Grade 4 Music Specific Expectations and Themes

Grade 4 Specific Expectations and Themes

By the end of Grade 4, students will:

September: Singing and Playing Music
C1.1 - sing and/or play, in tune, from musical notation, unison and two-part music with simple accompaniments from a wide variety of cultures, styles, and historical periods (e.g., perform folk songs with syncopation and traditional songs with a simple harmony part)

October: Expressing Reactions and Responses to Music
C2.1 - express detailed personal responses to musical performances in a variety of ways (e.g., respond by drawing, moving, using visual organizers, telling a story, making a collage; compare recordings of singers they think have a “good voice”, and defend their preference)

November: Identifying Music in Their Own Lives
C3.1 identify the role of music in a community today and compare it to its role in a community of the past (e.g., music for gatherings now and in the Middle Ages; songs sung now and by the voyageurs)

December: Describing Elements of Music
C2.2 - identify the elements used in the music they perform, listen to, and create, and describe how they are used (e.g., identify the mood of a piece and describe how the elements of music are used to create the mood)

January: Applying Elements of Music When Playing
C1.2 - apply the elements of music when singing and/or playing, composing, and arranging music to create a specific effect (e.g., compose pieces using different expressive controls, such as staccato/legato or crescendo/decrescendo, to create contrasts and changes in mood; compose a pentatonic melody for recorder or voice with a bordun for an accompaniment)

February: Identifying Music From Different Cultures
C3.2 - demonstrate an awareness, through listening, of the characteristics of musical forms and traditions of diverse times, places, and communities (e.g., medieval musical genres performed by troubadours or minstrels, Indian classical music, music in Islamic cultures, music performed by female musical artists in North American culture, Aboriginal powwow music)

March: Creating Simple Musical Compositions
C1.3 - create musical compositions for specific purposes and audiences (e.g., write a composition for recorder using musical notation on the five-line staff; compose a piece using non-traditional notation, such as a melody map or icons; compose a soundscape to represent the physical landscape of Canada; create a composition to accompany a dance piece)

April: Using Symbols for Sounds
C1.5 - demonstrate an understanding of musical signs and standard notation on the five-line staff, and use devised notation to record the sequence of sounds in a composition of their own (e.g., create a soundscape with other students or a melody map using their own symbols; include fermata and sudden changes in dynamics in their compositions; use a system of syllables, numbers, or letters to represent simple pitch notation in a composition)

May: Using Tools and Techniques of Musicianship
C1.4 - use the tools and techniques of musicianship in musical performances (e.g., sing “O Canada” using controlled breathing technique and relaxed and straight posture while producing a clear and open head tone in their vocal range; play the xylophone using proper mallet technique)

June: Identifying Strengths and Areas for Growth
C2.3 - identify and give examples of their strengths and areas for growth as musical performers, creators, interpreters, and audience members (e.g., identify two musical qualities that were effective in their group’s performance and one area for improvement)