Music
Adams Elementary Music Program
Adams is proud to offer a full-time music teacher, Emory LaRose, and a part time instrumental music teacher, Julie Gendrich, for intermediate students. Based on the state standards for the arts, our music program teaches students essential musical concepts and allows them to enjoy the pleasure of a variety of music and songs. Students have the chance to perform for school functions and to participate in instrumental music, learn to play the recorder, and join the extracurricular choir.
Music Curriculum
Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades
- Will imitate and lead the following hand signs:
- Do, re, mi, fa, and sol while singing matching pitches
- Will identify and move to high, medium, and low pitches
- Will learn to identify whole note, half note, quarter note, quarter rest, music staff, and treble clef sign
- Will learn to pat a steady beat while singing and performing American Play Dances
- Will learn seasonal songs and perform them during assemblies, spring concerts
- Will learn dynamics and tempos
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades
- Will begin/continue playing the recorder
- Will learn to write and sight read one octave of both C, G, and D Major scales
- Will continue with more advanced music composition, sight reading, and folk songs
- Will read, identify and perform songs in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 meters
- Will develop a strong musical vocabulary
- Will study European and American Composers
- Will perform for assemblies and for Family Concerts
- May choose to participate in the Adams Elementary Choir which meets every Tuesday and Thursday morning during the school year
Fourth and Fifth Grade
Fifth Grade Only
- All fifth grade students will take the State of Washington CBPA Assessment
- All second year band and string students will take the Seattle School Districts CBPA
Assessment
Choir Program
The Adams Elementary Choir is open to students in third, fourth, and fifth grades. Due to current health and safety concerns, there will be no choir for the 2021-2022 school year. We plan on returning in the fall of 2022 under the direction of our music teacher, Emory LaRose.
Instrumental Music Program
The Instrumental Music Program is open to students in the fourth and fifth grade and is taught by Julie Gendrich, Adams’ part time (1/2 day a week) instrumental music teacher. Instruction is provided on Thursdays, and information is distributed and signups occur within the first few weeks of school; space is limited. Students perform at the end of the year concert, often in a joint performance with North Beach School.
Adams has a rotating Instrumentation Model. This supports four, 30-minute Elementary Instrumental Music (EIM) classes in the morning or afternoon with enrollment limited to 40 students per half day. The program alternates every year: 2021-2022 children can take first year strings and advanced band; 2022-23 children can take beginning band, advanced strings. All basic instruments (flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin and cello) will be offered. Enrollment is open to both 4th and 5th grade students. In beginning classes, all of the basic EIM instruments are offered over a two-year cycle. This retains the ability for students to pick from a broad range of instruments choices and allows at least some of the students the opportunity to study two years at the elementary level.
Instrumental students are encouraged to practice during morning recess in the music room.
Music Booster Meetings
Our Music Booster Committee meets regularly to discuss choir, music budget, and more. For more information or to get involved, contact the music booster at musicbooster@adamselementary.org or music teacher Emory LaRose at ealarose@seattleschools.org.