General music is offered to the students at Dale Street 45 minutes once a
week. The Orff-Schulwerk approach to music is applied in all of
the sessions. The students imitate and then explore the elements of music
using speech, singing, movement and instruments.
In the fourth grade, the students learn to improvise short rhythmic patterns
and then phrases of music on percussion instruments. The recorder, a simple
woodwind instrument, is used as they learn how to read notes on the treble
clef. The students sing with and without accompaniment in unison, rounds
and simple partner songs using good vocal technique. Combining voice,
recorder, pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, the students produce
performing ensembles. Movement also becomes a part of some of these
ensemble experiences.
In the fifth grade, students continue to create ensembles in their music
classes, reinforcing all musical concepts taught through performance.
Improvisation and composition are incorporated into many sessions. The
students learn how to use computer software to notate original melodies.
They continue to sing in unison and simple harmony, with and without
accompaniment in a variety of musical styles.
