Content and Essential Questions

String Orchestra

Month / Content and Essential Questions / Skills / Assessment / Resources /
August / Class expectations
Instrument care, accessories
Tonalization of D, G, C, F, A Bb, Eb Major & a, e, d, g, & c minor (Standards; 1 & 2) / Understand high school orchestra handbook, practice logs
Reinforced skills: Identify proper use & supplies for instrument
Reinforced skills: Play music selections, two octave scales arpeggios in keys / Contract signed by parents & students
Purchase of all necessary items, instrument upgrades, & check instrument conditions
Teacher observation / Music department handbook
Teacher handouts developed from: “Essential Elements 2000 for Orchestra”
“Essential Techniques for Strings” method book
Other teacher selected materials & music
September / Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Tonalization of D, G, C, F, A, Bb, Eb Major & a, e, d, g, & a minor (Standards: 1 & 2) / Reinforced skills: Identify & play the three bowing components; bow placement, bow speed, & bow weight
Introduced skills: Develop understanding of higher positions (thumb position for cellos & string bass)(fifth, sixth, & seventh for violins & violas)Play three octave scales three octave arpeggios, and music in listed Major or minor keys / Bowing test; teacher observation
Playing test; teacher observation / Teacher developed and teacher selected materials
“Advanced Techniques for Strings” method book
October / Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Tonalization of D, G, C, F, A, Bb, Eb Major & a, e, d, g, & a minor (Standards: 1 & 2)
Music Theory (Standard; 2)
Music History (Standards; 4 & 5)
Performance (Standards; 1 & 2) / Reinforced skills: Identify & play the three bowing components; bow placement, bow speed, & bow weight
Developed skills: Develop understanding of higher positions (thumb position for cellos & string bass)(fifth, sixth, & seventh for violins & violas) Play three octave scales three octave arpeggios, and music in listed Major or minor keys
Introduced skills: Explore & construct the Circle of Fifths using knowledge of key signatures & enharmonics
Introduced skills: Identify the characteristics & composers for the Baroque musical period
Developed skills: Perform music in keys listed, any meter, any style, and any time period / Bowing test; teacher observation
Playing test; teacher observation
Written test; class discussion
Listening & written test
Concert / Teacher developed and teacher selected materials
“Advanced Techniques for Strings” method book
Circle of Fifths, Teacher developed materials
Videos: “Famous Composer Series” & “Our Musical Heritage” and Teacher –developed materials
Teacher selected materials & music
November / Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Tonalization of D, G, C, F, A, Bb, Eb Major & a, e, d, g, & a minor (Standards: 1 & 2)
Music History (D; 4, 5) / Reinforced skills: Identify & play the three bowing components; bow placement, bow speed, & bow weight
Introduced skills: Develop understanding of higher positions (thumb position for cellos & string bass)(fifth, sixth, & seventh for violins & violas) Play three octave scales three octave arpeggios, and music in listed Major or minor keys
Differentiate between Classical & Baroque musical periods; Recognize & identify characteristics & composers of both periods / Bowing test; teacher observation
Playing test; teacher observation
Listening & written test / Teacher developed and teacher selected materials
“Advanced Techniques for Strings” method book
Videos: “Famous Composer Series” & “Our Musical Heritage” and Teacher –developed materials
Teacher selected music
December / Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Tonalization of D, G, C, F, A, Bb, Eb Major & a, e, d, g, & a minor (Standards: 1 & 2)
Performance (Standards; 1 & 2) / Reinforced skills: Identify & play the three bowing components; bow placement, bow speed, & bow weight
Introduced skills: Develop understanding of higher positions (thumb position for cellos & string bass)(fifth, sixth, & seventh for violins & violas) Play three octave scales three octave arpeggios, and music in listed Major or minor keys
Developed skills: Perform music in keys listed, any meter, any style, and any time period / Playing test; teacher observation
Concert / Teacher selected materials & music
January / Tonalization of ALL major & minor keys in three octaves (Standards; 1 & 2)
Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Music Theory (Standards;1 & 2) / Developed skills: Develop understanding of higher position in ALL Major & minor keys; play music, three octave scales & three octave arpeggios
Introduced skills: Demonstrate proper vibrato technique
Introduced skills: Apply knowledge of Circle of Fifths to tonalization of all Major & minor keys / Playing test
Teacher observation
Oral Test / Music selected by teacher, “Essential Techniques for Strings”
Circle of Fifths, teacher developed materials
February / Tonalization of ALL major & minor keys in three octaves (Standards; 1 & 2)
Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Music Theory (Standards; 1 & 2) / Developed skills: Develop understanding of higher position in ALL Major & minor keys; play music, three octaves scales & three octaves arpeggios
Introduced skills: Demonstrate proper vibrato technique
Developed skills: Apply knowledge of Circle of Fifths to Tonalization of all Major & minor keys / Playing test
Teacher observation
Oral Test / Music selected by teacher, “Essential Techniques for Strings”
Circle of Fifths, teacher developed materials
March / Tonalization of ALL major & minor keys in three octaves (Standards; 1 & 2)
Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Music Theory (Standards; 1 & 2)
Performance (D; 1, 2) / Developed skills: Develop understanding of higher position in ALL Major & minor keys; play music, three octaves scales & three octaves arpeggios
Developed skills: Demonstrate proper vibrato technique
Developed skills: Apply knowledge of Circle of Fifths to Tonalization of all Major & minor keys
Developed skills: Perform music in any Major or minor key, any meter, any style, and any time period / Playing test
Teacher observation
Concert, CHSAA Solo and Ensemble Contest, Large Group Festival / Teacher selected materials & music
April / Tonalization of ALL major & minor keys in three octaves (Standards; 1 & 2)
Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Music theory (Standards; 1, & 2)
Music History (Standards; 4 & 5) / Developed skills: Develop understanding of higher position in ALL Major & minor keys; play music, three octave scales & three octave arpeggios
Developed skills: Demonstrate proper vibrato technique
Developed skills: Apply knowledge of Circle of Fifths to tonalization of all Major & minor keys; Reconstruct the Circle of Fifths
Introduced skills: Differentiate between Classical, Baroque, 20th century, and contemporary musical periods; Recognize & identify characteristics & composers of all 3 periods / Teacher observation, written reconstruction
Listening & written tests / Circle of Fifths, Teacher developed materials
Same as resources in October
May / Tonalization of ALL major & minor keys in three octaves (Standards; 1 & 2)
Tone Production (Standard; 1)
Music theory (Standards; 1, & 2)
Music History (Standards; 4 & 5)
Performance (Standards; 1 & 2) / Developed skills: Develop understanding of higher position in ALL Major & minor keys; play music, three octave scales & three octave arpeggios
Developed skills: Demonstrate proper vibrato technique
Developed skills: Apply knowledge of Circle of Fifths to tonalization of all Major & minor keys; Reconstruct the Circle of Fifths
Introduced skills: Differentiate between Classical, Baroque, 20th century, and contemporary musical periods; Recognize & identify characteristics & composers of all 3 periods
Developed skills: Perform music in any Major or minor key, any meter, any style, and any time period
Introduced skills: Demonstrate proper auditioning skills / Written cumulative final
Listening, class discussion, & cumulative written final
Audition for Symphonic Orchestra / Teacher selected materials & music