The First Grade Music Curriculum is a creative and active learning experience that provides a means of self-expression for very young learners. First Grade music classes will incorporate a wide variety of teaching techniques that center around an active understanding and use of rhythm, melody, harmony, form, timbre, and self-expression.   All music classes are designed with the NJ Arts Standards as well as the National Music Standards at its core and will develop skills that include how to perform, listen, describe, sing, create, move to, read, and write music.  Each lesson will draw from the approaches to music learning/instruction that are described below:

• The Orff approach is a way of introducing and teaching children music on a level that they can easily comprehend. Musical concepts are learned through singing, chanting, dance, movement, drama, and the playing of percussion instruments. Improvisation, composition, and a child's natural sense of play are encouraged.

• The Kodaly Method uses a child-developmental approach to sequence the introduction of skills strongly focused on ear training and sight singing. Children are first introduced to musical concepts through experiences in listening, singing, and movement. After the child becomes familiar with a concept, he or she then learns how to notate it. Concepts are constantly reviewed and reinforced through games, movement, songs, and exercises.

Students will also explore music in relation to its historical and cultural context, children's literature, and lots of singing games to reinforce musical concepts learned.  

First Grade Concepts may include:

• Steady Beat vs. Unsteady Beat

• Rhythm vs. Beat

• Review and add musical comparatives such as loud/soft, high/low, fast/slow, etc.

• Introduce Dynamics terminology

• Review of the "four voices", including the singing voice

• Quarter note, quarter rest, tied-eighth notes and half notes

• Sol-Mi, Sol La Mi, So-La-Sol-Mi,  Melodic patterns

• Rhythmic and Melodic Composition

• Proper mallet playing technique, ostinati, bordun, broken bordun

• Review and build upon movements such as Walking, Jogging, Stomping, Tip-toe, Gallop, etc.