All fifth-grade students will learn to play the recorder as part of the FISD curriculum. The recorder is the oldest known wind instrument and is very simple to play. It is a great way to introduce students to playing instrumental music and is very inexpensive. Due to sanitary reasons, students are expected to order a recorder through the school. With a group discount, the cost of a student intrument is generally $5 or less. However, students may purchase their own instruments or use an older sibling's. Two acceptable models include:

Soprano Peripole® Angel Halo® Recorder (This is only available online)

CompareYamaha YRS-24B Soprano Recorder with Baroque Fingering (This is available online and locally at Music & Arts)

These are both high-quality affordable instruments. Students may wish to order one recorder to leave in the music room to use in class and an additional recorder to take home to practice.

Students will also have to opportunity to participate in an optional program called RECORDER KARATE, a motivational instructional method in which students earn colored "belts" as they develop specific skills on the recorder.

A dojo is a school for training in the art of karate, and the RECORDER KARATE DOJO is a place for you to help train yourself to be the best recorder player you can be.

Here you will find STREAMING AUDIO of all the songs you need to master to earn your recorder karate belts.

To access this area, you will need the user name and password.

The username is karate.
The password is available from Mrs. Wester as a subscribing teacher. E-mail Mrs. Wester if you forgot or need the password.

To visit the RECORDER KARATE DOJO page of the Music K-8 website, click on the link next to the recorder player.

Play along with recorder accompaniments