First Unit: Beginning of school year to mid-October
Theory skills: Students will identify and/or describe the function of each of the following terms. 1.Treble/bass clef note names 2.Time signatures 3.Bar lines 4.Double bar lines 5.Repeat signs 6.Rhythms from whole note/rest to quarter note/rest 7.Fermata, ritardando, accelerando Performance skills (assessed individually) 1.Major scale 2.Natural Minor scale 3.Harmonic Minor scale 4.Melodic Minor scale 5.Major triad 6.Minor triad 7.Augmented triad 8.Diminished triad 9.Reading stepwise exercises using half and quarter notes Ensemble skills 1.Define and apply balance 2.Define and apply blend 3.Define and apply appropriate vowel formation 4.Define and apply appropriate consonant diction 5.Watch and respond to conductor in warm up exercises and concert music 6.Display care of folder and music Listening Skills 1. Students will identify quality of choral sound (bright, dark, blended) 2. Students will identify and discuss elements of music and how they are used in a composition (melody, harmony, rhythm, text, dynamic, etc.)
Second Unit: Mid-October to end of semester Theory skills 1.Label all notes on keyboard 2.Identify half and whole steps on piano 3.Identify key signatures of major keys 4.Rhythms from whole note/rest to eighth note/rest (no syncopation) 5.Tempo markings: taken from music studied in class; varies 6.Metronome marking—how to read 7.Label syllables on major and three minor scales 8.Label syllables on major, minor, augmented and diminished chords Performance Skills 1.Performance skills from previous unit 2.Sing chromatic scale and use correct Curwen hand signs 3.Sing sight reading exercises that include steps, skips and leaps up to P5 onsolfege syllables 4.Sing all diatonic intervals within one octave and use correct Curwen hand signs Ensemble/Listening Skills 1.Apply all ensemble skills from previous unit. 2.Students will evaluate recordings of exemplary performances with attention todiction, intonation, balance and blend
Third Unit: New semester to mid-March Theory Skills 1.Review all theory skills from previous units. 2.Students will notate 2-8 measure stepwise dictation exercises using quarter, half,dotted half and whole notes and rests. 3.DS, DC, Coda, Fine
Performance Skills 1.Performance skills from previous units 2.Sing chromatic scale and use correct Curwen hand signs 3.Sing sight reading exercises that include steps, skips and leaps up to octave onsolfege syllables 4.Sing all diatonic intervals within one octave and use correct Curwen hand signs. 5.Students will perform excerpts from concert music with accompaniment forassessment.
Ensemble/Listening Skills 1.Students will evaluate recordings of their own performances and otherperformances with attention to diction, intonation, balance and blend. 2.Students will prepare an ensemble piece with an ensemble of 2-9 members.**3.Students will evaluate recorded and/or live excerpts of small and large ensemble performances.
**May be moved to fourth unit, depending on the length of the school year
Fourth Unit: Mid-March to End of Year Theory skills 1.Apply and review all theory skills from previous units. 2.Students will notate 2-8 measure stepwise dictation exercises using quarter, half, dotted half and whole notes and rests. 3.Identify and count sixteenth notes and rests 4.Relative and parallel minor and major keys 5.6/8, 9/8, 12/8 meters (compound meters) 6.Irregular meters (5/8, 7/8) 7.Major, minor, augmented, diminished and perfect intervals
Performance Skills 1.Performance skills from all previous units 2.Students will perform excerpts from concert music without accompaniment for assessment. 3.Sing sight reading exercises that include steps, skips and leaps up to one octave on solfege syllables 4.Sing all chromatic intervals within one octave and use correct Curwen hand signs. Ensemble/Listening Skills 1.Students will evaluate recordings of their own performances and other performances with attention to diction, intonation, balance and blend. 2.Students will prepare an ensemble piece with an ensemble of 2-9 members. 3.Students will evaluate recorded and/or live excerpts of small and large ensemble performances.