10:00am – Introductions, using the clapping game:
Kids form a circle and come up with a unique clap pattern, then the whole group repeats. *VAPA 1.1, 1.3, 2.1

10:10am – March and Sing!
Children learn the “Yan Yansen” song with corresponding hand signals, and march in a circle. We change the tempo and dynamics each time we go around (fast and loud, slow and quiet, etc.). Then we remove one word each round, until the whole group is marching silently, using hand signals to demonstrate what part of the song we’re on. *VAPA 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 5.1

10:20am – What is Music? Teachers demonstrate student ideas.
— Teachers demonstrate some of the many aspects used to create music, including:
(A) Beats and Rhythm
(B) Melody and Harmony
(C) The “Plot” of a Song (Beginning, Middle and End). *VAPA 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.3, 4.2, 5.2

10:30am – Students write their own songs.
— The students are divided into three groups, under staff supervision.
— Each group creates a song (the teacher will dictate) using what they learned about music. *VAPA 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 4.2

11:00am – Groups perform their songs.
— Each group performs their song. Every child helps perform, either by singing, clapping, or using one of our percussive instruments.
— Groups are given a copy of their song to take home, and a packet with all the information they learned that day. *VAPA 1.3, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1

Preschool – VAPA standards addressed

1.1 Use icons or invented symbols to represent musical sounds and ideas
1.3 Use body movement to represent dynamics and tempo
2.1 Use body and percussive instruments to demonstrate awareness of beat and tempo
2.2 Use the voice to speak, chant, and sing
2.3 Improvise simple instrumental accompaniments to songs, recorded selections, stories, and poems
4.1 Create and identify movements in response to music
4.2 Identify, talk about, sing, or play music written for specific purposes (e.g., work song, lullaby).
4.2 Participate freely in musical activities.

Kindergarten – VAPA standards addressed

1.1 Use icons or invented symbols to represent beat
1.2 Identify and describe elements in music (e.g. High/low, fast/slow, loud/soft, beat.
2.3 Play instruments and move or verbalize to demonstrate awareness of beat, tempo, dynamics, and melodic direction.
3.1 Identify the various uses of music in daily experiences.
3.2 Sing and play simple singing games from various cultures.
3.3 Use a personal vocabulary to describe voices and instruments from diverse cultures.
3.4 Use developmentally appropriate movements in responding to music from various genres and styles (rhythm, melody).
4.2 Identify, talk about, sing, or play music written for specific purposes
5.1 Use music, together with dance, theatre, and the visual arts for storytelling
5.2 Identify and talk about the reasons artists have for creating dances, music, theatre pieces, and works of visual art.

10:00am Introductions, using the clapping game:
— Kids form a circle and come up with a unique clap pattern, then the whole group repeats. *VAPA 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 5.1

10:10am – What is Music? Teachers demonstrate student ideas.
— Teachers demonstrate some of the many aspects used to create music, including:
— Beats and Rhythm
— Melody and Harmony
— Specifics qualities of the different instrumental groups
— The “Plot” of a Song (Beginning, Middle and End). *VAPA 1.3, 1.4, 3.1, 3.3, 4.3

10:30am – Battle of the Instruments.
— Students are sorted into teams representing each family of instruments (strings, brass, winds, voice).
— Under staff supervision, each group writes a song using instruments. The songs should go along with a story card (provided by the school). They will use what they learned about each instrument’s’ capabilities to create music that depicts the story card. *VAPA 1.5, 1.4, 2.3, 2.4, 4.3, 5.2

11:00am – Groups perform their songs.
— Each group performs their song. Every child helps perform, either by singing, clapping, or using one of our percussive instruments.
— Groups are given a copy of their song to take home, and a packet with all the information they learned that day. *VAPA 1.3, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2

Grade 1 – VAPA Standards Addressed

1.1 Read, write, and perform simple patterns of rhythm and pitch, using beat, rest, and divided beat (two sounds on one beat).
1.2 Identify simple musical forms (e.g., phrase, AB, echo).
1.3 Identify common instruments visually and aurally in a variety of music
2.1 Sing with accuracy in a developmentally appropriate range.
2.2 Sing age-appropriate songs from memory.
2.3 Play simple accompaniments on classroom instruments.
3.2 Sing and play simple singing games from various cultures.
3.3 Use a personal vocabulary to describe voices, instruments, and music from diverse cultures.
3.4 Use developmentally appropriate movements in responding to music from various genres, periods, and styles (rhythm, melody, form).
4.1 Create movements to music that reflect focused listening.
4.2 Describe how ideas or moods are communicated through music.
5.1 Recognize and explain how people respond to their world through music

Grade 2 – VAPA Standards addressed

1.3 Identify ascending/descending melody and even/uneven rhythm patterns in selected pieces of music.
1.4 Identify simple musical forms, emphasizing verse/refrain, AB, ABA.
1.5 Identify visually and aurally individual wind, string, brass, and percussion instruments used in a variety of music.
2.1 Sing with accuracy in a developmentally appropriate range.
2.2 Sing age-appropriate songs from memory.
2.3 Play rhythmic ostinatos on classroom instruments.
2.4 Improvise simple rhythmic and melodic accompaniments, using voice and a variety of classroom instruments.
3.1 Identify the uses of specific music in daily or special events.
3.2 Sing simple songs and play singing games from various cultures.
4.2 Create developmentally appropriate movements to express pitch, tempo, form, and dynamics in music.
4.3 Identify how musical elements communicate ideas or moods.
4.4 Respond to a live performance with appropriate audience behavior.
5.1 Identify similar themes in stories, songs, and art forms (e.g., patterns, texture).
5.2 Identify and discuss who composes and performs music

Grade 3 – VAPA Standards Addressed

1.3 Identify melody, rhythm, harmony, and timbre in selected pieces of music when presented aurally.
1.4 Identify visually and aurally the four families of orchestra instruments and male and female adult voices
1.5 Describe the way in which sound is produced on various instruments.
1.6 Identify simple musical forms (e.g., AABA, AABB, round).
2.1 Sing with accuracy in a developmentally appropriate range.
2.2 Sing age-appropriate songs from memory, including rounds, partner songs, and ostinatos.
2.3 Play rhythmic and melodic ostinatos on classroom instruments.
2.4 Create short rhythmic and melodic phrases in question-and-answer form.
3.1 Identify the uses of music in various cultures and time periods.
3.2 Sing memorized songs from diverse cultures.
3.3 Play memorized songs from diverse cultures.
3.4 Identify differences and commonalities in music from various cultures.
4.1 Select and use specific criteria in making judgments about the quality of a musical performance.
4.2 Create developmentally appropriate movements to express pitch, tempo, form, and dynamics.
4.3 Describe how specific musical elements communicate particular ideas or moods in music.
5.1 Identify the use of similar elements in music and other art forms (e.g., form, pattern, rhythm).
5.2 Identify what musicians and composers do to create music

10:00am – Introductions, using the drum circle:
— Students enter the room, where staff are already sitting in a circle playing various drum instruments.
— Without speaking, students sit and start drumming.
— Throughout the session, the staff lead changes the rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and beat patterns, while the kids try to imitate it.
— After the end of the drum circle, we will have a brief discussion of what elements of music were used in drumming.
— *4th grade VAPA 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.4 *5th grade VAPA 1.5, 2.2, 3.1

10:10am – What is Music? Teachers demonstrate student ideas.
— Teachers demonstrate some of the many aspects used to create music, including:
— Beats and Rhythm
— Musical “moods”
— Melody and Harmony
— Specifics qualities and capabilities of the different instrumental groups
— The “Plot” of a Song (Beginning, Middle and End). *4th grade VAPA 1.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 *5th grade VAPA 1.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, 5.2

10:30am – Battle of the Instruments.
— Students are sorted into teams representing each family of instruments (strings, brass, winds, voice).
— Under staff supervision, each group writes a song using instruments. The songs should go along with a story card (provided by the school). They will use what they learned about each instrument’s’ capabilities to create music that depicts the story card. *4th grade VAPA 1.4, 2.3, 3.1, 3.4, 5.1, 5.3 *5th grade VAPA 1.5, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2

11:00am – Groups perform their songs.
— Each group performs their song. Every child helps perform, either by singing, clapping, or using one of our percussive instruments.
— Groups are given a copy of their song to take home, and a packet with all the information they learned that day. *4th grade VAPA 1.4, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 5.4 *5th grade VAPA 2.2, 3.3, 5.2

Grade 4 – VAPA Standards Addressed

1.4 Describe music according to its elements, using the terminology of music.
1.6 Recognize and describe aural examples of musical forms, including rondo.
2.2 Use classroom instruments to play melodies and accompaniments from a varied repertoire of music from diverse cultures, including rounds, descants, and ostinatos, by oneself and with others.
2.3 Compose and improvise simple rhythmic and melodic patterns on classroom instruments.
3.1 Explain the relationship between music and events in history.
3.2 Identify music from diverse cultures and time periods.
3.3 Sing and play music from diverse cultures and time periods.
3.4 Compare musical styles from two or more cultures.
4.1 Identify and analyze differences in tempo and dynamics in contrasting music selections.
4.2 Describe the characteristics that make a performance a work of art.
5.1 Identify and interpret expressive characteristics in works of art and music.
5.2 Integrate several art disciplines (dance, music, theatre, or the visual arts) into a well-organized presentation or performance.
5.3 Relate dance movements to express musical elements or represent musical intent in specific music.
5.4 Evaluate improvement in personal musical performances after practice or rehearsal.

Grade 5 – VAPA Standards Addressed

1.5 Identify vocal and instrumental ensembles from a variety of genres and cultures.
2.2 Use classroom instruments to play melodies and accompaniments from a varied repertoire of music from diverse cultures, including rounds, descants, and ostinatos and two-part harmony, by oneself and with others.
3.1 Describe the social functions of a variety of musical forms from various cultures and time periods (e.g., folk songs, dances).
3.2 Identify different or similar uses of musical elements in music from diverse cultures.
3.3 Sing and play music from diverse cultures and time periods.
3.5 Describe the influences of various cultures on the music of the United States.
5.2 Identify ways in which the music professions are similar to or different from one another.