The attitudes of everyone involved with students have a significant effect on how students approach the arts. Parents can demonstrate a positive attitude towards the arts at home and in the community, and teachers should ensure that they project a positive attitude towards the arts in their instruction.

The music curriculum is intended to help students develop an understanding and appreciation of music, as well as the ability to create and perform it, so that they will be able to find in music a lifelong source of enjoyment and personal satisfaction.

Junior students’ knowledge in the arts comes from their life experiences and prior knowledge and from the foundational arts knowledge and skills acquired in the primary school years. The expectations in the junior years build upon this foundation. Because the base of arts knowledge, experience, and skills varies from student to student, it is important for instruction to be differentiated to meet the needs of individuals and small groups of students.

In Grade 5, students sing and/or play from standard music notation and other forms of notation, learn to use key signatures, and create compositions in a variety of forms using notational software. They explore the key influences affecting music in our past and present cultures.

Students in the junior grades are expected to develop individual goals and to work in both large and small groups to solve musical problems.


- Grade 5 Music Specific Expectations and Themes

- Grade 5 Elements of Music