Elementary Curriculum for
Fifth Grade - Music

Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a repertoire of music.

• Sing accurately and with good breath control throughout their singing range, alone and in small and large ensembles.
• Sing with expression and technical accuracy a repertoire of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of two, on a scale of one to six, including some songs performed from memory.
• Sing music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed.
• Sing music written two and three parts.
• Sing with expression and a technical accuracy a varied repertoire of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of three, on a scale of one to six, including some songs performed from memory.

Standard 2: Performing on instruction, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

• Perform on at least one instrument accurately and independently, alone and in small and large ensembles, with good posture, good playing position, and good breath, bow or stick control (recorder).
• Perform with expression and technical accuracy on at least one string, wind, percussion, or classroom instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of two, on a scale of one to six.
• Perform music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed.
• Play by ear simple melodies on a melodic instrument and simple accompaniments on a harmonic instrument.
• Perform with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of three, on a scale of one to six, including some solos performed from memory.

Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments.

• Improvise simple harmonic accompaniments.
• Improvise melodic embellishments and simple rhythmic and melodic variations on given pentatonic melodies and melodies in major keys.
• Improvise short melodies, unaccompanied and over given rhythmic accompaniments, each in a consistent style, meter and tonality.

Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

• Compose short pieces within specified guidelines, demonstrating how the elements of music are used to achieve unity and variety, tension and release, and balance.
• Arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments other than those for which the pieces were written.
• Use a variety of traditional and nontraditional sound sources and electronic media when composing and arranging.

Standard 5: Reading and notating music.

• Read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth and dotted notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 3/8 and alla breve meter signatures.
• Read at sight simple melodies in both the treble and bass clefs.
• Identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression.
• Use standard notation to record their musical ideas and the musical ideas of others.
• Sight-read, accurately and expressively, music with a level of difficulty of two, on a scale of one to six.

Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.

• Describe specific music events in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology.
• Analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse genres and cultures.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions in their analyses of music.

Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances.

• Develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music performances and compositions and apply the criteria in their personal listening and performing.
• Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and others’ performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by applying specific criteria appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions for improvement.

Standard 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts and disciplines outside the arts.

• Compare in two or more arts how the characteristic materials of each art can be used to transform similar events, scenes, emotions or ideas into works of art.
• Describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with those of music.

Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

• Describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres and styles from a variety of cultures.
• Classify by genre and style (and, if applicable, by historical period, composer, and title) a varied body of exemplary (that is, high-quality and characteristic) musical works and explain the characteristics that cause each work to be considered exemplary.
• Compare, in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles of musicians, and conditions under which music is typically performed.