Elementary School Music and Visual Arts Education
Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) brings outstanding music and art curriculum to our children, without MVEF these programs would not exist at our schools.
CSMA’s professional musicians and artists go into our classrooms to teach from a curriculum aligned with the California State Standards for Art & Music. Age-appropriate lessons are designed to give the students a firm foundation in the fundamentals, as well as develop the joy of making music with other children, and expressing themselves creatively.
Music: Foundation in the Performing Arts
All students participate in at least one performance per year. The classroom music program for our Kindergarten through third grade students is based on the Kodaly method, which uses vocal music instruction as the basis for developing all musicality. The “Music in Action” program exposes our third through fifth graders to music and customs from around the world through in-school concerts presented by professional musicians and dancers. Fourth graders learn to play the recorder, preparing them for band or strings in the upper grades. Chorus is offered to grades two through five. Instrumental music in grade five offers the opportunity for each child to learn to play an instrument and perform in a group.
Arts in Action: Foundation in the Fundamentals of Art
As with music, MVEF
is a critical partner in bringing outstanding art curriculum to our children. CSMA’s professional art educators go into our classrooms to teach from a curriculum aligned with the State of California’s visual arts framework. Curriculum is focused on drawing and painting with an introduction to ceramics and three-dimensional concepts. Lesson plans focus on four areas: creative expression, appreciation of the cultural and historical foundations of art, understanding of the language of art, and development of technical skills. Exhibitions present student artwork to the community, building self-esteem and allowing students to see themselves as part of a wider world.
