Elementary Music (K-5)
In K-5 Music, we’re all about rhythm for Unit 2! Kindergarten kicks off with clapping, counting, and call-and-response singing of the C scale—complete with body shaping! They’re also rocking rhythm sticks, tambourines, and shaky eggs as they explore steady beats. Meanwhile, Kindergarten students are learning to keep a steady beat and sing together, all while getting familiar with rhythm notes. Their current sing-alongs? Classics like "Teddy Bear's Picnic" and "Goin' on a Lion Hunt." To lock in the beat, the class is rocking rhythm sticks, tambourines, and shaky eggs. "Lucy Locket" is a new favorite as we pass around Lucy's pocket and the student in the middle tries to guess who has Lucy's pocket. Mrs. Bokoski is adding to the fun by strumming nursery rhymes on her guitar. They also play a Music Carpet game, where kids hunt for musical symbols—sneak-peeking concepts they’ll dive into in the future. It’s never too early to introduce musical terms!
Meanwhile, 1st and 2nd graders are showing off their musical know-how with computer-based music tests. In between, they’re singing classics like "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" and "Do Re Mi," and energizing with fun brain breaks like "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and the West African song "Funga Alafia."The Music Rug game remains a hit, letting students explore advanced musical symbols early on. We also enjoyed playing "Lucy Locket."
Upper grades are going hands-on with partner rhythm projects using drums and glockenspiels, focusing on collaboration, steady beats, accuracy and proper preparation. Plus, 3rd-5th graders are nailing rounds of "Hey Ho" and "I Love the Mountains"—with 3rd and 4th achieving 3 rounds and 5th graders managing 4 simultaneous rounds. Musical rhythm is everywhere!
In grades 3-5, it’s all about pitch and piano. Each day, students practice treble and bass clefs, memorizing notes through catchy sentences like “Every Good Boy Does Fine” and “All Cows Eat Grass.” They’ll soon perform a chosen song—either Ode to Joy, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star—and decide if they’ll play it one-handed or go full concert mode with both hands! 
This unit brings the Nutcracker story to life through a variety of engaging activities:
- Exploring the four instrument families—brass, percussion, strings, and woodwinds—with a lively game of Four Corners.
- Using jingle bells, rhythm sticks, and scarves to play along with the March.
- Learning the five ballet positions and dancing through the high-energy Trepak with scarves.
- Adding body percussion to the delicate Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the grand Waltz of the Flowers.
Students will also read a Nutcracker storybook and watch a professional performance of the ballet, all while gaining an appreciation for Tchaikovsky's genius and the timeless magic of his music.
2nd Grade: Students are hitting the right notes—literally! This unit dives into solfege hand signs and how they connect to notes in the C scale. Using boomwhackers, they'll bring songs like Bickle Bockle to life and even compose their own pieces during a fun snowball game where creativity reigns. To add more musical magic, they'll explore The Carnival of the Animals, learning how instruments mimic swans, elephants, and lions while reading excerpts from the book.
3rd Grade: It’s recorder time! Third graders will learn the basics, including all the recorder parts and playing positions. By week’s end, they’ll be confidently playing Hot Cross Buns, mastering notes B, A, and G, with a focus on steady beats and correct technique. Some of the students have already begun to work on the yellow belt in our next unit.
4th & 5th Grades: Strings attached! Ukuleles take center stage as students explore tab notation and its secrets through six mystery songs. After choosing one to practice, they’ll perform for Mrs. Bokoski, showcasing their skills in handling the instrument, hitting the right notes, and keeping a steady rhythm. 5th grade is learning the C scale by plucking individual strings and using the correct fingers in the correct frets. They also have the option of making up their own ukulele song using the C scale notes on our lined whiteboards.
This unit promises a crescendo of fun, learning, and creativity for all grades.
For the rest of trimester 2, the music room is buzzing with excitement and learning! Here's what students will be up to:
- Kindergarten: Exploring high vs. low sounds, forte (loud) and piano (soft) dynamics, and diving into solfege basics to recognize note names.
- 1st Grade: Hitting the keys! Students will use solfege colors to learn piano basics on keyboards.
- 2nd Grade: Advancing their piano skills with songs played using the right hand, left hand, or both, incorporating treble and bass clefs.
- 3rd Grade: Earning their yellow karate recorder belt by mastering "Gently Sleep" with the BAG notes—progress never sounded so sweet!
- 4th & 5th Grades: Strumming away on ukuleles as they learn to play chords, culminating in an end-of-week performance for Mrs. Bokoski.
This trimester promises a harmonious mix of skill-building and fun across every grade! 
