5th Grade

Quarter 3:

Music Listening:

The students focus on composers of the Romantic era and begin the quarter by listening to Franz Schubert's "The Trout". We identify the steps and skips he uses to imitate the sound of trout rushing upstream. We also figured out that this piece of music is used in many homes as it's the Samsung appliance tune! Next, we listen to Dvorak's "Largo" from "The New World Symphony". We have discussions about the difference between Adagio (slow) and Largo (very slow) and come up with non-musical scenarios and objects that we can place in either category. Next up, we listen to Johannes Brahms' "Adagio" from Symphony No. 1. Continuing on with the lesson from the previous week, we identified music excerpts that were either considered adagio (slow) or allegro (fast). We also listen to Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 ("Ode to Joy"). 

For the final three weeks of the quarter, 4th graders will be studying the music of English composer, Gustav Holst. In particular, his monumental composition, "The Planets". Each week the students and I will be discussing characteristics that Holst attributed to each of the planets through music. For example, the first planet and movement that we discussed was "Mars: The Bringer of War". The Roman god, Mars, was responsible for choosing the victor in a war and it was up to the other gods to choose sides. Some of the personality traits that the students attributed to Mars (before listening) were: mean, angry, short-tempered, argumentative, strong, and competitive. After we discuss what we think we will hear, the students listen to a large chunk of the movement and then we discuss what we actually hear. Some responses to "Mars" were: "not as scary as I thought", "faster than I thought", and "sounds like Star Wars". The last comment is valid and, while we do not teach pop culture in our school, it is interesting how American film composer, John Williams, was heavily influenced by Holst's "Mars".

Franz Schubert: "The Trout"

Antonin Dvorak: "Largo" from New World Symphony

Johannes Brahms: "Adagio" from Symphony No. 1

Symphony No. 9: Ode to Joy

Holst: "Mars" from The Planets

Holst: "Jupiter" from The Planets

Holst: "Saturn" from The Planets

Music Theory: This quarter, 5th graders review the concept of intervals (distance between notes) on the music staff. We start by listening to the intervals and come up with tricks to identifying them. For example, a 4th sounds like the opening part of "Here Comes the Bride", an octave sounds like the opening two notes of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". 

The understanding of intervals leads us to our next section of theory, where we identify the three chromatic symbols in music: sharps, flats, and naturals. The students practice drawing these symbols while labeling the notes in both the treble and bass clefs. Students finally use these symbols to create whole and half steps on the music staff. 

The 5th graders also use sharps, flats, and naturals to write enharmonic equivalents on the music staff. An enharmonic equivalent is a note that has two names (for example C# and D-flat are the same note). The chromatic signs that the students have learned about this quarter are applied to the staff so that they can begin to build a major scale. 

Sight-Reading: As fifth grade draws to a close, we begin to transition to a sight-reading format that is practiced at CPA. Up until this point, Archway scholars have practiced "fixed do" solfege (C is always do). CPA teaches "movable do" (do is whatever key you are in). For example, if a student is singing a song in the key of G, G = do, A = re, B= mi, etc.   If a student is singing a song in the key of A, A = do, B = re, and C = do. 

Concert Prep: Our spring concert will be held on Wednesday, May 15 in the CPA gym. More details TBD.

The 5th Graders will also perform a song at their 5th grade graduation. Details of that event are also forthcoming from your child's homeroom teacher.