Knowledge and Skills / Outcomes / Assessments / Instructional Menu
First Nine Weeks
Perform: Play, Sing, Read, and Move
I.Tone ProductionA.Posture / Students will
1. Demonstrate proper seated body alignment:
a. Back away from chair
b. Both feet flat on floor
c. Chest held high, chin level--not forward
2. Demonstrate proper standing body alignment:
a. Feet shoulder-width apart
b. Knees slightly bent
c. One foot slightly forward
d. Chest held high, chin level
e. Both arms at sides / Singing Posture Rubric
Embedded Assessments
Self/Peer assessments / MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music
Teacher Resource Kit
“Feet, Feet, Flat on the Floor” – MSM Method/Judy Bowers
B.Phonation and Resonation / Students will
1. Identify and demonstrate proper use of the following parts of the vocal anatomy while singing
a. lungs
b. diaphragm
c. larynx
2. Demonstrate how to properly begin the tone
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the vocal folds
a. location and operation of
b. describe use of in vocalization
4. Demonstrate awareness of the full body as the vocal instrument:
a. proper posture resulting in energized tone
b. body activation from head to toe
c. alert facial expression, raised eyebrows
d. expanded abdominal area--front, sides, and back
e. free, unrestrained vocal tone / Vocal Anatomy Written Assessment
Teacher observation
On-demand demonstrations / MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music
Teacher Resource Kit
“Rep-ah-tik-ah” exercise – MSM Method/Judy Bowers
Choral Voicing – MSM Method/Judy Bowers
Innocent Sounds – Marie Stultz
Strategies for Teaching Jr. High and Middle School Male Singers – Terry J. Barham, Ph.D.
C. Breathing / Students will
1. demonstrate expanded abdomen on inhalation, relaxed abdomen on exhalation
2. understand relationship between breath support and pitch accuracy
3. consistently apply proper breathing techniques on each phrase / Diaphragmatic Breathing Rubric
Teacher observation
On-demand demonstrations
Rubric / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
Innocent Sounds – Marie Stultz
D. Diction / Students will
1. demonstrate basic vowel placements--ee, eh, ah, oh, oo
2. show proper use of the articulators--lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palate
3. develop placement of initial and final consonants / Performance Assessment Rubric
Formative, Structured Experience / Resource: Pronunciation Guide for Choral Literature (MENC Publication)
II. Expression
The students will:
1. consistently perform with a sense of ensemble
2. perform while paying attention to vocal blend and ensemble balance / Ensemble Performance Event / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
A. Dynamics
/ The students will:
1. define and execute the following dynamic markings: pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff
2. accurately demonstrate the following dynamic changes
a. crescendo
b. decrescendo
c. mesa di voce
3. demonstrate awareness and understanding of relative dynamics / Performance Assessment Rubric
Formative, Structured Product / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
B. Tempo
/ Students will correctly perform various tempo markings for assigned vocal pieces including:
1. allegro
2. andante
3. largo / Performance Assessment Rubric
Performance Event
Teacher Observation / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
C. Text painting and word/syllable stress / Students will
1. accurately perform word stress when text painting occurs in assigned vocal literature
2. consistently place stress on important syllables of text and less stress on unimportant syllables / Performance Assessment Rubric
Self-Evaluation
Peer Evaluation / Approved Vocal Music Literature
D. Phraseology / Students will:
1. properly manage breath to sustain an entire phrase
2. demonstrate awareness of "phrase shape"
3. define and demonstrate phrase arsis and thesis / Performance Assessment Rubric
On Demand Performances / Approved Vocal Music Literature
Innocent Sounds – Marie Stultz
III. Literacy
A. Pitch Notation / Students will:
1. Identify names of lines and spaces on treble and bass clefs
2. Identify, define, and write sharp, flat, and natural
3. Construct major scales form 0 to 2 sharps and flats
4. Write and explain key signatures for 0 to 2 sharps and flats / Ear Training with Notation
Written Assessment / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Beginner and Intermediate Sight-Singing
B. Sight-Singing and Ear-Training / Students will:
1. Identify and define harmonic intervals
2. Identify and define melodic intervals
3. Identify and notate half and whole steps
4. Identify, upon hearing, half and whole steps
5. Sing and/or play whole, half, quarter notes and rests
6. Demonstrate understanding of sight-reading technique in unison and 2 parts in the key of G major
7. Echo sing in the key of G major
8. Sing assigned intervals correctly on neutral vowel and lyrics / Ear Training with Notation
Music Reading Assessment Rubric
Rubric
On-demand Performances
Sequential Formative Assessments / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Beginner and Intermediate Sight-Singing
Echo Chain Singing Games – Grace Nash
Building Choral Excellence – Steven M. Demorest
C. Use of music terminology / The students will:
1.Accurately follow a choral score, responding appropriately to the following symbols:
a. staff
b. bar line
c. double bar line
d. repeat sign
e. grand staff
f. page, system, measure numbers
2. Use appropriate terminology and vocabulary to describe music and performances
3. Locate all vocal parts in a choral score
4. Accurately number the measures in a choral score / Written Assessment / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
D. Time Signatures / Students will
1. Sing, clap, chant in duple, triple, and quadruple meters
2. Interpret meaning of the top and bottom numbers of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 time
3. Respond to and perform conducting patterns of the above time signatures / Self-Assessment
Class Performance / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Beginner and Intermediate Sight-Singing
E. Rhythm / Students will
1. Clap, chant, and sing whole, half, quarter notes and rests
2. Describe, define, and identify upon seeing, whole, half, quarter notes and rests
3. Identify parts of each note and its significance / Rhythm Card Assessment
Sequential Formative Assessment / Approved Vocal Music Literature
IV. Performance Literature and Practices
Students will:
1. Attend all required rehearsals, including before and after regular school hours
2. Attend all required performances
3. Develop awareness/understanding of the following topics in vocal care
a. lubricating the vocal mechanism
b. causes of and how to avoid hoarseness
c. laryngitis, common cold
d. proper use of medication
4. Proficiently perform unison and 2 part music at a difficulty level of at least 2 on a scale of 1-6 on the Texas UIL List
5. Identify, define, and sing an ostinato
6. Demonstrate proficiency with WTVMEA All-West choral literature / Attendance Checklist
WTVMEA Rating List/Inventory
Field Trips
School Performances / Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir Vols. 1 and 2-- GIA Publications
WTVMEA All-West Literature
District/Regional All-West Clinic
Middle School Memphis Repertoire Lists – Judy Bowers
Ex.
O Music – Mason, arr. Rao
Hitori – Donnelly and Strid
Respond:
Listen
Evaluate / The students will:
1. Listen to recording or attend performances of various choral ensembles including, elementary, middle, high school choirs, treble chorus, boy choir, gospel choir
2. Critique performances of choral ensembles using rubrics and adjudication instruments from various choral festivals / Concert Evaluations
Oral Critique
Written Critique / Music Technology via Pocketrak Audio Recording
Create:
Arrange
Compose
Improvise
Notate / The students will
1. Improvise short melodic and rhythmic patterns in response to aural prompts
2. Use technology and multimedia applications to create original music
3. Notate several measures of rhythmic and melodic dictation in simple meters
4. Create vocal harmony to a given melody
5. Compose a descant or partner song to a given melody / Class Demonstrations
Audio Portfolio / Music Technology via Pocketrak Audio Recording
Connect:
Relate
Apply / 1. Identify, sing, and describe canons
2. Accurately hold voice part in imitative and non-imitative canons
3. Compare and contrast the use of vocal/choral music in various cultures
4. Research careers in music / In Class Performances
Teacher Observation
Written/Oral Critique / MCS Adopted General Music Textbook: Spotlight on Music
Summative Assessment: Memphis Middle School Choir 1st 9-week Benchmark Assessment
Knowledge and Skills / Outcomes / Assessments / Instructional MenuSecond Nine Weeks
Perform: Play, Sing, Read, and Move
I.Tone ProductionA.Posture / The students will continue to demonstrate proper sitting and standing posture / Singing Posture Rubric
Embedded Assessments
Self/Peer assessments / MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music
Teacher Resource Kit
B.Phonation and Resonation / The students will
1. Demonstrate proper placement of the five basic vowel sounds:
a. Dark--oo, oh
b. Neutral--ah
c. Bright-- ee, eh
2. Show proper embouchure for producing tall, rounded vowels
3. Recognize support vs. unsupported tone
4. Show proper use of neutral vowel (schwa) / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Teacher observation
On-demand demonstrations / Resource: Innocent Sounds-Books 1 and 2-Marie Stultz-Cokesbury Publishers
MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music
Teacher Resource Kit
Strategies for Teaching Jr. High and Middle School Male Singers – Terry J. Barham, Ph.D.
C. Breathing / The students will
1. Compare and contrast diaphragmatic and clavicular breathing
2. Show expansion in front, on sides, and back of abdominal area / Diaphragmatic Breathing Rubric
Teacher observation
On-demand demonstrations
Rubric / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
D. Diction / The students will
1. Demonstrate proper embouchure and placement for all vowels
2. Demonstrate effective use of the schwa (neutral) vowel
3. Demonstrate basic understanding of Latin vowels and consonants
4. Sing with crisp, accurate placement of all initial and final consonants / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Formative, Structured Experience / Resource: Pronunciation Guide for Choral Literature (MENC Publication)
MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music
II. Expression / Performance Assessment Rubrics
A. Dynamics
/ The students will
1. Develop a sense of ensemble as it relates to dynamic changes
2. Demonstrate sensitivity to blend and balance
3. Demonstrate Baroque terraced dynamics
4. Demonstrate awareness that melody predominates choral texture, regardless of vocal section / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Ensemble Performance Event
Formative, Structured Product / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
B. Tempo
/ The student will
1. correctly perform various tempo marking for assigned vocal pieces
2. demonstrate sense of ensemble as it relates to tempo changes, including accelerando, and ritardando
3. demonstrate rubato in appropriate literature / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Performance Event
Teacher Observation / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
C. Text painting and word/syllable stress / The student will
1. demonstrate proper use of agogic accents in all literature, including foreign languages pieces
2. consistently apply the rule of the steady beat
3. demonstrate proper execution of the slur / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Peer Evaluation / Approved Vocal Music Literature
D. Phraseology / The student will demonstrate how to musically perform repeated phrases, text, or sections of a piece / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Teacher Observation / Approved Vocal Music Literature
III. Literacy
A. Pitch Notation / The student will:
1. Demonstrate basic knowledge of the piano keyboard
a. Pitch direction (up-right, down-left)
b. Identify, sing, and notate half and whole steps
c. Show sharps and flats on the keyboard
2. Give the arrangement of whole and half steps in a major scale / Ear Training with Notation
Written Assessments
Sequential Formative Assessment / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Beginner and Intermediate Sight-Singing
Echo Chain Singing Games – Grace Nash
Building Choral Excellence – Steven M. Demorest
B. Sight-Singing and Ear-Training / Students will
1. Sing the following intervals using solfege--major second, major third, perfect fifth
2. Recognize and sing the above intervals in sight-singing and
assigned literature.
3. Sing a major triad (D-M-S) in various keys
4. Sing assigned sight-reading material unaccompanied
5. Identify and sing skips, step, and repeats in exercises / Music Reading Rubrics
Ear Training with Notation
On-demand Performances
Sequential Formative Assessments / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Beginner and Intermediate Sight-Singing
Echo Chain Singing Games – Grace Nash
Building Choral Excellence – Steven M. Demorest
C. Use of music terminology / The students will define, recognize, and use the following in a choral score:
1. fine
2. da capo
3. d. c. al fine / Short-answer and sentence completion.
Selected Response (matching, multiple choice, T/F) / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
D. Time Signatures / The student will:
1. Demonstrate by singing or playing, various time signatures
2. Respond to and demonstrate basic conducting gesture for music in duple, triple, quadruple meters
3. Demonstrate understanding of the bottom number / Self-Assessment
Peer Assessment / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Beginner and Intermediate Sight-Singing
E. Rhythm / The student will:
1. Define downbeat
2. Define anacrusis (pick-up note)
3. Define, recognize, and understand the incomplete measure
4. Identify and define the use of the dot / Rhythm Card Assessment
Self-Assessment
Peer Assessment / Approved Vocal Music Literature
IV. Performance Literature and Practices
The students will:
1.Perform an assigned vocal part in unison and 2 part harmony
2. Sing at least three of the following: rounds, canons, descants, partner songs, AB form, ABA form, strophic form
3.Sing literature in three/four part harmony.
4.Sing literature with and without instrumental accompaniment.
5. Sing at least two pieces, Grade 2 or higher, from the Texas UIL List
6. Study and perform literature representing diverse historical periods, styles, and cultures
7. Attend all required performances
8. Attend all required rehearsals, including before and after regular school hours
9. Maintain the voice in proper singing condition / Performance Event
Field Trips / Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir Vols. 1 and 2-- GIA Publication
Texas UIL List at
WTVMEA All-West Honor Choir Auditions and Concert
Rock N Soul Museum Musical Guide for Educators
Ex.
Kaki Lambe – arr. Brian Tate
Sahayta – Allaway
Respond:
Listen
Evaluate / 1.Use movement to illustrate contrasting styles of music.
2.Use body percussion and classroom instruments to practice and perform rhythms.
3. Identify basic form of assigned literature
4. Design an individual and a group performance rubric based on knowledge of technique and musicianship
5. Listen to recordings of school performances and rehearsals and various other choral ensembles, and accurately critique tone, intonation, diction, and overall vocal technique / Concert Evaluations
Oral Critique
Written Critique
Student-Developed Rubric / MCS Adopted General Music Text: Spotlight on Music
Create:
Arrange
Compose
Improvise
Notate / 1. Using voice, percussions, or keyboard, compose melodies,
harmonies, and rhythms to complement assigned
literature
2. Given a four measure chord patterns, students will
improvise with voice, rhythms, or keyboards
3. Compose, record, notate music using Yamaha Pocket
Tracks digital recorder, Sibelius and Finale
notation software, and improvise or harmonize
using SmartMusic software / Class Demonstrations
Audio Portfolio / World Music Drumming--A Cross- Cultural Curriculum by Will Schmid (Hal Leonard Publishing)
Connect:
Relate
Apply / 1.Identify distinguishing characteristics of Baroque music and art.
2.Demonstrate knowledge of the Singing Schools
3. Perform literature from various cultures associated with the holiday season
4. Compare and contrast holiday celebrations of domestic and international regions, cultures, and countries and sing representative literature of each
5. Identify, describe, and demonstrate polyphonic texture
6. Investigate the relationship of music to other fine arts and disciplines outside the arts.
/ Individual/Group Project
Written/Oral Reports / MCS Adopted General Music Textbook: Spotlight on Music
Guest Speakers from Local Arts Community
Summative Assessment: Memphis Middle School Choir 2nd 9-Week Benchmark
Knowledge and Skills / Outcomes / Assessments / Instructional MenuThird Nine Weeks
Perform: Play, Sing, Read, and Move
I.Tone ProductionA.Posture / Students will consistently demonstrate proper sitting/standing posture for singing / Singing Posture Rubric
Embedded Assessment / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
B.Phonation and Resonation / The student will:
1. Demonstrate proper mouth space while singing each vowel
2. Demonstrate a lifted soft palate
3. Define and demonstrate resonance and the resonating chambers--sinuses, mouth, throat, chest
4. Demonstrate singing "in the mask" / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Rubric/Checklist / Resource: Innocent Sounds-Books 1 and 2-Marie Stultz-Cokesbury Publishers
Strategies for Teaching Jr. High and Middle School Male Singers – Terry J. Barham, Ph.D.
MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music
C. Breathing / The student will:
1. Develop proficiency in breath/phrase management
2. Employ breath and engage articulators to cleanly execute all consonants
3. Demonstrate proficiency in diaphragmatic breathing while singing:
a. high chest at all times
b. abdominal expansion and control
c. use of abdominal wall to sustain breath flow
d. constant air flow/breath pressure to sustain pitch / Diaphragmatic Breathing Rubric
Teacher Observation
On Demand Demonstrations / MCS Adopted Textbook: Experiencing Choral Music: Teacher Resource Kit
D. Diction / The student will:
1. Define, describe, and demonstrate the following diphthongs
a. an-ee
b. eh-ee
c. aw-ee
d. oh-oo
e. ee-oo
f. oo-ah
2. Accurately place the nucleus and off-glides of the above diphthongs
3. Demonstrate voiced vs. voiceless consonants
a. t vs. d
b. p vs. b
c. f vs. v / Performance Assessment Rubrics
Vocal Exam Rubric / Resource: Pronunciation Guide for Choral Literature (MENC Publication)
MCS Adopted Textbook:
Experiencing Choral Music