Piano Unit!!!

For about two weeks, the students have been learning how to play piano in General Music.  First they will learned to play simple songs in treble and bass clef individually.  Once they were comfortable performing in each clef solo, they will learn to play piano with both hands simultaneously.  For students who have played piano before, they started on music at an appropriate level for them.  This unit concludes with a 20 point performance assessment and a 10 Point composition/performance activity.  

Welcome to Music!!!!

Our first unit is on the components of rhythm. Throughout this unit students will learn to read, write, perform, and compose rhythms.  6th grade students will be focusing on basic rhythms in simple meter.  7th grade students will learn how to read and identify rhythms in simple, complex and compound time signatures. There will be a unit test for all grades. We will review in class the day prior by taking a "practice test."

Rhythm Test:  Friday, Sept. 8

Choir Begins Friday, September 8! 
Choir rehearses on Tuesday's and Friday's from 7:30- 8:10 am in the band room. 

If your child is interested, please have them see me in the music room for a permission slip and practice schedule.

Curriculum Update!

6th Grade:  Instruments of the Orchestra

The 6th graders are learning about the families of instruments.  They will listen to the quality of each instruments sound and compare and contrast instruments.  They will also get a chance to try some new instruments.  There will be a unit test on Tuesday, April 18.

8th Grade:  World Music Presentations

The 8th graders have been working very hard on their World Music Projects and have started presenting today!  Presentations will continue through next Wednesday.  I look forward to seeing the final products!

Ukulele Unit

We started playing Ukulele's in class this week and will continue through next week.  This week the students learned how to tune, pluck, strum, play a C major scale, and play through some fun songs.  Next week we will learn to play chords such as C, F, G7, G and A minor. 

Spartan Showcase Music Demonstration

This year, the general music classes will be showing off what they’ve learned at the Spartan Showcase.   The Spartan Showcase is on March, 9, 2017 from 5:30-8:30pm. 

Each 8^th grade music class will be doing a group Ukulele performance.  During the 10-15 minute presentation, we will show you what a typical Ukulele lesson looks like and you will get to hear some music they have learned during that unit.  In addition to the Ukulele demonstration, some 7th grade students from last semester will be performing Ukulele Trios or Duets.             Finally, both 7th and 8th graders were given the opportunity to perform a piano solo from their piano unit.  

Schedule to be posted soon!

Curriculum Update:

Piano Unit Has Begun!!!
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 performing in 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 20 point performance assessment and a 10 Point composition/performance activity.  

Welcome to Second Semester Music

Our first unit is on the components of rhythm. Throughout this unit students will learn to read, write, perform, and compose rhythms.  6th grade students will be focusing on basic rhythms in simple meter.  8th grade students will learn how to read and identify rhythms in simple, complex and compound time signatures. There will be a unit test for all grades. We will review in class the day prior by taking a "practice test."

Rhythm Test:  Friday, Feb. 3

Happy New Year!

7th Grade: TV Advertisement Project

This week, the students will begin the TV Advertisement Project.  Each student will create a 30 second commercial using pictures, text, a song (jingle) they will compose in class using MixCraft 6, and We Video to help it all come to life.  (30 point project)

6th Grade: Musical Theater

The students are learning about Musical Theater.  First, they will learn about what a musical is and who makes a musical possible (composer, librettist, director, choreographer, etc.), then they will study one musical in depth.  We will finish the week by watching the Broadway musical, The King and I, in class. There will be a short quiz on the musical in class at the beginning of next week. 

Ukulele Unit!

We started playing Ukulele's in class this week and will continue through next week.  This week the kids will review how to tune and play melodies.  Then we will learn how to strum, and play 3 chords. I look forward to playing some holiday music next week!!! 

Curriculum Update!

6th Grade: 

Compose a Painting Project

Last 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. (25 Point Project)

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...

7th Grade:

Musician Project:

November 15-18, 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 and rubric are attached in google classroom.  Please contact me with specific questions.

World Music Unit: Asia

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 study guides are completed using google classroom. 

Curriculum Update!

7th Grade: Tone Poems
This week, the students will learn about Program Music and Tone Poems.  They will be  writing a Halloween Children's Story inspired by Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens. The stories are due Monday, Oct. 31.

6th Grade: Ballroom Dance
The objective of this unit is to teach the student’s about Music, Culture, and Proper Dance Etiquette through Ballroom Dance.  Not only will the students learn positive behavior and learn to dance, but they will also learn about the origin and music of each dance.  The students will learn 5 ballroom dances (Samba, Rumba, Cha Cha, Salsa and Tango.) Their grade for the unit comprises of a packet they will fill out each day in Google Classroom,  a written quiz, and a dance performance equaling a 30 point unit grade. 

Ukulele Unit Begins!

We started playing Ukulele's in class this week and will continue through next week.  This week the kids will learn how to tune, pluck, strum, play a C major scale, and play through some fun songs. 

Piano- Extra Practice

Would you like some extra practice on the piano?

Come to the music room Monday, October 3 

between 7:30-8:00 am.

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 performing in 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 20 point performance assessment and a 10 Point composition/performance activity.  

This week in music class, the students will learn/understand components of a melody and analyze the form of various pieces of music.  By the end of this unit, students will be able to identify notes on the treble and bass clef, identify intervals, chords, and key signatures, and sing a variety of music. We will have a test on this information next week.  

Melody Test:  Thursday, Sept. 22

Welcome to Music Class!!!!!

Our first unit is on the components of rhythm. Throughout this unit students will learn to read, write, perform, and compose rhythms.  6th grade students will be focusing on basic rhythms in simple meter.  7th grade students will learn how to read and identify rhythms in simple, complex and compound time signatures. There will be a unit test for all grades. We will review in class the day prior by taking a "practice test."

Rhythm Test:  Friday, Sept. 9

Choir Begins Friday, September 2! 

If your child is interested, please have them see me in the music room for a permission slip and practice schedule.

Rhythm Test - Coming Up!!!

Our first test is on Monday, February 1.  This test will cover components of rhythm such as syncopation, rhythm dictation and counting rhythms in simply and complex time signatures.  7th and 8th grade will also have time signatures such as Cut Time (2/2) and 6/8 on their tests.  

We will review by taking a practice test on  Friday in class. 

Welcome to 2nd Semester Music!!!

This week in music, all grades will be learning about components of rhythm.  6th grade students will be focusing on basic rhythms in simple meter.  7th and 8th grade students will learn how to read and identify rhythms in complex and compound time signatures. All grades will be composing their own rhythms and performing on instruments. There will be a unit test  for all grades on Monday, February 1. We will review in class the day prior by taking a "practice test."

Choir is now accepting new members through the end of January! 

If your child is interested in joining choir for 2nd semester, please have them see me in the music room for a permission slip and practice schedule.

Happy New Year!

8th Grade: Famous Duo Project

The Famous Duo project includes researching famous Composer-Director teams or Composer-Lyricist teams and putting together a multimedia presentation using PhotoStory. Some examples of the Famous duo's our students are learning about are: John Williams and Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.  (50 Point Project)


7th Grade: TV Advertisement Project

This week, the students will begin the TV Advertisement Project.  Each student will create a 30 second commercial using pictures, text, a song they will compose in class using MixCraft 6, and We Video to help it all come to life.  (30 point project)

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. (25 Point Project)

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...

Happy Holidays!

Have a wonderful and safe holiday break with your family!  Happy Holidays!

8th Grade:

Mixing and Arranging Music:

The 8th graders are using MixCraft to mix and arrange famous Holiday tunes.  They will share their arrangements on Friday in class.  

7th Grade:

Musician Project:

Students are finishing their 100 point Musician Project Presentations this week.  They were allowed to choose any musician or band who inspires them. The assignment and rubric are attached in google classroom.  Please contact me with specific questions.

6th Grade:

Instrument Families:

The 6th graders have been learning about the instrument families: how each instrument is played and how it sounds.  

Curriculum Update

8th Grade:

Jazz & Blues Unit

This week, the students will learn about Jazz Music.  We will discuss the various sub-genres and musicians through a variety of activities.  For example,later this week the students will conduct "interviews" by pretending to be famous Jazz musicians such as Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.  Next week, they will create their own Blues Lyrics in class using the 12 Bar Blues Form.  

7th Grade:

Musician Project:

December 10-16, 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 and rubric are attached in google classroom.  Please contact me with specific questions.

World Music Unit: Asia

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:

Musical Theater:

The students are learning about Musical Theater.  First, they will learn about what a musical is and who makes a musical possible (composer, librettist, director, choreographer, etc.), then they will study one musical in depth.  We will finish the week by watching the Broadway musical, The King and I, in class. There will be a short quiz on the musical in class at the end of the week.