5th Grade

5th graders begin each music class with drumming. This is a highly engaging way of building many musical skills including ensemble playing, rhythm reading and gross motor coordination. In addition, classes have begun the practice of SQUILT. This stands for Super Quiet Un-Interrupted Listening Time. Deeply listening to and writing about music can be tricky for students without lots of practice. Through SQUILT, students are developing their critical thinking and listening skills and expanding their musical vocabulary. The piece for this month was "Danse Macabre" by the Romantic era French composer Camille Saint-Saens. The picture book and listening map shared here helped anchor students in this dramatic and exciting piece. We even took a virtual tour of the Catacombs of Paris to provide context for the inspiration of this music. Ask your student what their favorite part of the music was!