Below you will find a short summary of what musical skills students will be interacting with at each grade level. These summaries are certainly not all encompassing, but give a glimpse into what Hillside Huskies are doing in the music classroom.
According to research, music is learned very similarly to how a language is learned. Listening, then speaking, then reading and writing. First we hear others speak. After having developed a listening vocabulary we begin to develop a speaking vocabulary. First we speak words, then phrases, then full sentences. After we develop a sufficient speaking vocabulary, we learn how to read and write. First letters, then words, then phrases, then full sentences. Ms. Brennan and Ms. Hill both teach with this research in mind when it comes to teaching music.
In kindergarten, we work to develop students' listening vocabulary by nurturing their audiation. Audiation is when we think music in our head, just like how we think words in our head. We are able to nurture students' audiation by giving them a rich musical environment to play in. A rich musical environment consists of songs and chants in many different tonalities and meters as well as music from a variety of musical traditions and cultures.
In first and second grade, students have developed their audiation and begin to coordinate their singing voice to imitate and respond to music using their voice. We start with short patterns first and then move on to more complex patterns like melodies. Students also begin to create their own patterns and develop musical improvisation skills.
In third and fourth grade, students are learning how to read and write using musical notation. Their listening skills have become more refined and they are able to identify tonality and meter changes within songs.
In fifth grade, students are creating and composing their own music using multiple elements like technology and instruments. Students are able to analyze the music of others and their own music.
All of these skills are learned while having FUN! We will play all kinds of instruments, dance to many different songs, and create our own music. Ms. Brennan and Ms. Hill believe that students learn best when their interests and experiences are brought into the classroom. We are committed to making both of the music rooms at Hillside a safe place for students to create and explore who they are as people and as musicians.
According to research, music is learned very similarly to how a language is learned. Listening, then speaking, then reading and writing. First we hear others speak. After having developed a listening vocabulary we begin to develop a speaking vocabulary. First we speak words, then phrases, then full sentences. After we develop a sufficient speaking vocabulary, we learn how to read and write. First letters, then words, then phrases, then full sentences. Ms. Brennan and Ms. Hill both teach with this research in mind when it comes to teaching music.
In kindergarten, we work to develop students' listening vocabulary by nurturing their audiation. Audiation is when we think music in our head, just like how we think words in our head. We are able to nurture students' audiation by giving them a rich musical environment to play in. A rich musical environment consists of songs and chants in many different tonalities and meters as well as music from a variety of musical traditions and cultures.
In first and second grade, students have developed their audiation and begin to coordinate their singing voice to imitate and respond to music using their voice. We start with short patterns first and then move on to more complex patterns like melodies. Students also begin to create their own patterns and develop musical improvisation skills.
In third and fourth grade, students are learning how to read and write using musical notation. Their listening skills have become more refined and they are able to identify tonality and meter changes within songs.
In fifth grade, students are creating and composing their own music using multiple elements like technology and instruments. Students are able to analyze the music of others and their own music.
All of these skills are learned while having FUN! We will play all kinds of instruments, dance to many different songs, and create our own music. Ms. Brennan and Ms. Hill believe that students learn best when their interests and experiences are brought into the classroom. We are committed to making both of the music rooms at Hillside a safe place for students to create and explore who they are as people and as musicians.