The installment in the My Music Journal, designed for third grade students, will expand upon previously learned material, and introduce a wide array of new material. Students will expand upon their knowledge of rhythm and beats by learning to distinguish between the two and learn the basics of meters, including 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meters. They will also be taught a wider array of rhythm symbols, such as eighth, sixteenth notes, as well as the corresponding rests. This textbook will teach students a wider array of melodic information, including sharps, flats, and naturals. Students will learn the treble staff, as well as the corresponding notes for this staff. An introduction to scales will also be found in this installment, engaging students in simple melodies using the pentatonic scale. Students will continue to learn about various musical instruments and will participate in identifying these instruments from both live and recorded selections. This textbook will continue the education of the terms ritardando, accelerando, crescendo, and decrescendo, and students will participate in recognizing these in selected musical pieces. The terms p, pp, ppp, mp, f, ff, fff, and mf will also be explored in this textbook. Students will be able to recognize the markings of a score, including DC al fine, 1st ending, 2nd ending, repeat, and fine. Theme and variation, round, and rondo will also be taught in this installment, and students will learn to recognize these aurally. A wide arrange of music history and style will be taught in this course, and students will engage in a greater variety of solo and group music, including both vocal and instrumental.

Teacher and student follow the same textbook. The teacher receives also Curriculum Outline and Assessments for My Music Journal - Music Teaching Method for Third Grade.

My Music Journal Teaching Method for Third Grade will teach the following:

Concept: Rhythm
The student will:
• maintain a steady beat
• distinguish between beat and rhythm
• identify quarter, half, whole, eighth, and sixteenth notes, and rests and their relative values
• create and play rhythmic ostinati on rhythm instruments
• compose a brief, complete ostinato on rhythm instruments
• review rhythm symbols: ties, barlines, repeat signs, accents, fermata

Concept: Melody
The student will:
• accurately match pitch with teacher/piano/guitar
• recognize melodic contour
• listen to and identify steps, leaps, and repeats
• begin to recognize and understand sharp, flat, and natural
• identify same, different, and similar melodic patterns
• sing songs with a wider vocal range
• sing songs involving sequences and recognize sequencing
• play melodies on classroom instruments
• match notes with letter names on the treble staff
• explore simple melodies using the pentatonic scale

Concept: Tone Color
The student will:
• identify a variety of instruments from recorded or live selections
• explore tone color of non-pitched instruments by creating accompaniments
• locate and present in class a news article or a program from a musical performance in the school or community.
• review the meaning of timbre

Concept: Tempo
The student will:
• point out markings for ritardando and accelerando
• identify ritardando and accelerando when listening to a piece
• demonstrate ritardando and accelerando through movement
• discuss and describe how the tempo in a piece can portray feeling or mood

Concept: Dynamics
The student will:
• define and use the term dynamics
• recognize the following abbreviations and define the terms: p, pp, ppp, mp, f, ff, fff, mf
• recognize and define crescendo and decrescendo
• identify dynamic changes in music
• make appropriate dynamic changes while singing

Concept: Form
The student will:
• identify phrases in a written score as long/short, same/different
• recognize introduction and coda in a song or listening selection
• identify forms: AB, ABA, AABA
• point out the following markings in a score and go to the appropriate place in a song: D.C. al fine, first ending, second ending, repeat, fine.
• recognize theme, variation, round, and rondo in a listening selection

Concept: Harmony/Texture
The student will:
• sing rounds, countermelodies, and descants
• play rhythmic and melodic ostinati using classroom instruments
• participate in solo/group singing and in playing classroom instruments
• perform a brief program of songs by the same composer for an audience

Concept: Style
The student will:
• listen to music from various cultures and in various styles
• perform a brief program of songs or dances from a selected culture or tradition for an audience
• discuss differences/similarities in rhythm, melody, and tone color
• listen to and make simple identifications of music of great composers
• listen to a recording or attend a musical performance of a local/area artist
• describe and give a personal opinion of the recording or performance as part of a class discussion
• support this personal opinion by providing a rationale for the opinion

Apollo Publishing has 9 music textbooks for each grade level, K-8. Each grade level is Teacher and Student edition. Teacher and student follow the same textbook. In addition teacher receives Curriculum Outline and Assessments for each grade level.