South Korea Elementary School 6th Grade Curriculum - Music

The South Korean elementary music curriculum is structured around Key Stages, with grades 5 and 6 belonging to the third Key Stage. The curriculum emphasizes creative expression, cultural understanding, and aesthetic appreciation through various musical activities. While specific details for the 6th grade are not readily available, the general aims and activities for the 5-6 grade band, as outlined in the 2015 National Curriculum, are detailed below.

Curriculum Overview (Grades 5-6)

• Singing: Students learn various songs, including Korean folk songs and songs from different cultures and historical periods. Emphasis is placed on developing vocal skills, expression, and understanding of musical elements like melody and rhythm.
• Playing Instruments: Students learn to play a variety of instruments, both traditional Korean instruments and Western instruments like recorders or keyboards. Focus is on developing basic instrumental skills, ensemble playing, and musical expression.
• Composing: Students engage in composing and improvising activities, exploring different musical elements and creating their own musical pieces. This fosters creativity, musical understanding, and problem-solving skills.
• Appreciating Music: Students learn to appreciate music from different cultures, genres, and historical periods. They develop critical listening skills, analyze musical elements, and understand the cultural and historical context of music.
• Creative Expression: The curriculum encourages students to express themselves creatively through music, fostering their imagination and artistic development.
• Cultural Understanding: Music education promotes understanding and appreciation of Korean and other cultures, fostering respect for diversity and cultural awareness.
• Aesthetic Appreciation: Students develop an aesthetic appreciation for music, recognizing its beauty and emotional power.

Curriculum Implementation:

• Instructional Hours: The allocated instructional time for Music within the Arts subject cluster (which also includes Art) is 272 hours over the two-year period of grades 5 and 6. Schools have some flexibility to adjust the instructional hours within a 20% range, but the total time for Physical Education and Arts cannot be reduced.
• Integration of ICT: Schools are encouraged to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into music education to enhance learning experiences and provide access to diverse musical resources.
• Assessment: Assessment focuses on both the process and results of learning, utilizing various methods like performance assessments, short-answer questions, and essay questions. Constructive feedback is provided to students to guide their learning and development.

This information is based on the available general guidelines for the 5-6 grade band in the 2015 South Korean National Curriculum. Specific learning objectives and content for 6th grade may vary depending on the school and its implementation of the curriculum.