SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS
GENERAL MUSIC CURRICULUM
Kindergarten – Fifth Grade
JUNE 2011
Fine Arts Supervisor
Margaret Gilmore
REVISED BY:
Alice Fleming
Dr. Ted Fuller
Jane Munsell
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Goals and Purpose…………………………………………………………………………………………
Philosophy…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
National Music Standards………………………………………………………………………………
Kindergarten
Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Pacing Map………………………………………………………………………………………..
Teaching Activity Suggestions……………………………………………………………..
First Grade
Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………
Pacing Map………………………………………………………………………………………
Teaching Activity Suggestions………………………………………………………………
Second Grade
Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Pacing Map…………………………………………………………………………………….
Teaching Activity Suggestions……………………………………………………………..
Third Grade
Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Pacing Map…………………………………………………………………………………….
Teaching Activity Suggestions………………………………………………
TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
Fourth Grade
Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Pacing Map…………………………………………………………………………………….
Teaching Activity Suggestions……………………………………………………………..
Fifth Grade
Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Pacing Map…………………………………………………………………………………….
Teaching Activity Suggestions……………………………………………………………..
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Supplemental Resources by Standard……………………………………………………………….
Favorite Websites……………………………………………………………………………………………….
Classroom Management……………………………………………………………………………………….
Instructional Best Practices………………………………………………………………………………..
Assessment and Grading Procedure……………………………………………………………………..
Tools for Formative Assessment………………………………………………………………………….
Sample Rubrics……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Teaching Model…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Sample Lesson Plan Templates……………………………………………………………………………
Sample Lesson Plans……………………………………………………………………………………………
Sample Unit Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Substitute Teacher Folder……………………………………………………………………………………
Substitute Teacher Activities………………………………………………………………………………..
Interdisciplinary Connections……………………………………………………………………………….
Programs……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
INTRODUCTION
This Curriculum Guide was written with the belief that all students, when
given appropriate instruction, can be expected to achieve a high level of musical
excellence and can experience the rewards as a result. As music educators, we
believe that everyone has the potential to learn and enjoy music, and student’s lives
will be enriched and enlightened through a standards-based sequential music
program.
SHELBY COUNTY K-5 MUSIC PROGRAM:
Who does it serve?
o Music is a core subject in the State of Tennessee, therefore General
Classroom Music is provided for every elementary student in Shelby
County Schools.
o The Shelby County Music Program serves the community through public
performances.
What is the goal?
o To provide an opportunity for the students of Shelby County Schools to
expand their knowledge and enjoyment of Music and The Fine Arts.
o To provide Shelby County students with an understanding of the
important part that music plays in a well-rounded education.
o To challenge students to achieve success in an extra-curricular subject
that promotes creativity, self-discipline, commitment, and teamwork.
What are the implications/desired outcomes?
o To increase the aesthetic value of music along with creativity, selfdiscipline, commitment, and teamwork among Shelby County Students.
o To educate parents, communities, and business partners of the
importance of music.
o To provide every student an opportunity to have a lifelong connection to
music and the arts.
GOALS AND PURPOSE
This document is intended to serve as a basic curriculum guide for the music
educators of Shelby County Schools. Teachers are expected to cover all standards
throughout the year, and strive for mastery of skills. We recognize the diversity of the
music teachers in our district, and realize there may be other instructional strategies that
will be used. Teachers are encouraged to be creative within the structure of our
educational framework.
As required by the state, this curriculum will provide the students of Shelby
County Schools a music education in nine areas: Singing, playing instruments (Orffbased instruction), improvising, composing, reading and notating, listening and
analyzing, evaluating, interdisciplinary connections, historical and cultural connections.
Elementary general music begins in Kindergarten and continues through fifth
grade. Each grade level works to master the expectations of the National Standards,
which parallel our state standards. There are no statewide assessments in the arts at this
time. However, assessment in the arts classroom is essential to ensure student progress
and growth toward becoming a well-educated person in today’s society. The music
program in Shelby County Schools is continually being evaluated by focusing on how
well it provides experiences in creating, performing, listening to and analyzing music, in
addition to concentrating on its specific subject matter.
PHILOSOPHY
Music has always affected people intellectually, emotionally, physically,
personally, and socially. Throughout history, cultures have expressed their joys, sorrows,
triumphs and defeats through the beauty of music. Music is an indispensable tool to one
who seeks an understanding of the past, the present, and the future.
Every child has the capacity to learn shaped by high expectations within a
nurturing environment, which utilizes multiple teaching strategies to meet the needs of a
diverse student body. Music cultivates the whole child, building literacy and developing
intuition, reasoning, imagination, expression and communication. Music teaches
creativity, perseverance, teamwork, self-discipline, self-respect, and respect for others.
The cognitive advantages of a sequential music curriculum offer every student an
opportunity for their audio-visual and tactile senses to be fully engaged. This is evident
only in the music classroom. Therefore, music is core to the development of the whole
child. Music offers a powerful opportunity to cultivate skills for lifelong learning. The
realization of goals, skill mastery, and artistic expression is the commitment of the music
educators of Shelby County Schools.
NATIONAL AND TENNESSEE STATE STANDARDS
STANDARD 1
Students will sing alone, and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
STANDARD 2
Students will perform on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
STANDARD 3
Students will improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
STANDARD 4
Students will compose and arrange music within specific guidelines.
STANDARD 5
Students will read and notate music.
STANDARD 6
Students will listen to, analyze, and describe music.
STANDARD 7
Students will evaluate music and music performances.
STANDARD 8
Students will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and
disciplines outside the arts.
STANDARD 9
Students will understand music in relation to history and culture.