Music in Oak Knoll is based on the philosophy and practice
of the Orff Schulwerk , an approach to music education developed by the German
composer Carl Orff This approach is
characterized by an active involvement in music making. Students explore the
musical world through the body, voice, movement and instruments that include
both unpitched and specially designed Orff Instruments. They hear and make
music first, and they learn to read and write it later. The Orff Schulwerk
classroom is a non-competitive atmosphere. It provides opportunities for aural,
visual and kinaesthetic learners to be successful in music. One of the rewards
is the pleasure of making good music with others.
Kindergarten Music
Students in kindergarten have music once a week for 30 minutes. During that time, they learn to move rhythmically, sing expressively and begin to build a repertoire of songs, games and speech pieces. The following concepts are introduced:
Rhythm: Develop a
repertoire of rhythms through echo clapping and clapping words of songs and
speech pieces, express the steady beat through body percussion, movement and
instrumental playing. Respond accurately to various tempos; be able to identify
tempo changes e.g. fast, slow, faster, slower.
Melody: Explore vocal
qualities and label them as speaking, shouting, whispering and singing. Explore
speech and label as high and low. Match pitch and be aware of melodic contour.
Form: Same/Different
sections
Movement: Basic
locomotor (walk, jump, gallop, etc.) and non-locomotor movements (sway, swing
etc,) are practiced. Singing games, movement with props, and creative dances
with partners and groups are introduced.
Instruments: Free exploration of unpitched percussion and Orff instruments.
First Grade Music
Students in first grade have music once a week for 30
minutes. They continue to experience the
basic elements of music through speaking, singing, moving and instrumental
playing. Experiences in rhythm, melody and harmony are sequenced to provide step-by-step
development in both skill and understanding.
Rhythm: Express the
steady beat through body percussion, movement and instrumental playing. Read
and identify the basic rhythmic values. Perform, clap and play patterns using
quarter, eighth notes and rest. Identify a repeated pattern as an ostinato
Melody and Harmony:
Match pitch and sing in tune. Identify melodic contours as moving
upwards, downwards or repeating pitches. Identify two pitches, sol and mi with
gestures vocally and on instruments. Identify three pitches, sol, mi and la
with gestures, vocally and on instruments. Play and improvise in the pentatonic
scale. Accompany songs with simple ostinato patterns.
Form: Binary and
Ternary Forms (A-B or A-B-A)
Movement: Locomotor
and non-locomotor movements are practiced leading to creative dances with
partners and groups. Singing games, and simple circle dances are introduced.
Instrumental Ensemble:
Free exploration and basic technique in a variety of unpitched
percussion and mallet technique for simple and broken bordun on the Orff
instruments
Second Grade Music
Students in second grade have music once a week for 30
minutes. They are ready for more complex instructions, as they continue to
solidify their sense of pitch and rhythm. Because second graders have finer
control of gross and small motor skills, they will enjoy the challenge of more
sophisticated instrumental playing, in particular layered orchestration. The
following concepts are introduced:
Rhythm: Express the
steady beat through body percussion, movement and instrumental playing. Read
and identify basic rhythmic values. Perform, read and play patterns using half,
quarter, eighth notes and quarter note rest
Melody and Harmony:
Identify three pitches, sol, mi, la with gestures, vocally and on
instruments. Identify mi-re-do patterns. Sing and improvise in the pentatonic
modes. Identify the pentatonic scale in C, then F and G. Singing in rounds and accompanying songs with
layered ostinato patterns.
Form: Binary,
Ternary, Rondo . Identify repeat signs, double bar
Movement: Expressive
movement alone and with partners. Group choreography. Singing games and circle
dances.
Instrumental Ensemble: Basic technique in a variety of unpitched percussion and Orff instruments. Simple, broken and level bordun techniques for Orff instruments.
Third Grade Music
Students in the third grade have music once a week for
forty-five minutes. In the fall the students begin to build a repertoire of
songs for the recorder. The recorder is introduced in the spring semester and
with it, note reading and precise finger technique. The following concepts are
introduced:
Rhythm: Express the
steady beat through body percussion, movement and instrumental playing.
Perform, read, play and improvise patterns using whole, half, quarter, eighth
notes and rests.
Identify and show an understanding of 2/4, 3/4., 6/8 and 4/4
meters. Identify and perform tied notes and the syncopated rhythm.
Melody and Harmony:
Sing songs in the expanded pentatonic scale and the hexatonic scale.
Identify hand signs and sing the syllables for La-So-Mi-Re-Do. Identify
pentatonic tonal centers of C, F, and G. Sing rounds and accompany songs with
more complex orchestration. Learn absolute pitch names of the treble clef. Read melodic notation through the study of
the recorder. Improvise and create melodies based on the pentatonic scales for
the recorder.
Form: Binary,
Ternary, Rondo and Canon. Create introduction and coda to a piece of music.
Identify notated musical symbols.
Movement: Group choreography with emphasis on form (Rondo
and ABA). Circle and line dances.
Instrumental Ensemble: Basic technique in a variety of
unpitched percussion. Mallet technique for Orff instruments that include
simple, broken, level and cross over borduns for accompaniments. Introduce the
soprano recorder.
Fourth Grade Music
Students in the fourth grade have classroom music once a
week for forty-five minutes. Students are also given the option of joining
either the band or orchestra. In fourth
grade,
students continue to
study the concepts that were introduced in the earlier grades. They also work
on refining their technique on the recorder, non-pitched and pitched
percussion. The following concepts are introduced:
Rhythm: Continue to
work on the beat in different tempi and styles. Read and notate rhythm patterns
in all duration values, including the sixteenth and dotted notes. Continue to
work on rhythmic improvisation, and rhythmic independence in ensemble playing.
Melody and Harmony: Diatonic songs are added to the
repertoire. Vocal ostinati is used as
accompaniment to songs. Sing melodic canons in two and three parts. Perform
multiple melodic patterns on instruments. Read melodic notation through the
study of the recorder. Improvise and create melodies based on the pentatonic
scales. Accompany simple folk songs with the ukulele.
Movement: Group
choreography using stylized dance movement/body percussion to emphasize various
musical forms e.g. rondo, aba etc. Simple circle, line dances and play parties.
Form: Work with
binary, ternary and rondo forms. Identify and recognize these forms. Create
introductions and “codas” to pieces of music.
Instrumental Ensemble:
Continue to work on the range of the recorder especially in reading and
improvising. More complex mallet technique for ensemble work. Introduce the
ukulele.
Fifth grade music
Students in the fifth grade have classroom music one time a
week for forty-five minutes.
Students are also given the option of joining the band or
orchestra. In fifth grade,
students continue to
study the elements of music that were introduced in the earlier grades. Music
from a variety of historical periods and cultures are introduced, studied and
performed. The following concepts are introduced:
Rhythm: Review basic
rhythmic concepts, the beat, pulse, meter and phrase. Read and notate rhythm
patterns in all duration values, including the sixteenth and dotted notes.
Continue to work on rhythmic improvisation, and rhythmic independence in
ensemble playing. Introduce concept of polyrhythm, off beat and syncopation.
Melody and Harmony :
Solo singing is encouraged through call and response. More pentatonic
and diatonic songs are added to the repertoire.
Vocal ostinati is used as accompaniment to songs. Sing melodic canons in
two and three parts. Perform multiple melodic patterns on instruments.
Improvise and create melodies based on the pentatonic scales in various styles.
Accompany simple folk songs with the ukulele.
Movement: Group
choreography using stylized movement /body percussion to emphasize musical
forms. Roots of jazz movement games.
Form: : Continue to
work with binary, ternary and rondo forms. Identify and recognize these forms.
Create introductions and “codas” to pieces of music.
Instrumental Ensemble: Use of chromatic orff instruments and others including keyboard, piano and drum set. Advanced technique for orff instruments that include use of three/four mallets.