UNIT:  BEAT

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project

perform c-g on keyboard

play steady beat in GB

16 measures of walking jazz bass in GB

HW 1

find c-g's in keyboard handout

find the beats on the song Yankee Doodle

research famous jazz bass players

UNIT:  Rhythm

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

c-g in GB using rhythmic pattern

create 16 measures of beat and rhythm

create a jazz trio using piano, bass, drums

project b

Play Ode To Joy on keyboard

Print music: create a steady beat and a rhythmic pattern

From trio create a rhythmic pattern for sax that repeats every 2 measures

HW 2

Find info on the song (composer, which symphony, interesting facts)

compose 32 measures of beat and rhythm on music paper handout

contrast and compare two styles of jazz (instruments, chronology, musicians, etc.)

UNIT:  Tempo

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

Jingle Bells (fast)

Create a GB song  that is a ballad

Piano Concerto (moderato, adagio, vivace)

Project b

Jingle Bells cont’ed

Create a song that is fast

Create a classical GB song

HW 3

What are the 3 usual movements of a piano concerto

Listen to 3 songs in different tempos and list the following:    a) title,  b) group, c) instruments, d) tempo, e) style,  

Write in detail the usual four movements of a classical symphony

UNIT:  Dynamics

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

Aura Lee 1^st 4 mea. Soft, 2^nd 4 mea. loud

Print Music: create an 8 mea. melody using c-g 1^st. 4 measures loud, 2^nd 4 measures soft.

Create a rock song with 3 sections, loud, soft, loud

Assessment 1

Beat/rhythm/tempo/

dynamics

Beat/rhythm/tempo/

dynamics

Beat/rhythm/tempo/

dynamics

HW 4

Write about Beethoven’s famous piano composition “The Moonlight Sonata”

Listen to a song that has extreme changes in dynamics.  List where those changes happen in the song (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) 

Write down one of your favorite poems.  If you were going to make it into a song, where would it be louder, and where softer.  Write the dynamics in the appropriate places.

UNIT:  Time Signatures

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

The Second Street Band p. 6 pno book

Print Music 8 measures in 4/4 using c-g

Country:  create a country song in 4/4

Project b

¾ Favorite things in a min

GB: find meter in ¾ music

In a group create a ¾ song with bass, drums, piano

HW 5

List 3 of your favorite songs.  What meter are they in?

Create an 8 measure song in ¾ or 4/4 on sheet music using c-g

List ten characteristics of country music.  Where did country derive from?

UNIT:  Note Names

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

playing on the grand staff p.5

write a melody using c-c on the treble clef

Reggae: (partners) write an 8 measure melody in Print Music, find loops in GB, record your melody

HW 6

handout:  label these notes.  Then  find them on the piano

Tell us what these people do: a composer, an arranger, a lyricist, a music producer, an orchestrator, a music copyist.

Reggae Music  usually refers to love, peace, political unrest.  Write lyrics to  your own reggae song.  You will write a melody in class to be recorded in GB

UNIT:  PowerPoint

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project

Create a music profile PowerPoint about yourself.

Analyze some other student's composition using PowerPoint.

Research biographical information on an artist.  Present it using PowerPoint.

UNIT:  Short, Long and Rest

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

Basic Rhythmic notation and quarter rest.  Play "Short, Long and Rest" in GB

Create 4 beat rhythm patterns on paper (use quarter, eighth, and rest).  Use them to create 36 measure composition in GB

Compose 4 beat rhythmic patterns in print music and insert them in GB drums.  Then put in baass drum on 1+3 and snare on 2+4

HW 7

Find the lyrics to “Brother John” (Frere Jaques).  Write the rhythm of the words including the rests over the lyrics.

make 20 state names into 4 beat rhythmic patterns using quarter, eighth, and rest

Find the lyrics to “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” .  Write the lyrics down by syllable. (syl-la-ble).  Over each syllable write if the sound is long or short. (l, s). 

UNIT:  Melody, accompaniment, steps, skips, and phrase

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

EIGHTH GRADE

project a

Play music from Mr V’s where the melody is on the right hand, the accompaniment is on the left hand.  Distinguish melody movement and steps and skip and phrases

Create a 2 part melody and accompaniment

Listen to a Pop song.  listen to the phrases.  Distinguish the melody from the accompaniment,.  Determine the range and direction of the melody.

HW 8

Analyze the melody and harmony to a piece of music for right and left hand.  Find the phrases.

Create a 2 part melody and accompaniment

Do the same as the class project with a song from your own music library..