Music 455

Curriculum Construction Project 5th-8th Grade

Jetro Meira de Oliveira

Introduction

The following Curriculum Construction Project was conceived having in mind the

school in which I worked in Brazil (Instituto Adventista de Ensino, referred hereforth as

IAE).

At IAE there are music classes taught from kindergarten to 8th grade. From

kindergarten to 4th grade students have two classes a week, a recorder class and an

Orff/Kodaly type of music activities class.

From 5th to 8th grades students have options to fulfill their fine arts requirement.

Music is one of the options and is offered as a choral class and as a percussion ensemble

class. Even though these classes have been offered now for four years, no organized

curriculum has been adopted or developed. The current project aims at a curriculum to

be implemented in the choral classes from 5th to 8th grade.

I have based my project on the MENCs standards of teaching and on Crockers

and Leavitts Essential Musicianship series.

 General Goal Statements for the Four Year Program

During four years in the choral program students will:

1. Realize that music is an expressive art.

2. Value their own involvement as music-makers and knowledgeable listeners.

3. Understand the expressive qualities of interpreting someones music.

4. Develop the ability to use verbal and non-verbal skills to describe music.

5. Understand how the basic elements of music (rhythm, melody and harmony) are

combined in different ways to produce music of many styles, time periods and cultures.

6. Exhibit an understanding of the language of music, including the use of musical

symbols and terminology.

7. Develop music reading skills appropriate for the repertory they study.

8. Develop an understanding of basic vocal technique and vocal health principles.

9. Experience creating and improvising music within both specified guidelines and non-

specified guidelines, using both their voice and musical instruments.

 Detailed Program Goal Statements Grades 5 to 8

As a result of involvement in the choral program for grades 5 through 8 students will:

1. Realize that music is an expressive art demonstrated through:

1.1 Verbal descriptions of the meaning of the text and music.

1.2 Physical expression in body movement of the meaning of the text and music.

1.3 Singing that reflects the expressive qualities of text and music.

2. Value their own involvement as music-makers and knowledgeable listeners.

2.1 Develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music

performances and apply it in their personal performing and listening.

2.1.1 Monitoring progress toward musical goals.

a. The student will note development of his/her individual range.

b. Listen to early and more recent rehearsal recordings to note

improvement in aspects such as: intonation, vowel shapes,

balance, and blend.

2.1.2 Evaluate self both as a solo and ensemble performer.

a. Listen critically to self and the chorus, concentrating on the

balance and blend of the voice parts.

2.1.3 Evaluate self and others solo and group rehearsals/performances.

 a. Evaluate self as a solo performer by taping himself/herself

singing at the end of the year as compared with the beginning

of the year.

b. Listening critically to tapes, comparing polished performances

with early rehearsals of a specific work.

3. Understand the expressive qualities of interpreting someones music.

3.1 Analyze the uses of elements of music in several examples of choral music.

3.1.1 Evaluate the relationship between text and music (rhythm, melody

and harmony).

3.1.2 Evaluate the appropriateness of tempo, dynamics and articulation

markings.

3.1.3 Demonstrate through performance an understanding of the

expressive qualities of select choral works.

4. Develop the ability to use verbal and non-verbal skills to describe music.

4.1 Describe specific musical events in a given aural example with appropriate

terminology.

4.2 Describe both specific and non-specific musical events in a given aural

example with body movement (i.e.: rhythm, mood, melodic shape).

4.3 Describe the impression of musical examples in drawing.

5. Understand how the basic elements of music (rhythm, melody and harmony) are

combined in different ways to produce music of many styles, time periods and cultures.

5.1 Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of meter, rhythm and harmony

in their analyses of music.

5.1.1 Discuss musical elements, including meter and rhythm, present in a

given example of choral music.

5.1.2 Discuss musical elements, including melodic and harmonic

intervals in a given example of choral music.

5.2 Analyze the uses of elements in examples of diverse genres and cultures.

5.2.1 Compare and contrast diverse types of choral music technique (i.e.:

jazz tone versus Renaissance tone quality).

5.2.2 Compare and contrast tone quality among diverse musical types

such as traditional choral music, gospel music, country-western

groups, and ensemble music of non-Western cultures.

5.2.3 Discuss and analyze the musical characteristics of genres such as

madrigal, spiritual and folk song.

6. Exhibit an understanding of the language of music, including the use of musical

symbols and terminology.

6.1 Sing with expression and technical precision a varied repertoire of choral

music.

6.2 Discuss their performance and that of others (recordings and live) using

appropriate musical terminology.

7. Develop music reading skills appropriate for the repertory they study.

7.1 Read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and dotted notes and rests in 2/4,

3/4, 4/4, 6/8 and alla breve meter signatures.

7.2 Read at sight simple melodies.

7.2.1 Read and sing melodic patterns and harmonic structures using

solfege and numbers.

7.3 Identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics,

tempo, articulation and expression.

7.3.1 Recognize and apply basic rhythmic notation.

7.3.2 Recognize and apply knowledge of basic pitch notation (pitch

names, treble and bass clefs, and accidentals).

7.3.3 Recognize and apply key signatures of repertory at study.

8. Develop an understanding of basic vocal technique and vocal health principles.

8.1 Sing accurately and with good breath control throughout their singing ranges,

alone and in small and large ensembles.

8.1.1 Understand the vocal mechanism including parts and functions,

and the changing voice.

a. Describe and demonstrate the posture, breathing, vowel

placement, and articulation necessary for good singing tone.

b. Build a repertoire of effective vocalizes.

8.1.2 Develop and use correct singing posture and breathing skills.

a. Describe and demonstrate good posture for singing.

 b. Develop the diaphragmatic breathing needed to support the

singing tone.

8.1.3 Develop proper diction through correct use of vowel shapes,

syllabic stress, consonants and diphthongs.

a. Sing with tall uniform vowels.

b. Develop proper diction through the use of correct vowel

shapes.

c. Demonstrate the appropriate pronunciation of diphthongs.

d. Develop good diction through the precise articulation of

consonants.

e. Develop clear diction to convey the meaning of the text.

8.1.4 Develop intonation awareness.

a. Aurally discriminate between in-tune and out-of-tune singing.

b. Practice good intonation.

c. Develop intonation awareness through the study of whole steps

and half steps.

d. Develop intonation awareness through the study of the

chromatic scale.

8.1.5 Exercise responsible use and care of the voice.

a. Develop technical singing skills focusing on the responsible use

and care of the voice.

b. Develop good vocal health principles.

9. Experience creating and improvising music within both specified guidelines and non-

specified guidelines, using both their voice and musical instruments.

9.1 Improvise harmonic accompaniments using Orff xylophones.

9.2 Improvise melodic embellishments and simple rhythmic and melodic

variations.