Music 

WHAT GOES ON IN MUSIC CLASS?

  Kindergarten
Most of the time spent in kindergarten music focuses on learning the basics. This is done through games and lots of singing. Currently, they are learning dynamics (loud and soft) by playing games. In one of the games, I hide a picture of a treble clef somewhere in the room. One child hides and when he or she comes out, we sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” getting louder when the child is closer to the treble clef. We are also learning to draw treble and bass clefs along with learning the characteristics of a staff (5 lines and 4 spaces) and what notes look like.  We also learn the musical alphabet. Of course we do sing! Songs for this age focus on pitch matching and singing loud or soft. Most songs also have movement associated with them. The kids’ favorite things are playing instruments (focuses on keeping the beat) and using our writing boards (practicing drawing music things). The writing boards and instruments are brought out with good behavior points. If the students behave well and I do not have to “draw a note” on the board, they earn time to do those activities.  

1st Grade
During our time together, we study different notes, what they look like, and how the stems are attached. We reinforce what treble and bass clefs are as well as what “high and low”, “short and long” notes are. We also learn “up and down” of note stems and melodies as well as the musical alphabet. We will begin to learn about different instruments and their families. Singing focuses on pitch matching and lots of movement.  We also play instruments and utilize our writing boards. As with Kindergarten, these activities are earned with good behavior.  

2nd Grade
Identifying different notes becomes even more important for this grade. We will learn about whole, quarter, half, eighth and sixteenth notes and rests as well as the notes of the treble clef. Understanding beat, rhythm patterns, and beginning meter are things that we will begin to work on. We will always sing, but now we will try singing rounds to get the students ready to sing harmony.  Additionally, instrument families as well as identifying the sounds and names of specific instruments will be learned.  

3rd Grade
This is the first year that the students begin to plan the music for mass. Each grade is assigned a specific week in which they will be in charge of reading and bringing up the gifts. It is during this week that the music sung at mass will be their choices. We summarize the theme of the day, and then the class picks four songs out of eight pre-selected songs. Other objectives are to identify beats, meter, time values and identification of notes. Naming the notes for treble clef is reinforces. We also start to work on good singing techniques and start to listen to different kinds of music as well as the works of different composers.  

4th Grade
This grade is assigned a specific week in which they will be in charge of reading and bringing up the gifts. It is during this week that the music sung at mass will be their choices. We summarize the theme of the day, and then the class picks four songs out of eight pre-selected songs. Understanding time signatures and more intense study of note names, beats, and identification become more important. It is during this year that they begin to play recorders, which are provided by the school.  Each student checks out a recorder and is responsible for it during the entire year. At the end of the year, they have the option of purchasing their recorder for around $7. Otherwise, the recorder is sanitized and returned at the end of the year. Recorders begin during the 2ndquarter. There will of course be singing but the primary focus will be on recorders. We utilize the Recorder Karate program in which students earn “belts” for correctly playing songs that grow more difficult with each belt.

5th Grade
As with 3rd and 4th grade, the students will plan the music for their specific week. They also plan the music for their confirmation mass. Understanding notes, rests, time signatures, and rhythms are reviewed and reinforced. Instruments, composers and different types of music are also learned. Singing with harmony and identifying 3rds and 5ths of chords will be started. Musical forms, various composers and their works will be studied as well as the music of the mass and what it means. Bass clef notes are introduced along with reviews of treble clef. Sight reading various notes as well as identifying their rhythms are another objective. We also will work on proper singing techniques and the different seasons of the liturgical year. This is also the year in which they may choose to participate in band. Assessments are done during the end of their 4th grade year by Karen Murphy, (our band teacher), and they meet individually and as a group with her on specific band days.  

6th Grade
Music for their assigned week of mass is still planned. More stress is made on the meaning of the readings and there are discussions about them. We also learn and discuss the various seasons of the liturgical year. Parts of a choir, orchestra, band, as well as various types of music are reviewed and reinforced. Identifying instruments, musical forms, bass and treble clef notes, meter, time signatures and note values are stressed. We start to introduce dotted notes.  Proper singing techniques are gone over and various composers and their music are studied.  

7th Grade
Just as with all the other grades, we plan the music for our specific week of masses. More stress is made on the meaning of the readings and there are discussions about them so that a better understanding of how music fits in with liturgy is achieved. Identification of major and minor chords, notes, rests, meter, rhythm, notes of bass and treble clef, musical forms and differentiation of instruments and vocal styles are taught. Proper vocal technique, styles of music and their composers are also learned. More emphasis is made on the study of various music styles and their history during this year. Vocal techniques and proper posture are taught and the students have the opportunity to participate in an all city diocesan Jr. High honor choir.

8th Grade
Planning of the mass music as well as the music for their graduation mass is done for this grade. Chords and various music theory is discussed and reinforced. Primarily, this year is spent learning about the guitar. The different parts, types, characteristics, tuning, and playing are focused on throughout the year. Each child will have the opportunity to “check out” a guitar to practice at home if they choose. This will be done primarily during the 2nd and 4th quarters during our preparation to sing for the Christmas and spring programs. Our school owns 18 guitars. Good singing posture and techniques are taught and as with the 7th grade, students will have the opportunity to participate in an all-city diocesan Jr. High honor choir.