The collaborative action research reported here strives to extend a prior study that dealt with the effects of integrating a general music course of study with the total curriculum of a first grade class. This second study used a similar plan in which a fifth grade teacher and a music teacher worked cooperatively to provide a curriculum that consistently integrated all subjects, including music, in a cohesive instructional plan. As before, the classroom teacher and music teacher planned and taught together through two years, crossing the traditional borders that usually keep music and the general classroom course of study separated. Teacher journaling and classroom videotaping showed improved student behavior and work ethic as the study progressed. Additionally, the collaboration necessary for the planning and teaching of the combined curriculum promoted innovative and energetic instruction and also mitigated the sense of professional isolation common among both elementary and music teachers. (Contains 1 figure and 1 footnote.)