Welcome to 4th Quarter Music!

This week in music we are starting new units and activities.  

Below are descriptions for each grade level.

8th Grade: 
World Music Unit:  Africa
Wednesday, the students started learning about the music of Africa.  This unit includes PowerPoint presentations, listening clips and educational videos, and learning to play instruments from other cultures such as the mbira, djembe, gankogui bells, Udu, Shekere's and much more.  

7th Grade: 

Musician Project:
The week of April 20, the students have their 100 point Musician Project due.  They are allowed to choose any musician or band who inspires them.  They will present their research to the class with a visual and oral presentation.  The assignment is in google classroom and rubric is located on the 7th grade file cabinet.  Please contact me with specific questions.

World Music Unit: Asia

This unit will begin this week and continue after spring break.  The students are learning about the music of Asia and Oceania.  This unit includes PowerPoint presentations, listening clips and educational videos, learning songs and dances from other countries, and learning to play instruments from other cultures.  Daily worksheets/study guides are completed using google classroom. 

6th Grade:  Compose a Painting Project

This week the students began a composition project.  First, the students are assigned a famous painting.  The students will analyze their painting using the elements of art (color, texture, line, etc).  Then, they will compose a song to accompany their painting using MixCraft 6.  Later this week, the students will present their painting analysis and composition to the class. 

Some paintings that the students can choose from are:

American Gothic by Grant Wood

Two Dancers on Stage by Edgar Degas

Guernica by Pablo Picasso

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali

And Many More...

Keyboard/Piano Unit Begins!!!

For the next two weeks, the students will learn how to play piano in General Music.  First they will learn to play simple songs in treble and bass clef individually.  Once they are comfortable with each clef solo, they will learn to play piano with both hands simultaneously.  For students who have played piano before, they will start on music at an appropriate level for them.  This unit concludes with a 25 point performance assessment and a 10 Point composition/performance activity.