About Our K–5 Music Program

Our music program nurtures creative, confident musicians while aligning to the NC DPI Music Essential Standards:

• Musical Literacy (ML): sing, read, write, and perform rhythms and melodies.

• Musical Response (MR): listen, analyze, and describe music using accurate vocabulary.

• Contextual Relevancy (CR): connect music to culture, history, and STEM (patterns, sound waves, technology).

What Scholars Learn

• Performing: steady beat, pitch matching, ensemble skills, ukulele/recorder (upper grades), Orff/Kodaly/Dalcroze xylophone and percussion.

• Creating: improvising rhythmic/melodic ideas, and composing short patterns.

• Responding: describing tempo, dynamics, form, and tone color; reflecting on performances with growth-focused language.

• Connecting: exploring diverse musical traditions and careers; linking music with math, science, literacy, and community.
  
  

Grade-Level Highlights

• K–2: steady beat, high/low, simple rhythm patterns (ta/ti-ti/rest), call-and-response, movement, classroom instruments, audience behavior.

• 3–5: staff reading, scales, harmony/ostinato, rounds/partner songs, recorder/ukulele technique, form (ABA, rondo), composing , ensemble etiquette.

How We Learn

Active, hands-on music making: sing • move • play • create • reflect. Lessons include quick checks for understanding and cooperative music-making to build confidence and community.

Assessment & Feedback

Brief, performance-based checks aligned to ML/MR/CR standards (e.g., rhythm performance, listening prompts, reflection). Feedback highlights strengths and next steps.

Performances

Each grade will have opportunities to share learning informally in class and at at least one showcase or share-out. Dates will be announced early each quarter.

Supplies & Expectations

Comfortable shoes for movement; school-owned instruments stay at school. Our music room is a safe, inclusive space—we practice kindness, participation, and care for instruments.

Family Partnership

• Ask your child to teach you a song or pattern they learned.

• Listen to music together and talk about tempo, dynamics, and mood.

• Encourage regular attendance—music skills grow with consistent practice.