Elementary Music
With Mrs. Harp
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year at JAA. My name is Shannon Harp, you may remember me from last year as Shannon Burton. I got married over the summer and am thrilled to start this year as Mrs. Harp. This will be my fourth year teaching at JAA and my seventh year of being a music teacher. I love teaching and have enjoyed expanding my teaching knowledge over these past seven years. I have a BM in Music Education as well as a BM in Music Performance. I started the teaching credential program at CSUS after I completed my Bachelors and have been teaching ever since. I graduated CSUS with a teaching credential in music. I had the pleasure of going back to CSUS for my Masters, and this past spring I graduated from CSUS with my Masters in Music Performance on Clarinet. I have played piano for 30 years and clarinet for 24 years. I’ve enjoyed performing with the CSUS clarinet club along with other clarinet and piano organizations. I’ve had extensive training in classical and jazz piano as well as clarinet. I participated and have been trained in techniques of marching band. I love music and it’s a big part of my life and who I am today. I’m excited to teach your scholars this year. If you happen to stop by you’ll find me listening to my collection of recorders or playing the clarinet/piano, feel free to say hi.
Concerts
Each grade will perform at least one concert in the year. More information about the concert date and time will be given as concert dates are approaching through the year.
Instrumentation
Scholars are trained in singing and instrument playing. Each grade has a specific instrument they learn through-out the whole year. Listed below are the instruments per grade:
Tk/K & 1st grade: Boomwhackers, and auxiliary percussion instruments.
2nd & 3rd grade: Glockenspiel (Bells)
4th & 5th grade: Recorder (these instruments will be ordered through me, You will receive a form during the third week of school.) Order form for Recorder will be attached to this packet.
6th grade: Ukulele. The school provides ukuleles for scholars to use, but we don’t have enough for scholars to take home. If scholars wish they may purchase their own ukulele to play at home and/or bring to school. I will attach an informational sheet to help with purchasing decisions.
Grading:
Tk-3rdGrade: Scholars are graded on a Pass/Fall system. This is based on the scholar’s participation in class, concert preparation, singing, instrumental playing, and classroom assignments.
4th-6th Grade: Scholars will receive a letter grade in music class. Part of the grade is based on the scholar’s singing, instrumental playing, and classroom assignments; as well as:
5 points: Daily participation. This is based on how well the scholar follows direction, stay on task, and follow the classroom rules.
4 points: Daily total for bringing recorder and recorder book. 6th graders are not graded on this since their instruments are ukuleles which the school has in stock.
The JAA Elementary Art Program
“No education is complete without a depth experience in the arts and classics.”
-Oliver DeMille, Creator of Thomas Jefferson Education
As a Fine Arts Department our mission is the aesthetic education of JAA scholars: preparing them to experience, appreciate, and create beauty in its many artistic manifestations including visual media, dance, drama, and music. This mission is further focused on John Adams Academy’s tri-fold mission to teach classics, values, and servant-leadership.
Our elementary music program aligns with Core Knowledge as an essential part of the knowledge that all children should learn in the early grades. We provide opportunities to create and experiment with many different instruments, music types, and processes. The Elements and Principles of music serve as the foundation for every creative experience. Scholars are exposed to a wide range of classic pieces, music history, periods of music, the lives of the composers, terminology used in music, and the vocabulary of music. Scholars learn to use the language of music to discuss the music and communicate their ideas, and feelings to classmates. The music program is interdisciplinary and continually connects to the scholar’s other academic subjects.
Music Room Rules
Scholars are expected to be responsible and respectful with the musical instruments and supplies.
Scholars will respect one another during music time as well as the teacher and our valuable/limited time that we have for music. Scholars will raise their hand for questions or comments, follow Teacher’s directions, and participate in a positive helpful manor.
Scholars are expected to try their best with the singing and instrumental playing that we do in our music class. This is a supportive and helpful classroom space and we all are expected to be kind and supportive of one another.
We will be observing the JAA 10 Core Values in our music lessons as well and I expect the scholars to display the core values while in class.
Donations
Elementary music as well as after school band has been fortunate to receive some wonderful donations from JAA families,JAA friends, the PSO, and recently the box top foundation. If you have an instrument, or music that you would like to donate to our program I would gladly accept your donation. Our band programs as well as some of our upper elementary grades perform for the public throughout the year. If you are interested in donating your time to help our scholars we would greatly appreciate your help. Please e-mail me your contact information and I will gladly put you on our volunteer list. I like to call/e-mail our parent volunteers prior to the event I would need them for so they have plenty of time to put the date in their calendar.
Contact Information
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Due to only having one prep during the day and teaching ten different classes, it would be easier to reach me through e-mail. My school e-mail is
My e-mail has not been changed to my new name yet, once it’s been changed I’ll let you know.