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Welcome to 6th Grade General Music!
6th Grade music is all about learning how we got to where we are today in the musical world. Music did not just appear out of thin air, so we start way back in the Medieval times and throughout the year we will make our way to today's music. It is important to learn our musical lineage in order to respect and really appreciate the music we have today.
Supplies Needed:
Folder and Notebook
Listening Journals:
Throughout the year, students will complete a series of listening journals. These listening journals will be written in complete sentences that critique each listening example given. Entries must include a minimum of five sentences and have at least four vocabulary words discussed from class (tempo, style dynamics, instrumentation, mood, personal opinion, tonality, song meaning, etc). Each listening example will vary in style, time period, etc. The goal of this is to become active listeners while getting an experience that will broaden your horizons. The question isn't if we like music or not but WHY we like or don't like music selections. Listening journals also allow us to listen to and gain respect for all types of musical styles. Students are to complete their listening journal entrees in their notebook that will be periodically collected for a grade.
This is how listening journals will be graded:
This is how listening journals will be graded:
Concepts for the Year:
1st Trimester:
2nd Trimester:
3rd Trimester:
- Medieval: How did music begin? Who realized that by using mathematical equations, we were able to discover simple musical tones? Who were Gregorian Chants named after? Who invented music notation? Vocab- Monophonic, Plainsong
- Listening Journal: Medieval Instrumental Music
- Participation Activity: Students will become Troubadours! These were performance groups that traveled to different royal estates when kings or queens would hire entertainment. Students will work in groups to prepare a 20 second medieval dance routine. We will watch medieval dances to get a good idea of what to do!
- Renaissance: When did the Renaissance begin? Who did the Royal Court hire to perform for them? Vocab- Polyphonic, Word Painting, Melisma, Organum, Motet, Madrigal; Composers- Josquin de Prez, William Byrd; Instruments- Lute, Dulcimer, Bagpipe, Recorder, Harpsichord
- Listening Journal: "Mille Regretz" by Josquin des Prez
- Participation Activity: We will sing through "Dona Nobis Pacem" (additional words and music by Cristi Cary Miller). This arrangement represents a lot about what Renaissance music was all about: Latin text, a capella, and in a polyphonic texture.
- Baroque: When did the Baroque period begin? What happened to the orchestra? What was the new form of entertainment? Vocab- opera; Composers- Johann Sebastian Bach, Handel, Antonio Vivaldi; Instruments: pianoforte, organ, violin, flute (wooden), trompe dauphine
- Listening Journal: "Water Music" by Handel
- Participation Activity: Students will have a presentation:
- "Opera" In a group, come up with a story line that could be used for an opera. Come up with a sketch of costumes, a set design, mood, and characters. You must create a title. Be prepared to explain what you came up with AND present a scene from your opera to the class. The scene you present must include all members of your group.
- Classical: When did the Classical period begin? What changed in the orchestra? Which composer was deaf? Who was named "Father of the Symphony?" Vocab- homophonic; Composers- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven
- Listening Journal: "Beethoven's 9th Symphony, 4th Movement" 12:46-15:35 on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeT17YeUj5k&t=1134s
- Activity: While discussing the vocabulary word, "overture," we will talk about how you can find meaning that is embedded into instrumental music. Even though instrumental music doesn't contain words, we should still be able to use our imagination to visualize a story. Students will create a comic strip to the overture for "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart. I want them to really focus on what they hear in the music that made their story turn in different directions. For example, if the music's tempo became faster, maybe there could be a chase. If the music became softer and slower, maybe a character could be having a serious conversation. Whatever the student can imagine, there story will evolve based on the music they hear. To display this on paper, we will use the idea of a comic strip, so they can really explore how the music can change with pictures.
- Romantic: When did the Romantic period begin? What was the music about? What did the music sound like? Composers- Richard Wagner, Brahms, Chopin, Tchaikovsky
- If extra time:
- Impressionist: Impressions of music, very similar to art, Composers: Debussy
2nd Trimester:
- STOMP Project:
- Students will create two contrasting rhythmic compositions and perform them on non-traditional instruments.
- Five weeks to complete
- See Guidelines and Rubric Below
- Listening Journal: Audio excerpt from the STOMP Off Broadway Show.
- Jazz: Started in 1900-1920 in New Orleans, swing rhythms, improvisations, ragtime, Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong
- Activity: Using body percussion, improvise a beat and pass the solo to another member of the group. We will improvise beats using body percussion to the song, "Sing Sing Sing" by Benny Goodman
- Listening Journal: "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
- Broadway: Beginning in 1920, first musical was Showboat, George Gershwin, Ziegfeld, other musicals to discuss are: Anything Goes, On the Town, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Annie, Cats, 42nd Street, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Hairspray, Wicked.
- Listening Journal: Student choice from musical listed above
- Rock and Roll: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Billboard Charts, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, American Bandstand, Rolling Stones, instruments used, improvisation, electric synthesizers
- Listening Journal: "Baba O'Riley" by The Who
- Motown
- Disco
- 1980s/1990s
3rd Trimester:
- Electronic Music: this trimester will mostly be projects and listening journals.
- Project one: "Music Technology Project"
- Students will create an electronic music composition using their chromebooks on a website called, Soundation. This is a website that has pre-recorded tracks of various sounds (melodic/percussive) with different tempos and time signatures. Rubric is below.
- Project two: "Rap Project"
- Students will create a rap based on one of the character traits: Respect, Kindness, Responsibility, Acceptance, Integrity, Perseverance.
- See Guidelines and Rubric below.
- Project three: "Commercial"
- Given a product (windex, target, etc.), students will create backing music on Soundation.com to coincide with a skit. Their job is to create a commercial from start to finish and use music as an important factor in selling their product. They must be able to discuss why they chose certain instruments, and write a paragraph about their story/message/interpretation of the elements chosen to sell their product.
- Project one: "Music Technology Project"