Our music curriculum includes active music-making experiences using the Orff process as well as the Kodály philosophy. Just as children learn to hear and speak a language before reading and writing it, we can assume the same of music. This approach gives children the opportunity to interact with and make music in multiple forms before formally learning to read and write it. Orff and Kodály use songs, poems, rhymes, dances, and games as a form of education. Instead of learning through rote memorization, students develop skills through active music making.
Students at Forest Trail learn about the elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony, form and expressive qualities) through imitation and exploration. These hands-on experiences eventually lead to improvisation and music literacy (reading and writing music).
Below you will find the elements that we target. These elements are cumulative across the grade levels as appropriate to the development of the child.
Steady beat
Singing games
Playing pitched and unpitched percussion
Playing the recorder (4th and 5th grades)
3rd grade at Eanes Elementary
Movement and dance
Rhythm elements
Melodic elements
Music writing
Music reading
Listening
Creating
Performing