General music is offered to the students at Dale Street 45 minutes once a week. The Orff-Schulwerk approach to music is applied in all of the sessions. The students imitate and then explore the elements of music using speech, singing, movement and instruments. In the fourth grade, the students learn to improvise short rhythmic patterns and then phrases of music on percussion instruments. The recorder, a simple woodwind instrument, is used as they learn how to read notes on the treble clef. The students sing with and without accompaniment in unison, rounds and simple partner songs using good vocal technique. Combining voice, recorder, pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, the students produce performing ensembles. Movement also becomes a part of some of these ensemble experiences. In the fifth grade, students continue to create ensembles in their music classes, reinforcing all musical concepts taught through performance. Improvisation and composition are incorporated into many sessions. The students learn how to use computer software to notate original melodies. They continue to sing in unison and simple harmony, with and without accompaniment in a variety of musical styles.