During the month of March, the 4th grade music students will begin studying Ludwig van Beethoven.  We will be reading about and discussing his life, and then watching a video that portrays Beethoven's life as he worked on composing the Ode to Joy symphony.  This unit directly addresses Standard R-1.a Evaluate how a variety of musical elements influence musical performance and preference; Standard R-1.b Communicate similarities and differences in music from various historical periods with music of today; Standard R-2.a Describe vocal and instrumental timbres and their uses throughout American music history; Standard R-2.b Communicate similarities and differences throughout the history of American music; and Standard R-2.c Analyze the influence of the musics of various cultures and their role in American history (Caribbean, Western European, Native American, African, etc.).