The installment in the My Music Journal, designed for fourth grade students will summarize everything previously learned in the first four books, introduce several new concepts, and culminate in a strong foundation in music education and music theory. In this textbook, students will expand upon their previously learned knowledge of time signatures and meters, studying the differences in 2s, 3s, 4s, common time, and cut time, and learning to recognize these from both visual and audio standpoints. Students will learn the concepts of syncopation, upbeat, downbeat, triplets, ties, and slurs, and will summarize this knowledge with that of notes and beats to fully understand the concept of rhythms and beats. This textbook will teach the concepts of octave, phrase, and melodic contour, as well as learning to draw the melodic contour of a phrase. Students will be able to fully distinguish the difference between major and minor keys and chords and will apply their knowledge of melodies by playing on classroom instruments, such as a recorder, from a score. Students will finish their education on types and families of instruments and will learn to recognize these both visually and aurally. This textbook will teach students the reasoning behind using various tempos and dynamics to alter the tone of musical pieces and will show them how to apply these concepts using classroom musical instruments. Students will continue their education on musical symbols and markings, culminating in the ability to play simple pieces from a score. Basic chord patterns, such as I-V and I-IV-V, will be taught and students will participate in experimenting with these patterns to create musical works. Finally, education of musical pieces from different cultures and time periods will be completed, and students will learn to recognize the differences in rhythm, melody, tone color, and style in these musical works. This textbook will finish with the student having learned all the fundamentals of music education necessary to actively participate in musical activities, both in and out of the classroom.

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

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

Concept: Rhythm
The student will:
• recognize changes in meter (time) in a listening selection
• listen and state the meter (time) as being in 2s, 3s, 4s, common time or cut time
• read and explain the symbols of meter (time) signature
• identify the unit note in a meter (time) signature
• identify the duration of notes and rests: whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth
• accurately perform/play a variety of rhythm patterns
• recognize notes and rests in a score
• begin to listen to and recognize syncopation
• listen to and conduct pieces
• distinguish between upbeat and downbeat
• read and perform patterns using triplets, ties, and slurs

Concept: Melody
The student will:
• identify a listening selection as being in a major or minor key
• experiment with the pentatonic scale on keyboard or bells
• recognize and sing imitative phrases
• draw the melodic contour of a phrase
• define and use the terms octave, phrase, and melodic contour
• name notes on the staff
• practice playing melodies on classroom instruments, e.g. recorder, from a score
• begin to distinguish between major and minor chords
• review accidentals: sharp, flat, natural

Concept: Tone Color
The student will:
• recognize various ensembles from live performances or listening selections, e.g., band or orchestra
• identify the five families of instruments: string, percussion, brass, woodwind, and keyboard
• explore a variety of sound sources to create original pieces
• make tone color choices to add variety to pieces

Concept: Tempo
The student will:
• review the meaning of tempo
• recognize the appropriateness of the tempo in a listening selection
• experiment with various tempos when performing
• decide the appropriate tempo for a performance and explain the reason for the choice
• respond to tempo markings when singing, e.g., ritardando and accelerando

Concept: Dynamics
The student will:
• review the meaning of dynamics
• recognize the appropriateness of dynamic choices
• read the dynamic markings in a song and respond appropriately: p, pp, ppp, mp, mp, f, ff, fff, mf, crescendo, decrescendo

Concept: Form
The student will:
• identify phrases as same/different in a score and a listening selection
• follow the markings in a piece/score
• begin to understand the marking D.S. al fine
• differentiate between a song and a tune
• pause for the interlude in a song
• recognize the theme in a listening selection
• indicate the return of a theme in a piece

Concept: Harmony/Texture
The student will:
• sing counter-melodies, ostinati, descants, and partner songs
• recognize chord changes in a song
• experiment with I-V and I-IV-V chord patterns to develop simple accompaniments
• discuss the texture of a listening selection
• recognize textures as thick/thin
• define and use the term accompaniment
• create accompaniments using rhythm and melodic instruments in various textures

Concept: Style
The student will:
• listen to music from a variety of cultures, including American patriotic music, and describe the style of each
• recognize that differences in rhythm, melody, and tone color determine style
• listen to several pieces in a given style and describe the style in terms of rhythm, melody, and tone color
• listen to and make simple identifications of the music of great composers

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.