KG2 Music

Artistic development at ACS is guided by the National Core Arts Standards. In the Elementary division, these standards are taught in Drama and Dance, Music, and Visual Arts (Art) classes. The standards are divided into 4 key areas: Creating, Performing/Presenting/Producing, Responding, and Connecting.

Introduction

The focus for Elementary Music at ACS is to continue to develop units of instruction and assessments for our four Artistic Processes: (1) making meaningful expression such as performing on an instrument or singing (​PERFORMING),​ (2) expressing personal ideas by composing or improvising music (​CREATING​), (3) responding to music such as critiquing the work we hear (​RESPONDING​), (4) interpreting symbolic expression by different disciplines, cultures, and history (​CONNECTING​). The integration of technology with music-specific digital tools is ongoing to enhance the learning opportunities for all students, “Communicate effectively for a given purpose” and “Recognize and respect other cultural context and points of view”.

All students will develop knowledge of the varied career pathways that can be accomplished while participating in core music.

All students will prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

As a means of having a uniform teaching approach and methodology for core music, grades KG1 - 5, the music curriculum program created by Dr. John Feierabend will be utilized. A national leader in music education, Dr. Feierabend is ProfessorEmeritus of Music Education at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford and is a past President of the Organization of American KodályEducators.

First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond[​ 1] is Feierabend’s text for Pre-K through the end of 1s​ t grade. Its focus is developing singing and movement skills, and it is rich in traditional folk music. The design encourages students to be “tuneful, beatful, and artful” (p.10). He suggests the following “musical workout:”

1.​2. 3. 4.

​Pitch Exploration

Song Fragments (echo/call & response songs) Simple Songs

Arioso (Child-created Tunes)

5. SongTales (songs that tell a story) 6. Movement Exploration

7. Movement for Form and Expression 8. Movement with the Beat

This methodology, the Pre-K/Kindergarten and Grade 1 Core Music Units of Instruction include three strands—Tuneful, Beatful, and Artful. [1]​ Feierabend, John. ​First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2003.

Click ​Music At-a-Glance for the National Core Arts Standards for MusicClick ​National Core Arts Standards ​to learn more about the Arts Standards. Click here to view the What We Learn - Grade KG2 infograph. Click here for this year's ES Music Curriculum Overview

Enduring Understandings

Students will understand that...

• Space, time, and energy are basic elements of movement to music.

• Movement to music contributes to enjoyment, good health, and self-expression.

Skills

Students will be able to...

• Perform/respond to music by using age appropriate movements and movement themes (based on suggested movement repertoire).

• Perform a variety of age-appropriate folk dance movements and folk dances while singing.

• Recognize patterns in movements and their connection to musical form.

• Make connections between movements and dances to other disciplines (math, language arts, social studies, geography, P.E., art), cultures and their daily lives.