Music is an enjoyable component that fits the needs of our diverse community here at Cooke Elementary School. Beyond teaching students to sing well and perform choral productions, we strive to integrate our music curriculum with the academic curriculum to foster an encompassing appreciation for and understanding of musical genres, composers, and instruments. For example, during our IB unit about civil rights, fourth graders also research the music of this era and write about how particular groups affected social change in American history.

 

One of the highlights of Cooke’s music curriculum is our Orff program, which begins in second grade and continues through fifth. In class with music class with specialist Eugene Branch, Jr., each student receives from the school Orff instruments for group instruction once a week. Additional instrumental instruction includes a unit on recorders in grades second through fifth.

 

Perhaps most importantly, all of our students are afforded numerous opportunities to perform on stage with classmates and teachers. Each school year, the music department will host and highlight students of all ages performing at assemblies, concerts and other school events.