This year, your child will be participating in a music class designed to foster lifelong appreciation of music through active music making.  The sequenced music instruction will help your child develop musical skills and understanding, using music of various styles from the United States and around the world.  In addition to developing specific musical skills, your child's studies in other areas will be enhanced by instruction that links concepts across the curriculum.

The music learning activities focus on music concepts based on the National Standards of Music Education.  Those standards are:

Standard 1: The learner will sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Standard 2: The learner will play on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Standard 3: The learner will improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments.

Standard 4: The learner will compose and arrange music within specified guidelines.

Standard 5: The learner will read and notate music.

Standard 6: The learner will listen to, analyze, and describe music.

Standard 7: The learner will evaluate music and music performances.

Standard 8: The learner will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and content areas outside the arts.

Standard 9: The learner will understand music in relation to history and culture.

You can also reinforce your child's music learning at home.  Consider listening to music together and talking about it.  Ask your child to share songs learned in music class.  Attend local concerts to help foster appropriate audience behavior.  These experiences will help make music meaningful at school, at home, and in the community.