Music Standard Addressed: #1 sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music Essential Question: What is good vocal tone? Sing accurately and with good breath control throughout their singing ranges, alone and in small and large ensembles be able Sing with accurate intonation Discern between in tune and out of tune head voice singing proper breath support proper vowel shaping the ability to adjust the pitch up or down Pitch o Flat o Sharp Solfege scale Physiology of singing apparatus and breathing Difference between head and chest voice Warm-ups Rehearsals Hearings o Students sing in tune when singing a single line melody, with or without accompaniment o Students sing in tune with other vocal parts Concert repertoire Software/ Hardware Sing with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of vocal literature with a difficulty level of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6, including some songs performed from memory Sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels, responding to the cues of a conductor proper balance within the choral ensemble Perform with appropriate diction Manipulate individual volume Follow a conductor Dynamics o Forte o Piano Hierarchy of parts such as o Priority of melody o Fuller bass o Lighter soprano Timbre Conductor s gestures Warm ups Rehearsals s Teacher observation 70
Sing music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed Verbalize differences in a variety of vocal qualities Reproduce vocal tone ranging from dark to bright clear enunciation of initial, internal, and final consonants as appropriate to style proper pronunciation of foreign languages Vocal qualities o Dark o Bright, o Nasal Manipulation of vocal placement What tone qualities are appropriate to various styles Implications of a particular style on diction Basic rules of diction in the language being sung Warm-ups Rehearsals Hearings o Students blend with others by singing with appropriate (similar) tone quality o Students can describe others singing in terms of tone quality software/hardware for assessment Assessment Rubric/Checklist 71
Read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth and dotted notes and rest in 2/4, 3/4, 6/8 and alla breve (2/2) meter signatures Sight-read, accurately and expressively, music with a difficulty level of 2 on a scale of 1-6 Music Standard Addressed: #5 read and notate music Essential Question: How does written music translate into sound? Student will be able Identify parts of a score (measure, system, etc.) Identify elements of music Sing at sight with the ensemble using solfege syllables Sing at sight, alone, a singleline tune using solfege syllables Layout of the score Rhythms o Whole note/ Rest o Half note/ Rest o Eighth note/ Rest o Sixteenth o note/ Rest Dotted notes/ Rests Time signatures o 2/4 o 3/4 o 6/8 o 2/2 Solfege syllables Elements of music o Form o Timbre o Melody o Texture o Harmony o Rhythm Key signatures Sight-reading assessment (recorded or live) Observation Sight-reading Examples Musical scores equipment Identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation and expression Show an understanding of standard notation symbols for o Pitch o Rhythm o Tempo o Articulation o Expression Solfege syllables o Movable do o La-based minor Rhythmic notation Pitch notation Dynamic markings Basic symbols, terms, and abbreviations Key signatures Tempo markings 72
Technology Expressive elements Articulation Sight-reading Assessment Rubrics 73
Westbrook Middle School Choir Curriculum Music Standard Addressed: #7 evaluate music and music performances Essential Question: What makes a performance good? Student will be able Develop criteria for evaluation the quality and effectiveness of music performances and compositions and apply the criteria in their personal listening and performing Identify various aspects of ensemble music o Blend o Balance o Diction Recognize these musical elements when selfevaluating and critique themselves accordingly Terminology for and definitions of musical elements appropriate for the grade level discussion Self-evaluations equipment o Audio o Video Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and others' performances, compositions, arrangements and improvisations by applying specific criteria appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions for improvement Identify various aspects of ensemble music o Blend o Balance o Diction Compare execution of these elements when listening to and comparing performances Locate elements in a score and make observations about their effect on the piece s quality Terminology for and definitions of musical elements Innate differences between ensembles being compared Effect of these differences on musical elements Musical styles equipment o Audio o Video s of exemplary models technology Self-evaluation Criteria 74
Music Standard Addressed: #8 make connections between music, other disciplines and daily life. Essential Questions: What is the role of music in your life and the lives of others? What does music have in common with other disciplines? Compare in two or more arts how the characteristic materials of each art (that is sound in music) can be used to transform similar events, scenes, emotions or ideas into works of art Student will be able Listen to and describe sound with musical terminology Draw conclusions about how treatment of sound creates or affects emotion, and how this might be achieved in another medium Musical terminology including o Tone o Timbre o Pitch o Rhythm Connection between music and other art forms discussion s from diverse historical periods and cultures Examples of various art and media Projector/SMART Board Describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with those of music Identify major themes in choral texts and connect them to other disciplines Recognize connections between musical works and composers from certain time periods and how they relate to authors, historical events, art from the same period Major historical and cultural periods Major themes in music and/or literature Projector/SMART Board Identify a variety of music-related careers Identify a variety of music-related careers Ensemble types Music careers SMART board 75
Music Standard Addressed: #9 understand music in relation to history and culture. Essential Question: What roles does music play in history and culture? Student will be able Describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres and styles from a variety of cultures Classify by genre and style (if applicable, by historical period, composer, and title) a varied body of exemplary musical works, and explain the characteristics that cause each work to be considered exemplary Identify and describe musical elements heard Use observations to classify pieces accurately by historical period or culture Identify sources of American music genres Trace the evolution of those genres Cite well-known musicians associated with the specific genres General musical characteristics of historical periods being addressed in a particular year s literature General musical characteristics of cultures being addressed in a particular year s literature American music genres and their predecessors Musicians (as related to particular year s literature) discussion Worksheets s from diverse historical periods and cultures Representative recordings of American music genres and predecessors Compare, in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles of musicians, and conditions under which music is typically performed Identify various roles of musicians Cite individuals for each role Describe activities and performances s Ensemble types Music careers 76