Hello my name is Ms. Colby. I teach classroom music in grades 3,4,5 and 6 at the Howe-Manning School. I also run the instrumental music program. We offer several performing ensembles for student instrumentalists. These include the Beginning Band, Advanced Band and Jazz Band. We also offer group lessons on the following instruments; flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone,percussion and oboe(upon request). Instrumental program information and enrollment forms can be found on the band pages on this site. In the fall, the Grade 6 Select Chorus begins rehearsing for the December holiday season. The Howe-Manning musical, open to fifth and sixth grade students, will begin preparing for auditions in December. All students at Howe-Manning perform at least once each year during classroom Informances to which all parents are invited. This is my 15th year at Howe-Manning. I have a Bachelor of Music degree in music education from Ithaca College, a Master of Music degree in flute performance from the Boston University College of Fine Arts and a Kodaly teaching certificate from the New England Conservatory of Music.
Classroom music lessons are structured using the 2013 Massachusetts Common Course Objectives. These are statements that:
Massachusetts Core Course Objectives for Grades 3 and 4
#7 Students sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
#13 Students use knowledge of music in the study of other content areas.
Massachusetts Core Course Objectives for Grades 5 and 6
#8 Students sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
#14 Students make oral, musical and/or written connections between music and other content areas.
- describe different elements of core essential content (knowledge, skills or abilities)
- are pulled, created or synthesized from a larger set of curriculum standards and
- clarify key knowledge, skills and abilities that many educators and other content experts working together agree are most critical in that content area, grade or course.
Massachusetts Core Course Objectives for Grades 3 and 4
#7 Students sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Students sing in a head voice
- Students sing with a steady beat
- Students sing with accurate intonation
- Students use a system (syllables, numbers or letters) to read and sing at sight simple pitch notation in the treble clef
- Students demonstrate and respond to the beat, meter (2/4, 3/4 and 4/4) and rhythmic notation (half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes and rests)
- Students use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, pitch and dynamics in simple patterns performed by the teacher
- Students play with rhythmic accuracy, appropriate technique and correct posture.
- Students play from memory and from notation a repertoire that reflects diverse cultures and historical periods.
- Students perform independent instrumental parts while other students sing or play contrasting parts.
- Students improvise and compose simple rhythmic and melodic ostinato accompaniments.
- Students improvise and compose short vocal and instrumental melodies, using a variety of sound sources (such as clapping or electronic sounds)
- Students describe basic elements of music, such as beat, tempo, rhythm, meter, pitch, melody, texture, dynamics, harmony and form.
- Students describe aural examples of music of various styles, genres, cultures and historical periods.
#13 Students use knowledge of music in the study of other content areas.
- Students make oral, musical and/or written connections between music and other content areas.
Massachusetts Core Course Objectives for Grades 5 and 6
#8 Students sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Students sing with increased accuracy, expanded breath control and extended vocal range
- Students show growth in singing with expression and technical accuracy
- Students identify, define and use standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation and expression
- Students use notation to record musical ideas
- Students perform with appropriate posture, playing position and technique
- Students perform with expression and technical accuracy
- Students improvise simple melodies and/or harmonic accompaniments.
- Students compose, arrange or improvise music, within teacher specified guidelines, for voice, instruments or electronic media.
- Students describe music occurrences in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology
- Students listen to formal and informal performances with attention, showing understanding of appropriate audience behavior protocols.
#14 Students make oral, musical and/or written connections between music and other content areas.