Welcome to the CES Music Room!

The Cherokee Elementary School General Music Program is one developed with the North Carolina State Standards and American Indian Content Standards in mind. The foundation of the general music curriculum is based on the nine content areas of each set of standards: (1) singing, (2) playing instruments, (3) improvising, (4) composing and arranging, (5) reading and notating, (6) analyzing and describing music, (7) evaluating music and performances, (8) understanding the relationships between music and the other arts and (9) understanding the relationships between music and history and culture.

The CES General Music Program recognizes that there are many ways that students learn. Students hear, see, move to and experience music during the course of a lesson. Instruments (including the voice and body), sound recordings, teacher made visuals/handouts, manipulatives, books, iPods, the Smartboard, listening maps, games, videos, song sheets, overhead transparencies, stories/folklore, movement and drama are incorporated into multi-sensory music lessons. Activities are experienced in small, cooperative groups and large, cooperative groups. Cherokee language and culture are incorporated into lessons when possible and appropriate.

Many activities in the music room are developed using the Orff-Schulwerk process. This process emphasizes “doing” rather than “learning about”. Elements of music are explored in their simplest forms and are refined to more complex levels through ongoing experience. This allows each student to be challenged and to experience success. Each individual contributes to the music community at his/her own level. Individual parts are appropriately simplified or made complex.

The music room door is always open! Please stop by to be a part of a music class or choir rehearsal. The more, the merrier!

We are the Wisdom Walkers

The Sacred Path program is a character education program developed to promote caring, responsibility, and respect for self and others while following traditional tribal beliefs. Each grade level meets to discuss issues that need to be addressed within the grade block and the school. Together they determine solutions to any problems that are addressed and work together to solve those problems. Students and teachers work together on the Sacred Path to make the school a safe place to learn.

Students are encouraged to stay on the sacred path during their general music classes and choir rehearsals. Being responsible, respectful, truthful and caring is important during our entire academic day.

Parent's Corner

You can take part in your child's musical development! Please try these activities with your CES student:

Kindergarten/First Grade:

1) Take a "sound walk" with your child. While walking, identify the sounds that you hear and ask your child some questions like these:

1) Where is that sound coming from?

2) What is making that sound?

3) How would you describe that sound?

4) What else sounds like that?

2) Practice improvisation with your child. Have a "conversation" with her pretending to be any of the following:

chicken, alien, baby, dog, cat, etc.

Second/Third Grades:

1) Improvise a "drum solo" on old pots/pans/lids. Extend this "kitchen percussion" activity to other odds and ends from the house: "garage percussion", "laundry percussion", "bathroom percussion".

2) Encourage your child to draw a picture of what s/he sees in her mind's eye while listening to music. Then have your child explain to you what s/he drew and why. Make a variety of drawing tools available: paint, glue, glitter, crayons, markets, etc.

Fourth/Fifth/Sixth Grades:

1) While listening to your child's favorite music in the vehicle, ask him the following questions, using terminology being taught in general music class:

1) What is the mood/feeling of this song?

2) How would you describe the dynamics

(loudness/softness)of the song?

3) Is the song presto/fast or adagio/slow (tempo)?

4) What instruments do you hear in the song?

5) Who composed/wrote the song?

6) Why do you like this song?

Classroom Schedule

8:10 - 8:45: 2nd Grade

8:50 - 9:25: 1st Grade

9:30 - 10:05: Kindergarten

10:20 - 11:00: 3rd Grade

11:05 - 11:50: 4th Grade

12:40 - 1:25: 5th Grade

1:45 - 2:30: 6th Grade

Rules/Consequences

Rules

1) Be Nice

2) Be Safe

Consequences

1) Quiet Warning

2) Spoken Warning

3) Move Seat

4) Lose Privilege

5) Seat Work

6) Referral to Office

General Music Topics

Kindergarten: Intro. to Music

1st Grade: Intro. to Music

2nd Grade: Intro. to Music

3rd Grade: Intro. to Music

4th Grade: Intro. to Music

5th Grade: Intro. to Music

6th Grade: Intro. to Music

Choir

Third through sixth grade students that enjoy singing and performing are encouraged to join the Cherokee Elementary School Choir. The Choir meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays after-school from 2:45 – 4:00 PM in the music room. The choir presents two formal concerts each year and several informal performances in the community.

Mrs. Stewman and I are looking forward to another great year with the CES Choir. We will begin rehearsals at the beginning of September, when the Tutorial Buses start running.

Classroom Materials

Materials in the music classroom are provided for all of the students at Cherokee Elementary School.

Materials used in the music room include, but are not limited to the following:

hand held percussion

barred instruments

percussion

sound effects

found objects

recorders

manipulatives

magnets

flashcards

balls

games

hula hoops

streamers

scarves

parachutes

books

white boards

recordings

movies

music videos

visual art

recording devices

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