Beverley Manor Middle School
8th Grade GuitarSyllabus
Ms. Lindsey Wilson
Email: School Phone: 540-886-5806
What Will We Do?
Welcome to 8th grade guitar class! This class is open to any student wishing to learn or improve upon their guitar skills. Areas of study will include guitar anatomy, care of the instrument, tuning, playing chords, reading chord diagrams, and reading TAB notation. Students will learn how to play notes on the strings, simple melodies, and songs with multiple chord changes. In addition to learning different strumming patterns and how to accompany, students will practice playing with a capo and a pick. This class is expected to perform together as an ensemble at least once and no previous experience is necessary. An acoustic guitar and method book are provided for each student in the class.
*All of the VA Music SOLs for Middle School Guitar will be covered in this course and a detailed pacing guide is available upon request.
What Do I Need to Bring to Class?
Please bring a pencil to class every day.
How Will I Be Graded?
Grades will be calculated using the following percentages:
Class Participation: 50%Concert Participation: 20%
Assessments, Tests/Quizzes, and Projects: 25%Classwork and Homework: 5%
*Your daily participation (including your effort, preparation, and attitude) will be recorded on a daily basis and will affect your grade.
What are the Rules and Expectations?
- Be respectful.Respect the teacher, your peers, yourself, the instruments, and this classroom.
- Listen, follow directions, and participate. Remember that your effort, preparation, and attitude are on display.
- Be prepared and positive. Bring all your materials and a positive, cooperative attitude to class every day.
- Raise your hand and talk at the appropriate time. Do not talk when the teacher is working.
- Be nice. Treat others the way you want to be treated and mind your manners.
*This music classroom is a NO gum, food, candy, or drinks zone!
**ALL BMMS school rules, codes of conduct, and policies will be followed in this class.
What are the Consequences for Breaking the Rules?
Consequences for breaking the rules include:
- Reminder of rule
- “Rest Area” in music room
- Individual meeting and parent contact likely
- First time out and parent contact
- Second time out and parent contact
- Referral to the office
When is the Concert? (When Do We Get to Show Off?)
8th Grade Guitar Ensemble will perform together in the BMMS Winter Guitar/Choral Concert.
The BMMS Winter Guitar/Choral Concert is December 6 at 7 pm in the BMMS Cafeteria Auditorium.
*Please note that the SNOW DATE for the concert is December 13 at 7 pm.
**The mandatory dress rehearsal for the Winter concert will start immediately after the school day ends on December 6 (the same day as the concert). Pizza and a movie will be provided for students that wish to stay at school until the time of the concert.
***Concert Policy: Participating in the Winter concert is worth 20% of your overall grade. Because this is a performance based class, participating in the concert is mandatory for all students enrolled in the class. If a student has a conflict and cannot attend the concert, Ms. Wilson needs a note of excused absence (with a signature) from a parent/guardian. The student will then need to complete a make-up assignment. Excused absences include illness, sports games (practices do not count), and family emergencies.
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions you may have!
How Do I Earn 10 Daily Participation Points
AND
Get a 100 for My Weekly Participation Grade?
☺Enter the room correctly and complete the bell ringer at the
beginning of class
☺Be prepared for class with all of your materials
☺Be positive and kind to others
☺Listen, follow directions, and cooperate
☺Be respectful of everyone and everything in the classroom
☺Raise your hand and talk at the appropriate time
☺Follow ALL of the rules
☺Actively participate and put forth your best effort
☺Follow the procedure and directions at the end of class
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FYI: Students can earn up to 10 daily participation points per day and 50 total daily participation points per week. At the end of the week, the student’s total participation points for the week (out of 50) are multiplied by 2 to calculate the Weekly Participation Grade.
For example, a student that earned 10 daily participation points each day of the week would end up with 50 total participation points for that week.
50 (the total participation points) x 2 = 100 so the student would earn a 100 as their Weekly Participation Grade.
*If a student is absent from school or is assigned AES from another teacher, they will not lose points for that day.
*Music “Rest Area” = lose 5 points per day
*Time-out, AES, or Office Referral= lose 10 points per day
8th Grade Guitar
Parent / Student Agreement Form
*Please return this page with all of the appropriate signatures to Ms. Wilson by ______for your first 100 grade on a homework assignment! ☺
We have read the syllabus for 8th Grade Guitar class and understand all of the information found in this syllabus.
We also understand all of the concert information including the concert policy.
Student Signature: ______Date: ______
Print Student Name Here: ______
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Parent/Guardian Signature: ______Date: ______