi" and "la."
The kindergarteners will also spend time idenfiying various musical opposites, such as high/low, loud/soft and fast/slow.
1ST GRADE
2ND GRADE
Second grade students will work to expand their musical understanding of simple rhythms and melodic phrases.
The students will also begin to develop their ability to perform on the Orff instruments and unpitched percussion instruments in preparation for their recorder studies in 3rd grade.
Additionally, the second grade students at Whitehall Elementary will explore the different instrument families! In the spring, the classes will take a field trip to downtown Pittsburgh to experience a school time show hosted by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
3RD GRADE
Third grade is one of the most exciting years for students in the General Music curriculum! This year students will have their first instrument performance experience. All third grade students will learn how to play a Soprano recorder.
The student's will take part in a recorder karate program. Each student will be individually challenged to work towards passing their clear, white, yellow, orange, blue, purple, red, brown and black karate belts.
In addition to the focus on recorders, students will also expand their rhythm reading skills and their understanding of expressive termanology.
4TH GRADE
Fourth grade students will begin to develop an understanding of more complex rhythms. They will also focus on expanding their vocal range through the introduction of low notes on the scale.
The students will also spend more time on their recorder studies in hopes to reach a mastery level by the fifth grade.
Just as they did in second grade, all fourth grade students will take a field trip to downtown Pittsburgh to visit the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The focus of this trip is not on learning the instrument families but developing an appreciaition for listening to a wide range of musical styles.
5TH GRADE
Fifth grade students will expand upon the complex rhythms that were learned in the fourth grade through the introduction of syncopated rhythms.
Again, the fifth grade students will have one last opportunity to work toward the black recorder karate belt.
​One of the most exciting things that the fifth grade students get to participate in at Whitehall is the D.A.R.E program. At the end of their classes there is a D.A.R.E graduation ceremony in which the entire grade will sing about things that they learned throughout the year.
First grade students will continue to build a solid understanding of music fundamentals. Students will begin simple arranging and composing as well as improvisations.
Students will participate in various activities that will allow them to explore music notation. The students will also further expand their vocal range by adding "do" into their solfa vocabulary.
First grade students will also begin to learn musical terminology for the terms learned in kindergarten, such as "forte" for loud and "piano" for soft.
