Glen Arden Elementary

I follow the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Elementary Music.  The Orff philosophy is also incorporated into my curriculum throughout the year.

This philosophy is very interactive, involving the "whole" child through winging movement and playing instruments.  The Orff philosophy encourages children to experience music at their own level of understanding.  Music activities will be connected to movement, dance, and speech.  This approach builds an understanding of musical concepts and skills by providing students the opportunity to experience music on all levels:  speech/chants, movement, singing, drama and by playing pitched and unpitched instruments.

Kindergarten, first and second graders will be making a singing-reading connection where words to a song are no longer just words, they are clues to help children unlock the printed word.  After the words are internalized they can be retrieved and used as a guide for reading and writing.

Third, fourth and fifth graders will be learning to read rhythmic notation, keeping a steady beat and "jammin" on unpitched instruments.  They will learn Discipline, Respect, and Unity through Music.  They will also learn to play recorders and other pitched instruments independently and as a class group ensemble.  They will learn to read and perform musician notation.  This is a great building block preparing students for music in Middle and High School.  It is my goal that students continue their study of music in band, orchestra or chorus and become lifelong participants, fans, advocates and consumers of music.