In the fall, lower elementary students explored rhythm with unpitched percussion instruments and then began learning melodic skills through the songs they prepared for the Winter Concert. We have now transitioned to a deeper focus on pitch and melody in the new year. Students in kindergarten are learning to sing the so-mi interval, subsequent grades build on this as new intervals are added, and all grades play games and participate in fun activities to reinforce these skills. Children in each grade can sing these intervals by following the Curwen/Kodaly hand signs, and they are eventually able to identify intervals by ear and sing them by sight on the staff!
We are learning to play new instruments in music as well. Each grade has begun exploring the Orff instruments (xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels), working on age-appropriate mallet and playing technique as well as improvisation. The children are excited to be able to play these beautiful instruments, and third graders are looking forward to learning to play the recorder as well!