national standards for music education 1.singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of...

National Standards for Music Education

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

3. Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments.4. Composing and arranging music within specified

guidelines.5. Reading and notating music.6. Listening to, analyzing and describing music.7. Evaluating music and musical performances.8. Understanding relationships between music, the other

arts and disciplines outside the arts.9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Kindergarten—Trimester 1

• Singing the school song (NSME #1)

• Getting to know the keyboard—basic functions

• Becoming familiar with voice changes and keyboard sound effects

• Learning to perform together as a team (NSME #2)

• Participating in solo, small/large group classroom performances (NSME #3)

• Learning to sing and play 6-9 production songs

• Visual Interpretation• Dramatic Interpretation• Blending music and story-

telling• Improvising melodies and

characterizations (NSME #3)

• Treating each other with respect and gratitude

• Discovering the meaning of musical responsibility as it applies to ensemble performances

• Experiencing the excitement of mastering Trimester 1 goals


• Seasonal singing and playing (NSME #1)

• Listening to selected recordings and discovering where appropriate keyboard percussion might be added (NSME #6)

• Learning about a musical score

• Notating an additional ensemble part using the staff and/or icons (NSME #5)

• Using pictures/icons to tell a story

• Composing music based on selected themes (NSME #4)

• Improvising accompaniments (NSME #3)

• Composing music that describes selected art pieces (NSME #4)

• Listening to, analyzing and describing the compositions of others (NSME # 6)


• Continuing to learn 6-9 more songs (NSME # 1,2)

• Playing rhythms with sticks and keyboard percussion (NSME #2)

• Learning the parts of a production

• Writing script and composing a soundtrack (NSME #4)

• Developing an appropriate notation system (NSME #5)

• Piggyback music—writing new lyrics to familiar tunes

• Evaluating music and musical performances (NSME #7)

• Understanding relationships between music and the other arts (NSME #8)

• Understanding music in relation to culture (NSME #9)

• Review of yearly activities through puppetry

• Discovering connections to reading and math

Grade One—Trimester 1


• Becoming more familiar with voice changes and keyboard sound effects




• Beginning note-reading—treble staff

• Working with ACMP—automatic accompaniment

• Age-appropriate finger exercises

• Major scales: C,F,G• Learning songs written in

those keys and performing with fluency

• Improvising melodies and characterizations (NSME #3)

• Treating each other with respect and compassion

• Discovering the meaning of musical responsibility as it applies to ensemble performances



• Studying and performing selected traditional Christmas music (NSME #2)

• Developing fluency regarding ensemble performance (NSME #2)

• Learning to play a song while singing lyrics (NSME #1,2)

• Reading staff music (NSME #5)


• Studying Dr. Seuss and his book—My Many Colored Days

• Discovering how to play ‘colors’

• Transferring knowledge to the colored caps of Disney’s 7 Dwarfs and composing AB music—color plus character (NAME #4,5,6)

• Describing music through art, drama and musical design (NSME #6)


• Continuing to learn 6-9 more songs (NSME # 1,2)

• Learning the parts of a production



• Learning how to design and produce classroom performances

• Learning to evaluate one’s own music and the music of others (NSME #7)

• Understanding relationships between music, the other arts and disciplines outside the arts (NSME #8)

• Understanding music in relation to history and culture via and live production (NSME #2,6,9)

• Creating a video of our yearly work

Grade Two—Trimester 1


• Becoming more familiar with voice changes and keyboard sound effects




• Beginning note-reading—treble staff

• Working with ACMP—automatic accompaniment (NSME #5)



those keys and performing with fluency (NSME #2)


• Treating each other with respect, compassion and integrity

• Reviewing the meaning of musical responsibility as it applies to ensemble performances








• Studying melody, rhythm, tempo and ACMP

• Splitting the class into 3 sections: choir, accompanists

• Visual Interpretation• Working with timbre, keyboard

percussion and sound effects• Developing form and structure

via creative composition (NSME #4)

• Arranging music within specified guidelines (NSME #4)

• Composing and arranging music for others to perform..focusing on musical styles (NSME #3,4)

• Striving for mastery of Trimester 2 goals


• Learn 6-9 songs—adding scales of B’ and D (NSME #1,2)



• Studying selected international cultures

• Learn selected international songs and learn how to ‘play’ a tapestry of international music (NSME #2)


• Learning what’s involved in designing and producing grade level performances



• Creating a video of yearly lab activities

• Striving to master Trimester 3 goals

Grade Three—Trimester 1• Singing the school song

(NSME #1)

• Becoming more familiar with keyboard percussion, sound effects and musical styles

• Furthering experience in performing together as a team (NSME #2)


• Learning to sing and play 6-9 theme-based production songs

• Reading music on the staff—both clefs

• Working with ACMP—automatic accompaniment (NSME #5)



those keys and performing with fluency (NSME #2)


• Treating each other with respect, compassion and integrity

• Reviewing the meaning of musical responsibility as it applies to ensemble performances


Grade Three—Trimester 2• Studying and performing

selected traditional Christmas music (NSME #2)





• Scale Study: Adding B’, D• Studying melody, rhythm,

tempo and ACMP• Splitting the class into 6

sections: full score, treble staff, bass staff, percussion, sound effects and ACMP





• Composing and arranging music for others to perform...focusing on musical styles (NSME #3,4)

• Analyzing and evaluating performances (NSME #7)

• Striving for mastery of Trimester 2 goals

Grade Three—Trimester 3

• Learn 6-9 songs—adding scales of E’ and A major (NSME #1,2)




• Studying selected musical styles and rhythms

• (NSME #2)



• Study the musical called ‘Nickelodean’


• Students present songs we’ve studied throughout the year (NSME #2)

• Create a video of yearly lab activities

• Strive to master Trimester 3 goals

Grade Four—Trimester 1• Singing the school song

(NSME #1)• Hanon type finger exercises• Major scales: C,G,D,F,B’• Learning 4-6 state symbol

songs written in those keys and performing them with fluency (NSME #2)

• Writing lyrics for state symbol songs

• Treating each other with respect and fairness



• Reading staff music —both clefs (NSME #5)

• Working with ACMP: automatic accompaniment (NSME #5)


• Improvising melodies and/or creating additional ensemble parts for our state song set (NSME #3)

• Note reading and rhythm challenge matches

• Playing musical parts via rote and working with iconic notation (NSME #5)

• Enjoy mastering Trimester 1 goals

Grade Four—Trimester 2






• Accompaniment skills for family and friends holiday gatherings (NSME #2)

• Creating your own Christmas song (NSME #4)





• Composing and arranging music for others to perform...focusing on musical styles (NSME #3,4)


• Master Trimester 2 goals

Grade Four—Trimester 3• Learn 6 or more songs—

adding scales of A’ and E major (NSME #1,2)



• Composing and directing your own musical score (NSME #4)



• Surprise Performers ;-)• Preparing student

performances—solo, small group, large group, ensembles (NSME #2)


• Review all scales and chord sets (NSME #5)

• Review note reading, rhythm challenges and expressive elements (NSME #5)

• Realize the talents and skills of class members

• Create a video of yearly lab activities


Grade Five—Trimester 1• Singing the school song

(NSME #1)• Treating each other with

respect and fairness• Hanon type finger exercises• Major scales: C,G,D,F,B’• Learning 4-6 “anytime

performance” songs written in the above keys and performing them with fluency (NSME #2)

• Note reading and rhythm challenge matches (NSME #5)



• Reading staff music —both clefs (NSME #5)

• Working with ACMP: automatic accompaniment (NSME #5)

• Analyzing and performing ensemble scores (NSME #2)


• Improvising melodies and/or creating additional ensemble parts for our state song set (NSME #3)

• Playing musical parts via rote and working with iconic notation (NSME #5)

• Enjoy mastering Trimester 1 goals

Grade Five—Trimester 2• Studying and performing

selected traditional Christmas music (NSME #2)


• Furthering skills regarding playing a song while singing lyrics (NSME #1,2)


• Adding scales: E’ and E• Improvising accompaniments

(NSME #3)• Accompaniment skills for

family and friends holiday gatherings (NSME #2)

• Creating your own Christmas card and song (NSME #4)




• Composing and arranging music for others to perform (NSME #3,4)


• Composing songs for younger children and then teaching them to perform the compositions (NSME #4)

• Mastering Trimester 2 goals

Grade Five—Trimester 3• Learn 6 or more songs—

adding scales of A’ and E major (NSME #1,2)



• Composing and directing your own musical score (NSME #4)



• Guest Performers ;-)• Preparing student

performances—solo, small group, large group, ensembles (NSME #2)


• Review all scales and chord sets (NSME #5)

• Review note reading, rhythm challenges and expressive elements (NSME #5)

• Rubric Assessment and suggestions for next year

• Create a video of yearly lab activities—production style


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