What your first grader is learning in music class 

Exploring Music: learning to the foundations (artistic, cultural, scientific, and mathematical) of music and developing their rhythmic skills and singing voice. Playing instruments and dancing to the beat helps musical development. 

Singing: singing along with nursery rhymes and folk songs that have a melody pattern and repetitive words can help the child to blend their voice with others and determine their own in the process. 
Some songs to introduce them to would be:

• "She'll be coming around the mountain"
• "Down by the bay"
• "Jim along Josie"

Listening and Playing Instruments: working with and playing instruments, such as drums, allows children to find a beat alone and with others in a group. 

Moving to music: skipping, hoping, clapping, and more movements is all included in children showing a child's feeling, beat, and rhythm to the music. This is a child's way of expressing how they feel about it. It's even okay for them to make up their own hand and feet movements :)

Learning the vocabulary: In first grade, children learn to define and use terms like tempo, melody, beat, solo, etc. They are also relating feelings to their music, like sad, happy, excited, scary, etc. 

Learning notes: Children are being introduced to note names, reading and writing simple rhythmic patterns. In years to come, they will go further into notes and their meanings. 

What does a positive & successful music class look like?

• various musical instruments around the room
• different cultures, styles, and eras shown through sound and demonstration
• music-related books
• props for musical activities 

Click here for more information of what your child should be learning