Exploring music
In first grade your child develops her singing voice, explores form and style through movement and song, and further develops her rhythmic skills. She plays instruments and moves to the beat. Through these activities she learns the artistic, cultural, scientific and mathematical foundations of music.Music may not be taught as a separate subject in some schools, but most states require that it be included in the curriculum in some fashion. Most states have music standards that are based on the National Standards for Arts Education.

Singing
First-graders sing many songs with repeated words and melody patterns, such as nursery rhymes and folk songs. A lot of the songs will be connected to the holidays. Others reinforce what your first-grader is learning in class, such as songs about money, neighborhoods and shapes. Some song examples that are appropriate for first-graders are “Down By the Bay,” “Jim Along Josie,” and “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain.”

Your child sings alone, developing his singing voice, and with a group, blending his voice and singing in unison. Paul Bakeman, our teacher consultant, explains: “First-graders love to sing alone, and will jump at the chance to use expressive voices to dramatize a story.”

Your child learns to sing expressively, on pitch (high and low) and with correct dynamics (loud and soft). He sings an increasing number of songs from memory and with improved accuracy. Singing games are played that combine music and movement.

Playing and listening to instruments
First-graders play musical instruments, such as the drum and xylophone, individually and in a group. Your child works with rhythm, the pattern of long and short notes in music, to find the steady beat. He will be able to maintain a steady beat while playing instruments alone and in a group.

Moving to music
Your child does a lot of movement to the mood and style of songs. She skips, hops, marches, claps, tiptoes, steps to the beat, and does creative movements to music, showing her understanding of rhythm, beat and the feeling of the music. She may make up hand movements to go along with songs.

Learning the vocabulary
First-graders begin to learn and use the vocabulary of music, such as tempo, melody, echo, solo and beat. They also learn to understand how music communicates feelings. Your child will use words such as happy, sad, excited or scary to describe the emotions portrayed in music.

Learning notes
In a rich music program, first-graders develop recognition of musical notation. They learn to read and write simple rhythm patterns.

To find out more about what your first-grader should be learning this year, read

What Your Child Should be Learning: First-Grade Reading

April 2006