Long-Term Planning Calendar: Music
Teacher: Mr. Richard Rubin
Grade/Class/Ensemble: Middle School Band, Intermediate Level
Unit’s Main Objective: Students will learn “new” rhythms that will be in the parade music, and memorize the song, and march in a parade style
Primary Repertoire: Semper Fidelis, by John Philip Sousa
Monday
3 4
Main Obj: Students will sing
and count different rhythmic
patterns. PO216
Activity 1: Students will select
rhythm patterns, and
demonstrate knowledge to the
class
Activity 2: Students will work
together to identify patterns
Repertoire: Rhythm Sheet
examples
10
Main Obj: Students will discuss
as a class, what they know
about phrasing. PO202
Activity 1: Students will listen to
classical and marching music
and determine similarities and
differences. They will write this
down on notebook paper.
Activity 2: Students will
volunteer to share what they
noticed to the class.
Repertoire: Listening Examples
Tuesday
Main Obj: Students will
continue working on rhythms,
and will work with different
meters. PO203
Activity 1: Have students
identify different note values in
compound meter
Activity 2: Students will sing
rhythmic patterns in the new
meter(s)
Repertoire: Rhythmic Sheet
examples
11
Main Obj: Students will begin to
learn the main repertoire.
PO203
Activity 1: The students will
sight read the Sousa piece as a
band.
Activity 2: Students will
experience missing notes, and
playing incorrectly. They will
then be given a set amount of
time during class to help each
other, and get help from me.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
Wednesday
5 6
Main Obj: As a continuation,
the students will identify
articulations. PO202
Activity 1: Students will work in
small groups to discuss
different articulation styles.
Activity 2: Students will become
a class and we will discuss
articulation styles.
Repertoire: Rhythmic Sheet
examples
12
Main Obj: Students will
continue to learn the music in
pieces. This song is to be
memorized by the end of the
month (idealistically)
Activity 1: The band will play
the first chunk of music
repeatedly with and without
looking at the music
Activity 2: Students will “test”
each other on their
memorization of the beginning
of the music. Dynamics are
included.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
Thursday
Main Obj: As a class, the
students will sing patterns with
correct rhythms and
articulations. Once this has
been mastered, dynamics will
be added in. PO202
Activity 1: Students will “remind
themselves” what they already
know by filling out a short pop
quiz.
Activity 2: Students will
anonymously grade each other
after the answers have been
revealed
Repertoire: Pop Quiz (based on
RS examples) Sheet
13
Main Obj: The band will begin
by reviewing the previously
learned part of the music,
before moving on.
Activity 1: The band will play
the music while looking at it,
then everyone will turn their
stands around. This activity will
be repeated as necessary, but
we will move on.
Activity 2: The band will begin
to work on the next chunk of
music for memorization.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
Friday
7
Main Obj: Students will be
quizzed on the information
taught throughout the week.
They will be informed of this
ahead of time.
Activity 1: Rhythms Quiz
Activity 2: Once all students
hand in the quiz, they will be
handed the parade music to be
learned.
Repertoire: Quiz (based on RS
examples)
14
Main Obj: The band will be split
into small groups of different
instrumentations to
demonstrate memorization of
their own parts. PO209
Activity 1: Each group will play
the learned sections of the
music to the class. Dynamics
are included, along with
articulations. This will be
graded.
Activity 2: It should be
anticipated that this will use
most, if not all, of the class
time.
Repertoire: Memorization Quiz
#1
17
Main Obj: At this point, the
band will continue to identify
tricky rhythmic patterns found
in the rest of the song. PO204
Activity 1: The class period will
begin with the band playing the
memorized parts of the music
as a band.
Activity 2: The students will
then work with their primary
instrument peers to figure out
any rhythmic patterns. One
member from each group will
share findings with the class
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis/RS
examples
24
Main Obj: Memorization will
continue if necessary. The
students will then practice the
music with foot movement.
PO218
Activity 1: The band will play
the music, while moving their
feet with the tempo. (Left foot
hits floor on odd-numbered
beats, right foot on even)
Activity 2: They will play the first
chunk of music as a band, with
foot movement.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
Notes: I want this band to be able to play Semper Fidelis from memory by the end of the month. The final week of this month is intended for the band to learn how to march
in a parade block, while playing the music.
18
Main Obj: The band will
elaborate on what they learned
yesterday, and will continue to
work on the music. PO204
Activity 1: The band will discuss
the tricky patterns to the class
Activity 2: Once all students are
comfortable, we will continue
on with the music.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
25
Main Obj: It is time to move
outside. The band will begin to
play the music, while in a
parade block. Most of them are
foreign to marching, so the
music won’t be added in until
later on.
Activity 1: The band will have
one, or two, run throughs for
music memorization (with feet)
indoors.
Activity 2: Once activity 1 is
successful, the band will learn
their positions in the block, and
begin to march in the parking
lot.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
19
Main Obj: The students will
play the memorized sections
without music. They will
continue to play the rest of the
piece with music, while using
correct musical styles. PO208
Activity 1: The students will
identify what each articulation
looks like (white board) and
what they sound like, by
volunteering to demonstrate in
front of the class
Activity 2: The students will
identify articulation markings
found in the song, and share
what they know about each one
they find.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
26
Main Obj: The students will
attempt to play Semper Fidelis
whilst marching in the parade
block outside. PO218
Activity 1: The students will
“refresh their memory” on the
music by playing as a band
without music.
Activity 2: The students will set-
up the block, with assistance,
and begin marching and
playing the music.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
20
Main Obj: The band will have
most of the piece memorized
by this point of the month. They
will learn the remaining
section(s).
Activity 1: The band will play
the learned sections of the
song without music, and use
correct articulations, rhythms,
and dynamics.
Activity 2: Each instrumental
section will work together to
help each other memorize the
remaining section of the song.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
27
Main Obj: The students will
rehearse playing the music and
marching in a mock parade.
Activity 1: The students will
head outside, after attendance,
and form the block. Once it is
set, they will play the music
with feet.
Activity 2: They will then have
the rest of the class period to
march around outside while
playing the music.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
21
Main Obj: The band will be split
into small groups of different
instrumentations to
demonstrate memorization of
their own parts. PO209
Activity 1: Each group will play
the entire song, memorized, in
front of the class for a grade.
Activity 2: The activity will use
up all of the class time period.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis
28
Main Obj: The students will
continue to rehearse marching
in the mock parade, and should
begin to feel comfortable with
this concept.
Activity 1: Thursday’s activities
should bleed into today’s.
Activity 2: Thursday’s activities
should bleed into today’s.
Repertoire: Semper Fidelis