Week of: April 25, 2010

Grade 7: This is week 9 in term 3. Students should be practising twice this week. During class one this week, we will review the quiz on Bronze level elements. The concepts and songs for Band Olympic level Silver 1 will be revisited, and the concepts covered in Silver 2 will be introduced. (multiple measure rests, new key signatures/scales) During the second class of the week, "Star Wars" will be reviewed and completed. Time will be provided for students to perform Silver Level 1 and 2 songs.
Homework: practise Silver Level 1 and 2 songs and perform for assessment. Begin Silver Level Composing Assignment - due at the end of the 2nd class next week.

Grade 8: This is week 9 in term 3. Students should be practising twice this week. During the first class of the week, we will review the quiz about the elements of greatness related to "In Quest of Uluru" and Tequila. We will play the beginning section of "In Quest of Uluru" and "Tequila" to complete these pieces. During the second class of the week, we will play our band instruments for the last time in class and listen to music from Africa, considering the criteria for "greatness" as we listen. Next week we will begin our STOMP! unit using non-traditional instruments.
Homework: practise all of "In Quest of Uluru" and "Tequila".

Week of: April 19, 2010

Grade 7: This is week 8 in term 3. Students should be practising two times this week to learn the final section of "Star Wars" and one of the Silver 1 songs from the Band Olympics chart.

During the first class of the week students will have a performance assessment on measures 13-36 of "Star Wars" and will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts covered in Bronze levels 1 and 2. The second class of the week will introduce concepts in Silver level 1; time will be allocated for Band Olympics performances.

Grade 8: This is week 8 in term 3. Students should be practising two times this week to learn the final section of "In Quest of Uluru".

During the first class of the week, students will have a performance assessment on "Tequila" and a written quiz on the pieces/concepts covered in our unit "Music of the World". Students will be expected to analyze how/if the pieces we have studied are "great" (or not) and support their answers with examples from the music.

Week of: April 12, 2010

Grade 7:

This is week 7 in term 3; students should be practising twice this week. During the first class of the week we will be reviewing "Star Wars" measures 1-36 and trying the final section, measures 37 to the end. We will also review all of the requirements for the bronze level of the Band Olympics Program.

During the second class of the week, we will review the final section of "Star Wars" and students will have some time to complete the bronze level compositions which are due at the end of the period. Time will be allocated for students to demonstrate bronze level songs.

Homework: Prepare for the Star Wars playing test next week.

Grade 8:

This is week 7 in term 3; students should be practising twice this week. During the first class of the week, we will review the middle section (B section) of "In Quest of Uluru" and begin the first section (A section). Also, students should be prepared to contribute information about the musical style they researched for our hall display. We will continue to listen to recordings of musical genres from around the world.

During the second class we will review for a test on "Tequila" and "In Quest of Uluru". The test will take place during music classes next week and will include written and performance components.

Homework: review and practise for the test next week.

Week of April 4, 2010

Grade 7:
This is week 6 in term 3. Students should have practised 12 times outside of class. This week we will review Star Wars measures 1-29 and continue with the next section, measures 29-33. We will provide time to hear some students perform bronze level one songs during class and at practise times.
The songs and concepts for bronze level 2 will be covered this week. Students are expected to practise these songs and be prepared to perform/test on one of them by the end of the week.
Homework: Bronze level 2 songs

Grade 8:
This is week 6 in term 3. Students should have practised 12 times outside of class. We will review Tequila this week and begin "In Quest of Uluru". Students will set a learning goal for themselves (one section of this piece) and work in teams to accomplish their goal.

Using our listening checklist, we will begin our exploration of world music with the playing of some latin recordings such as:
"Bamboleo" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mifnMC_Kn1Q
"Mala Vida" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrdxnomTA1c&feature=related
Homework: In Quest of Uluru

Week of March 29, 2010

Grade 7: This is week 5 of term 3. Students should have practised 10 times this term outside of class. We will continue Star Wars in class, learning the middle section - measures 21-29 this week.

Band Olympics begins this week and continue until the first week in May. Achievement in Band Olympics represents 50% of the term 3 mark. Students will receive a list of songs and simple composing assignments to be completed for bronze, silver and gold medal levels of achievement. During classes, the songs and concepts for a level will be introduced. After practising, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency at these songs/concepts through performance. It is up to students be evaluated on Band Olympics songs on a weekly basis. This week students are expected to Homework: practise and learn a Bronze Level One song and be tested.

Grade 8: This is week 5 in term 3. Students should have practised 10 times outside of class this term. This week we will finish learning the notes for Tequila. We will continue our discussion about what makes great music and work on finalizing our checklist for "greatness". This checklist will be used to guide our listening as we explore examples from a variety of musical genres. Homework: Tequila

March 22, 2010

Grade 7:

This is week 4 of term three. Students should have practised 8 times outside of class by the end of this week.

During this week, students will review the counting and playing of the melody section from"Star Wars". They will also learn about dotted half notes, and the difference between slurs and ties as we play through songs 64 and 95 in Essential Elements 2000.

Homework: songs 64, 95 and Star Wars.

Grade 8:

This is week 4 of term three. Students should have practised 8 times outside of class by the end of this week.

During the week, students will listen to some examples of latin music and begin playing the band piece "Tequila" in class.

Classes will work on developing a "Checklist for Musical Greatness" with which they will measure a number of songs in familiar and unfamiliar genres.

Homework: practise "Tequila".

March 8, 2010

Grade 7: This is week 3 of term three. Students should have practised six times outside of class by the end of this week.

Harmonizing assignments are due this week, and we will warm up with the major scale from memory (including high B and C for clarinet players). Students should be able to play song 57 in Essential Elements and will receive the first piece of band music, "Star Wars".

During testing on song 53, students will receive their first piece of band music "The Theme from Star Wars" and will add counting and other markings as they begin the learning process. Homework: Students should review song 53, 57 and practise the measures from "Star Wars" assigned in class.

Grade 8: This is week 3 of term three. Students should have practised six times outside of class by the end of this week. Two new band arrangements will be handed out this week which are in different styles. Students should begin practising "Tequila".

In class, students will continue sharing examples of "great songs" from their listening libraries and discussing which musical elements make them great. Students will participate in a listening survey indicating their musical preferences, and then examine the musical preferences of other members of the grade 8 class.

Homework: Students will research a musical genre (selected at random) and hand in the following information (point form) during the week of March 22nd:

genre name

country of origin

time period for that genre

simple description of musical elements

predictable/unpredictable features

historical/social context reflected in the song

a website address to connect use with a "great" song in this style