September 17, 2012

Grade 6:
Our goals for this week to complete our surveys and to begin building our music vocabulary  beginning with the terms and symbols we have learned through singing and playing. We will add the terms for the elements of music.  
Students will receive an "Elements of Music" introducing them to the musical elements. 
Students will listen to examples and discuss how the elements are used differently in a variety of pieces. Students will create charts describing the elements of music and use them to respond to, analyze, or create music in class. 

During our second class, we will begin our unit "Music In My World" by brainstorming titles of familiar songs and listening for how the elements of music are used. We will discuss why some songs are, or are not, "great" songs, and decide upon a final set of indicators on our "Signs of Greatness Checklist". 

Grade 7:
Our goal for this week is to complete instrument #1.  Students should be familiar with assembly, holding/playing position, rest position, producing a tone, care/cleaning, dis-assembly, and the three note song taught in class.

Homework: Students should complete the self-evaluation form column for the instrument they played in class. Students who missed a class or more on this instrument should arrange for extra time on this instrument before or after school.

Grade 8:
This is practise week 1 in tern 1.  Students should be practising twice this week outside of class.  Our goal is to become aware of some of the forms and types of music composed for war, and begin a simple march composed by John Philip Souza, "The March King".

During our classes this week we will continue hearing some individual performances from book 1 and providing feedback on the success criteria discussed in class (posture, hand position, breathing, intonation, tone, rhythmic and pitch accuracy, phrasing, dynamics, articulation) We will watch a presentation on the music of war and will receive a copy of "Souza Times Twosa" for band. 

Homework: Students are expected to select and be able to play 8 measures from "Souza Times Twosa".