Kindergarten

In Kindergarten, the students will be introduced to music through singing of songs.  They will learn to sing songs that are fundamental to the American classroom song repertoire, as well as songs from around the world.  Each week the songs will correspond to the theme of that week.

1st Grade

In First grade, the students will be introduced to music through singing of songs and playing of classroom instruments.  They will learn to sing songs that are fundamental to the American classroom song repertoire, as well as songs from around the world. Musical notation will be introduced in the first grade.  The students will do dictations and create basic compositions to demonstrate their understanding of rhythmic and melodic notation.  The students will also focus on learning how to keep a steady beat, a concept that develops quite strongly around the first grade.

2nd Grade

In second grade, the students will strengthen their music reading skills through learning songs and exploring music, with the themes of animals (first half of the year) and friendship (second half).  They will also play classroom instruments, do rhythmic dictations and create compositions based on extra-musical themes (animals and friendship). Throughout this important year, the students will also prepare musically for the sacrament of First Communion.  We will learn songs that are appropriate to these occasions and discuss the importance of music during the sacraments.

3rd Grade

Third graders will study and make music today by singing and playing songs from various cultures.  Students will learn how children all over the world make music in order to understand how music is a part of all cultures.  Third graders will continue to read and write more and more complex musical notation.  Students will be encouraged to write their own compositions for voice and classroom instruments and to perform for each other.

4th Grade

Fourth graders will explore making music through different types of instruments and singing.  The primary purpose of fourth grade music will be learning how to play the recorder.  The recorder is an excellent classroom instrument for learning how to read music, developing the coordination needed to play a band instrument, and learning how to breathe properly.  The fourth graders will learn concepts needed to play an ensemble: keeping a steady beat, teamwork and cooperation through various rhythm games, using body percussion and classroom instruments.

5th Grade

In the first half of first grade music, fifth grade music students will learn about drumming traditions throughout the world by listening to different musics, playing various types of drums, and composing their own drum compositions.  They will learn about teamwork, listening and cooperation by playing in large and small ensembles.  In the second half of the year, the students will participate in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Opera in the Classroom program.  They will learn basic opera terminology, act out the story, and eventually put on a shortened version of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.  They will build teamwork as all three fifth grade classes work to put on a single production of the opera. 

6th Grade

Sixth grade students will begin the year studying Broadway musicals.  They will build teamwork and explore their creativity by performing acting, singing and dancing scenes from various shows.  Students will learn proper terminology and will explore themes of social justice through the musical genre.  In the second half of sixth grade music students will learn about drumming traditions throughout the world by listening to different musics, playing various types of drums, performing African dancing and composing their own drum compositions.  They will learn about teamwork, listening and cooperation by playing in large and small ensembles.

7th Grade

In seventh grade music, the students will explore themes in American popular music.  We will start off the year exploring music basics.  The students will learn how to have an intelligent conversation about music, using correct music terminology.  They will also learn basic music theory, from basic rhythm and note identification to fluent literacy.  From there the seventh graders will learn about American popular music, beginning in the pre-civil War Era and ending with today’s music.  They will explore various genres such as the African American slave holler, spirituals, gospel, Rhythm & Blues, and jazz as well as Rock & Roll, the British Invasion, folk music, and how music has become what it is today.  In addition to studying popular musics, the students will also have units on multicultural music and music of the Western Classical Tradition, and how they relate to music in America today.
 

8th Grade

As this is the students’ last year of music at Saint Paul of the Cross School, the music curriculum will be a broad survey to prepare the students for lifelong participation in and interaction with music.  We will start off the year exploring how music relates to the students.  They will be asked to take note of how they consume music and what kind of music they prefer.  From there the eighth graders will learn about the music of the Western Classical Tradition (1600-1900) and Modern Classical music.  They will explore each time period by relating music to visual art.  After our survey of Western Art Music, the students will prepare to see a production of Bizet’s Carmen at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.  They will learn basic opera terminology and explore how opera relates to real life.