Center Grove

In the first two grade levels, we placed particular emphasis on developing and using rhythmic and tonal skills. In 3rd Grade, this material is first reviewed and then used as a foundation for a sizeable increase in vocabulary. Here are the seven goals for 3rd Grade:

1. To contrast duple with triple meter using movement, bar line placement, conducting, and four-measure rhythmic dictation.

2. To focus on melodic notation by mastering absolute pitch names of the treble clef, and identifying the tonal centers of C, F, and G pentatonic.

3. To expand the music vocabulary by performing two complementary ostinatos as accompaniment to texts, and three-part canons.

4. To use and identify la as the tonal center. This is the beginning of understanding the minor scale, adding a considerable amount of American folk material they can now begin to read and understand.

5. To encourage improvisation using texts, rhythmic phrases and question/answer phrase building to create new music, up to 8- and 12-beat compositions.

6. To introduce new accompaniments (arpeggiated and moving borduns). These are more challenging accompaniments than the simple bordun (1st and 5th note of the scale played together).

7. To develop listening skills with music in Rondo form (ABACADA… etc).

VOCABULARY

Pentatonic - 5 Tones (Do, Re, Mi, So, La)

Moderato - Walking pace

Treble Clef - Mostly high pitches on the staff

Canon - Melody in two or more voices, beginning at different times

Soprano, Alto, Bass - High, medium, and low range

Dotted Half Note - 3 beats in simple meter, 2 beats in compound meter

Tie - curved line that connects notes together to make a longer sound

Dotted Quarter Note - 1 1/2 beats in simple meter, 1 beat in compound meter

Measure (Bar) - A group of beats separated by bar lines

Pianissimo - Very quiet

Fortissimo - Very loud

Orchestra

Conductor

Romantic - Full, emotion-filled symphonies from 1820 - 1910

Rondo - ABACA form