Music Expressions™ Grade 5: Student Edition: Student Edition

A classroom full of hands, ears, and bodies engaged all at once. The book creates permission for students to experience music as something they do and make, not just something they listen to.

Fifth-grade general music classrooms and music specialists teaching mixed-ability groups. This edition is designed for active classroom use, with content that meets students where they are developmentally while introducing serious musical concepts and diverse repertoire.

• Use the artwork and visual elements throughout the book as entry points for students who need concrete connections before diving into unfamiliar genres or traditions.
• Rotate between the different activity types (performing, listening, movement) within single lessons rather than clustering them, so attention stays fresh and multiple learning modalities stay active.
• Encourage students to lead or facilitate some of the creative activities themselves; fifth graders are ready for peer teaching and ownership.

Use this as your core curriculum text for the 2025-2026 school year. The structured sequence of styles, concepts, and activities builds naturally across the year while leaving room for your own units and guest artists. The 288 pages provide plenty of material to sustain a robust general music program without feeling cramped.

• Identifying musical styles and cultural traditions through active listening
• Performing songs and instrumental pieces in multiple genres
• Following movement directions and using body as a musical instrument
• Responding creatively to music through improvisation and composition activities
• Reading and understanding basic musical notation within context