District 11 Division of Operations & Instruction
Performing Arts

Grade K, Music Quarter 1: Songs About Me and My Family

Overview
There is considerable research on the academic value of students receiving instruction in the visual and Performing Arts. Brain research indicates that learning to read music strengthens the  mathematical/logical aspect of brain development. In addition, learning to sing is a joyful and creative process. Kindergarten music classes focus on standards that are taught and assessed throughout the school year. More formalized assessments of each  student's level of mastery begin as we progress into the second quarter and continue throughout the year.

Integration: This is an Integrated Unit for Social Studies, Music, and Art.

For Teachers
Quarter 1  2
Quarter 3  4
Next Grade

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Maintaining a steady beat is necessary when singing and moving.   
  • Music can be expressed in many ways.
  • Movement and dance are an important part of all cultures.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • How does singing help me when I move?
  • What can help me improve my singing?
  • How does movement help me describe music?
  • How can I portray music through movement for those who do not hear it?
  • How do singing, movement and dance of different cultures compare to movement and dance in my life?
  • How do singing, movement and dance help me compare different traditions through music?
Standards-Based Assessments
Standard I. Sings and plays instruments, alone and with others. (Sings using the head voice.   Maintains a steady beat within a group.  Performs a given part at different dynamic levels.)
Standard II.  Reads and writes musical notation. (No items are assessed for this standard at this level.)
Standard III.
  Creates music. (No items are assessed for this standard at this level.)
Standard IV.
  Analyzes/describes and evaluates music. (Uses movement to communicate high/low.  Uses movement to communicate fast/slow.)
Standard V.
  Demonstrates an understanding of music in relation to history, culture, and community traditions. (Performs movements/dances from various countries/cultures.  Performs/identifies music associated with various world cultural traditions.  Performs/identifies American folk songs.   Performs/identifies music that reflects community traditions.)

Math in Music
Identify simple patterns (assessment and exploration).
Standard 1: Number Sense September
Order numbers 1 – 20.
Music classes reinforce the study of patterns in mathematics. Through music exercises, students observe patterns in beat, rhythm, and melodic patterns. Music lesson reinforce number sense as students recognize and sing intervals and use music terms to describe where notes are located on a scale; high or low. Singers will
Identify simple patterns in songs. Students will also learn to sing the scale counting notes within an octave as 1-8.

Literacy in Music
Phonemic Awareness:  Hear the similarities of sounds in words and rhythmical patterns in a sequence (e.g. word families).  Count the number of syllables in a word (word parts)  Initial sounds. Segment words into phonemes and sounds. 
Music classes reinforce literacy skills by helping students hear the similarities of sounds in words and rhythmical patterns in a sequence (e.g. word families). Music allows students to hear the number of syllables in words as they learn to sing songs with simple melodies. Rhythm activities with block, sticks, and rhythm instruments help students hear and feel the rhythm in multi-syllabic words.

Sample Units

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

Listen to Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.


Parents

 

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