During their weekly music classes, the children learn about rhythm instruments and learn to identify each by sound or tone color and learn to play them properly. They learn musical terms such as form, beat, tone color, contrast, dynamics, and rhythm.
Students learn to read the written music by identifying the type of note or rest used.
We are also learning to play pitched instruments such as glockenspiels. After identifying the instruments of the orchestra, students learn about the different families within the orchestra. We learn how each section sounds by itself and with all the other sections by listening to orchestral music. Second grade students learn to use listening maps. They use their eyes as well as their ears when they hear a classical piece of music.