Elementary Special Ensemble   (#5013035)

Version Description

Students with varying levels of experience in an elementary ensemble other than chorus, band, or orchestra develop foundational techniques, skills, and music literacy. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom. This course, if used for such small-instrument ensembles as recorder or guitar, may require students to obtain a musical instrument (e.g., borrow, rent, purchase) from an outside source.

General Notes

The course descriptions for Elementary Music Electives have been designed to accommodate the mixing of grade levels, experience, and abilities within the same ensemble. Music teachers for elementary music electives should select the most appropriate set of grade-specific benchmarks based on each student's experience, music literacy, and available instruction time. Once an elementary student has entered a course at a specific level of benchmarks, he or she should progress to the next set of grade-specific benchmarks in the sequence for purposes of assessment. If a student reaches the Grade 5 level prior to 5th grade, he or she may continue to participate in the ensemble; the teacher is responsible for designating an appropriate means of increasing the rigor for the student in each subsequent year.

Examples:

• A 3rd grade student beginning in Elementary Band may receive instruction and be assessed according to the Grade 3 benchmarks.
• A 2nd grade student who has taken violin lessons for several years and who is musically literate may receive instruction in Elementary Orchestra and be assessed according to the Grade 5 benchmarks, repeating use of these benchmarks with increased rigor in each subsequent year.
• A 5th grader singing in Elementary Chorus for the first time may receive instruction and be assessed according to the Grade 3 benchmarks.
• A 4th grader in Handbell Ensemble (Special Ensemble) for the first time may receive instruction and be assessed according to the Grade 3 benchmarks. The same student, in Orff Ensemble (Special Ensemble) for the second year, may receive instruction and be assessed according to the Grade 4 benchmarks.