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Round Valley Arts Curriculum

I. ARTISTIC PERCEPTION AND RESPONSE

Students sing together.  They understand that song is a form of expression and can be used to communicate with others.  As they sing, listen and play, they talk about their experiences, increasing their awareness of:

1.      familiar melodies, including repeated melodies,

2.      rhythm, including beat and tune,

3.      expressive cues in music (rhythm, tempo, and sound).

Awareness also develops through experiences such as:

1.      identifying and imitating songs,

2.      exploring the qualities of music through body movement (high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, up/down),

3.      observing a short concert/demonstrations by visiting artists or older students.

Teachers will introduce and use these terms:

II. CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Students experience the social pleasure of singing together. They sing songs they know and like, and learn new songs, developing skills through:

1.      Singing--learning songs by imitation and example.

·        Songs students and teachers know and like.

a)      Nursery rhymes (traditional tunes and variations)

b)      Action and game songs

c)      Alphabet and counting songs

d)      Folk songs from various cultures

·        Sing along with records and tapes.

·        Chant simple directions with the teacher

2.      Playing--enjoying music by making sounds and music.

·        Rhythm games

a)      Echo clapping

b)      Stamps, knee slaps, and other body sounds

c)      Use of simple rhythm instruments

3.      Moving to music.

·        Move body with quality of music (high/low, fast/slow, loud/soft).

·        Skip, hop, jump, tiptoe, walk, run, crawl according to the feeling of the music.

·        Imitate animal movements to appropriate music, such as Carnival of the Animals.

·        Make up hand movements for familiar songs and do simple folk dances.

·        Participate in movement activities to enhance self-esteem and social skills.

4.      Listening--exploring and creating sounds.

·        Identify sources of sound.

a)      Other voices (play a guessing game)

b)      Sounds in the environment (cars, birds, rain)

·        Listen for differences in the sounds

·        Make instruments made from "found" objects.

·        Listen to classroom voices on a tape recorder.

5.      Performing--participate in simple performances for classmates and parents, using skills learned in class.

III. HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT

Students learn that an exciting world of music exists within themselves and in their classrooms. They attend performances and hear recordings of music from a variety of cultures and times.  They listen to, sing and/or talk about:

1.      music from at least two cultures studied or represented in their classroom,

2.      music with stories, such as Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf,

3.      short concerts and demonstrations by local musicians.

IV. AESTHETIC VALUING

Students learn that music is a way to tell others about themselves and the world.  After singing, listening, and attending performances of music, they talk about specific qualities of the music such as:

1.      how music makes them feel,

2.      how music is used "every day" including on video and in film,

3.      reasons for personal preferences ("I like. . ." or "I don't like . . . because. . .") of songs sung by themselves and others.

V. CONNECTIONS, RELATIONS, APPLICATIONS

Understanding relationships between the arts and with disciplines outside of the arts.

Students can connect, relate, and apply various types of arts knowledge and skills within the art form, across the arts disciplines (dance, music, theatre and visual arts), and with disciplines outside of the arts.

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