Upper Elementary

This Year We’re Studying the Beatles!

This year, we’re diving deep into the music of the Beatles — one of the most influential bands in history. We’ll explore their songs, their songwriting genius, their musical evolution, and how they changed the world of music forever. Along the way, students will connect Beatles music to the technique, theory, and ensemble skills they’re developing in class.

A sunlit Montessori music classroom photographed in realistic detail, featuring low wooden shelves neatly arranged with child-sized percussion instruments: natural wood xylophones, small hand drums with taut leather surfaces, polished metal triangles, and colorful rhythm sticks. Each material basket is labeled with simple picture icons, emphasizing independent choice. The instruments rest on a smooth birch table near a large window framing leafy trees outside. Soft late-morning natural light washes across the room, creating gentle shadows on the light hardwood floor. The mood is calm, orderly, and inviting, reflecting a professional learning environment. Captured at eye level with sharp focus throughout, the composition follows the rule of thirds, drawing the eye from the carefully prepared materials to the bright, uncluttered Montessori space beyond in clean, photographic realism.

Upper Elementary

Explore ensemble work, music literacy, and creative projects that build musicians ready for Middle School music.

About

About Upper Elementary Music

Our Upper Elementary program balances instrument technique, singing, composition, and listening, gradually increasing responsibility for practice and ensemble roles. Students build skills that prepare them for Middle School ensembles.

Program overview

Sample Units and Projects

Recent units include rhythm games with fractions, recorder ensembles, music of the Americas, and score-making projects that connect to classroom research.

View examples

Performances

A close-up, photographic view of a low Montessori work table set for an individualized music activity, displaying a sequence of finely crafted wooden bells on stands, each with a distinct metallic sheen and precise tuning mallets beside them. Adjacent matching color-coded control charts lie flat on the smooth, pale wood surface, their shapes indicating pitch differences without using text. In the background, slightly out of focus, are open shelves with neatly ordered sensorial materials, suggesting integration of music with broader Montessori work. Soft diffused daylight from a nearby window creates delicate reflections on the bells’ curved surfaces and subtle shadows under the table. The atmosphere feels focused and purposeful, with an eye-level, centered composition that highlights careful preparation, professional tone, and authentic Montessori music education in photographic realism.

Showcase

Upper Elementary students perform ensemble pieces, solos, and improvisations, demonstrating growing musical independence and collaborative skills.

Details

An overhead, photographic shot of a circular Montessori music rug in muted blues and greens, divided subtly into segments, each containing a different set of child-sized instruments: smooth wooden rhythm blocks, a small natural-finish tambourine, paired egg shakers in a woven basket, and a simple glockenspiel with rainbow metal bars. Around the rug, low shelves display organized music notation cards using abstract symbols instead of text, supporting self-directed exploration. Soft, even natural light from large side windows illuminates the scene without harsh shadows, creating a serene and structured atmosphere. The composition uses a bird’s-eye view to emphasize order, variety, and accessibility, with crisp focus and gentle vignetting at the edges. The image conveys an engaging, age-appropriate space for music learning within a professional Montessori environment, rendered in clean photographic realism.

Recital

Families are invited to hear class compositions, rhythm ensembles, and folk songs drawn from our current Upper Elementary units.

Schedule

Assignment Schedule

Click each week’s link to view the assignment.

Week 1 — Wednesday, September 17