Grade 4
1st Quarter: start the year learning to sing the songs for our Opening School Mass, especially any songs that represent our school theme. Explore the instruments of the band and orchestra via the four families of instruments: woodwinds, brass, percussion and strings. Discover the qualities unique to each family of instruments as well as the individual instruments. View demonstration videos that are designed to introduce particular instruments to young people.
2nd Quarter: begin rehearsing for our Christmas Concert performances! Always an exciting time to teach the songs and narrations that we will be using for the concert! See dates and times of performances in the Christmas Concert tab on this website. Our Christmas Concert songs are from the program, "Miracle at Midnight". See below for lyrics and audio recordings!
3rd Quarter: explore songs that come from an African-American spiritual tradition, like, "I'm Gonna Sing", "Amazing Grace", "Wade in the Water" to name a few. Supplement study of spirituals with materials from our Music Connection book & recordings and Essential Elements Music Class.
4th Quarter: introduce the musical, "The Music Man" to the students. Teach the songs, "Wells Fargo Wagon", "Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little/Goodnight Ladies" and "Seventy-Six Trombones". View the Walt Disney film of the musical and see how what we have learned is applied in the film.
To view weekly lesson plans, please click here for Planbook
Supplemental Materials below:
Miracle at Midnight - lyrics