Elementary Curriculum for
Fourth Grade - Music

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

• Sing independently, on pitch and in rhythm, with appropriate timbre, diction and posture, and maintain a steady tempo.
• Sing expressively, with appropriate dynamics, phrasing and interpretation.
• Sing from memory a varied repertoire of songs representing genres and styles from diverse cultures.
• Sing ostinators, partner songs and rounds.
• Sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels and responding to the cues of a conductor.

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

• Perform on pitch, in rhythm, with appropriate dynamics and timbre and maintain a steady tempo.
• Perform easy rhythmic, melodic and chordal patterns accurately and independently on rhythmic, melodic and harmonic classroom instruments.
• Perform expressively a varied repertoire of music representing diverse genres and styles.
• Echo short rhythms and melodic patterns.
• Perform in groups, blending instrumental timbres, matching dynamic levels and responding to the cues of a conductor.
• Perform independent instrumental parts while other students sing or play contrasting parts.

Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments.

• Improvise “answers” in the same style in given rhythmic and melodic phrases.
• Improvise simple rhythmic and melodic ostinato accompaniments.
• Improvise simple rhythmic variations and simple melodic embellishments on familiar melodies.
• Improvise short songs and instrumental pieces, using a variety of sound sources, including traditional sounds, nontraditional sounds available in the classroom, body sounds, and sounds produced by electronic means.

Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

• Create and arrange music to accompany readings or dramatizations.
• Create and arrange short songs and instrumental pieces within specified guidelines.
• Use a variety of sound sources when composing.

Standard 5: Reading and notating music.

• Read whole, half, dotted half, quarter and eighth notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 meter signatures.
• Use a system (that is, syllables, numbers or letters) to read simple pitch notation in the treble clef in major keys.
• Identify symbols and traditional terms referring to dynamics, tempo and articulation and interpret them correctly when performing.
• Use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, pitch and dynamics in simple patterns presented by the teacher.

Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.

• Identify simple music forms when presented aurally.
• Demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about, and by describing aural examples of various styles representing diverse cultures.
• Use appropriate terminology in explaining music, music notation, music instruments and voices, and music performances.
• Identify the sounds of a variety of instruments, including many orchestra and band instruments and instruments from various cultures, as well as children’s voices and male and female adult voices.

Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances.

• Devise criteria for evaluating performances and compositions.
• Explain, using appropriate music terminology, their personal preferences for specific musical works and styles.

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

• Identify similarities and differences in the meanings of the common terms used in the various arts.
• Identify ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with those of music.
• Identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use.
• Identify and describe roles of musicians in various music settings and cultures.
• Demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of music performed.

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

• Identify by genre or style aural examples of music from various historical periods and cultures.
• Describe in simple terms how elements of music are used in music examples from various cultures of the world.