District Overview
The goal of the Brandywine Heights Area School District Music Department is to enable students to become lifelong participants in music, to
learn the skills necessary for continued enjoyment in music, and to see the many connections between music and other subjects. Music, an
important subject in itself, brings all subjects together in a united whole.
The study of music encourages critical thinking in our students, fosters participation in groups, broadens students’ education by encouraging the
artistic proponent of development, and promotes problem solving skills which will carry with students throughout their lives and further
education. Music curriculum scaffolds to build skills from Kindergarten through high school, with students constantly building on prior
knowledge. More than a “special” subject, the study of music allows students discover what it means to be human by allowing expression of
their artistic nature. The study of music should be thorough, rigorous, and comprehensive.
Grade 9th-12th Units:
The units should equate to a full course (full-year/semester) of instruction.
 Unit 1: Music Fundamentals: Melody and Rhythm
 Unit 2: Major Scales and Keys
 Unit 3: Major Triads
 Unit 4: Minor Scales, Keys, and Primary Triads
 Unit 5: Composition : Structure and Flavor
 Unit 6: Transposition and Modes
 Unit 7: Final Composition Project
Subject: Music Theory
Grade: 9-12
Unit Title: Music Fundamentals: Melody and Rhythm
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
How is sound organized to make music?
How does the structure of a musical piece create its order and clarity?
How is melody created?
Unit Objectives:
Notate the elements of music using F, G and moveable C, clefs, including noteheads, stems, flags, beams, and rests, using correct vertical
alignment and stem direction, barlines, brackets, braces, repeat signs, endings, and accidentals.
Notate and recognize simple rhythmic patterns (beats and subdivisions), notate and recognize simple, compound, and complex meters, and
organize rhythms into appropriate groupings (beaming and barring).
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Students will…
Competencies/Skills:
Students will be able to… (identify)
Identify parts of a note
Identify and write rhythmic symbols
Interpret relationships among rhythmic
symbols
Identify and interpret rhythmic concepts
in written music
Interpret time signature
Apply time signature and counts to
rhythmic patterns
Create rhythmic patterns using time
signature and rhythmic symbols
Hear rhythmic patterns and transfer to
written format
Rhythm
Parts of a note- stem, flag, beam
Rhythmic symbols- whole note, half note,
quarter note, rests
Rhythmic relationships
Rhythmic terms: beat, measure, bar line,
double bar line
Time signature- top number, bottom
number
Counting rhythms
Composition of original rhythmic patterns
Rhythmic dictation: hear rhythmic
pattern and transfer to written form
Description of Activities:
Basic music dictation
Looking at piano music and identifying notes in both
clefs
Use mnemonic devices to tell what interval two notes
are
Musical Alphabet
List the letters in the musical alphabet
Visually and aurally identify an octave
Visually and aurally identify conjunct
motion
Hear conjunct patterns of pitches and
transfer to written form
Pitch on the Staff
Visually identify and draw the treble clef
and bass clef
Discuss the purpose of the treble and
bass clef
Construct pitches in treble and bass clef
on the staff
Identify pitches in treble and bass clef on
the staff
Define ledger lines
Identify and construct pitches on the
staff using ledger lines
Piano
Identify names of white keys on the
piano
Play simple melodies on the piano using
white keys
Composition: Create original melodies
using white keys on the piano
Define half step and whole step and
identify on the piano
Define accidentals, including sharp, flat,
double sharp, double flat, natural
Identify names of black keys on the piano
using accidentals
Define enharmonic
Melody
Pitch
Musical alphabet
Octave
Conjunct motion
Pitch on the Staff
Treble clef pitches
Bass clef pitches
Stem direction
Ledger lines
Grand staff
Octave registers
Piano
White keys on the piano
Half steps, whole steps
Accidentals- sharp, flat, double sharp,
double flat, natural
Enharmonic
Identify enharmonic pitches on the piano
Identify and construct pitches on the
staff using accidentals
Play black and white key melodies on the
piano with proper rhythm, tempo,
hand/finger position
Composition: Create original pitch and
rhythmic patterns using conjunct motion
Dictation: Hear patterns of conjunct pitch
and rhythmic symbols and transfer to
written forms
Assessments:
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Piano book
Subject: Music Theory
Unit Title: Major Scales and Keys
Grade: 9-12
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
How does the Circle of Fifths help to establish key signatures?
Unit Objectives:
Demonstrate the ability to write major and minor key signatures on the staff (circle of fifths).
Demonstrate the ability to notate simple rhythmic patterns from dictated examples and identify simple rhythmic motives and meters from aural
examples.
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Students will…
Major Scales
Define scale, major scale, chromatic scale
Construct major scales on the staff in
treble and bass clef
Play major scales on the piano
Competencies/Skills:
Students will be able to… (identify)
Major Scales
Scale
Chromatic scale
Major scale construction-location of half
steps and whole steps
Key Signatures
Define the purpose and identify the
location of a key
List the order of sharps and flats in a key
signature
Write key signatures on the staff
Given the key signature, identify the key
name
Use the Circle of Fifths/Fourths to
identify the key name
Compose an original melody that
demonstrates understanding of:
Key Signatures
Purpose and location of key signatures
Order of sharps and flats in key signature
Writing key signatures on the staff in
treble and bass clef
Identifying key name
Circle of fifths
Description of Activities:
Theory textbook and workbook
Music dictation
Piano workbook
-rhythmic symbols and relationships
-time signature
-key signature
Play melodies on the piano in treble and
bass clef, demonstrating appropriate
pitch, rhythm, tempo, fingers, hand
position
Assessments:
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Finale-Music Notation software
DVD Player
Subject: Music Theory
Unit Title: Major Triads
Grade: 9-12
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Why is it necessary to be able to sing intervals and melodies?
Why is it important to be able to transcribe single note melodies by keyboard dictation?
Unit Objectives:
All simple intervals and their inversion, and compound intervals to the interval of a 15th
The student will be able to relate this knowledge to the keyboard.
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Students will…
Define chord, triad
Identify the parts of a triad
Construct major, minor, diminished, and
augmented triads on the staff
Identify triads visually and aurally
Play major triads on the piano
List the scale degree names for pitch in a
scale
Identify the three primary triads
according to scale
Discuss the use of harmonic minor scale
in music composition.
Identify the Roman numerals
representing both major and minor
primary triads
Harmonize a melody in minor key, using
primary triads
Assessments:
Competencies/Skills:
Students will be able to… (identify)
Chord
Triad
Parts of a triad- root, third, fifth
Kinds of triads- major, minor, diminished,
augmented
Three primary triads
Scale degree names
Description of Activities:
Theory textbook and workbook
Music dictation
Piano workbook
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Finale-Music Notation software
DVD Player
Subject: Music Theory
Grade: 9-12
Unit Title: Minor Scales, Keys, and Primary Triads
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Why is it important to play or sing scales?
How is music built upon patterns found in major and minor scales?
How did prolific composers in history adjust the use of scale structure to develop new genres and styles of music?
Unit Objectives:
All major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads
(In open and closed position, In root position, first inversion and second inversion)
The student will use figured bass symbols, and provide roman numeral analysis of chords within a given tonality
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Competencies/Skills:
Description of Activities:
Students will…
Construct the natural minor scale on the
staff
Play the natural minor scale on the piano
Discuss the role of relative scales with
relation to major scales
Discuss the relationship between relative
scales and major/minor key signatures
Given the major key name, identify the
relative minor key name
Given the minor key name, identify the
relative major key name
Identify and construct major and relative
minor key signatures
Construct the harmonic minor scale on
the staff
Students will be able to…(identify)
Natural minor scales
Relative scales
Key signatures in minor
Harmonic minor scale
Melodic minor scale
Primary triads for minor keys
Ternary form
Rondo form
Jump Bass accompaniment
Theory textbook and workbook
Music dictation
Piano workbook
Compare and contrast the harmonic
minor scale in relation to the relative
minor scale
Play harmonic minor scales on the piano
Discuss the relationship between the
harmonic minor scale and minor key
signatures
Composition
Compose two original melodies, one base
on the natural minor scale and one based
on the harmonic minor scale
Construct the melodic minor scale on the
staff
Compare and contrast all three forms of
the minor scale- natural, harmonic, and
melodic
Construct minor triads on the staff
Identify Roman numerals for the three
primary triads in minor
Construct the three primary triads on the
staff in minor keys
Define ternary form and rondo form
Analyze ternary form and rondo form in
written music
Define jump bass accompaniment in
written music
Analyze jump bass accompaniment in
written music
Create an original composition that
demonstrates the following concepts:
-minor keys
-ternary or rondo form
-jump bass accompaniment
-repetition and variation
Assessments:
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Finale-Music Notation software
DVD Player
Subject: Music Theory
Grade: 9-12
Unit Title: Composition - Structure and Flavor
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
Is there good harmony and bad harmony?
What does harmony add to music?
Can you have rhythm without beat?
Why does each voice and instrument have its own timbre?
Unit Objectives:
To exercise creative imagination for sound.
To learn and utilize new compositional techniques.
To develop compositional skills through regular and focused practice.
To expand awareness of the richness and diversity of contemporary music.
To foster an environment for creative exchange and constructive criticism.
To move toward the acquisition of a personal musical language.
To develop skills in effective notation.
To develop skills working with specific instruments and voices.
To prepare scores and parts for performance.
To produce a substantial portfolio of compositions.
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Competencies/Skills:
Description of Activities:
Students will…
Students will be able to…(identify)
Review:
Proper interaction between melody and
harmony
Conjunt and disjunct melodies
Phrases and periods
Candences
Writing effective melodies: phrase,
period, climax note, conjunct/disjunct
tension and release
Theory textbook and workbook
Music dictation
Piano workbook
Finale
Noteflight
Chord progressions and role of primary
triads
Define cadence in terms of:
Purpose
Location in relation to phrase and period
Define half cadence and identify location
and role in relation to phrases/periods
Define authentic cadence and identify
role and location in relation to
phrases/periods
Analyze written music and identify half
and authentic cadences
Discuss the role of the following concepts
in music composition:
Tension and release
Climax note
Repetition and variation
Create an original composition that
demonstrates:
Interpretive markings
Primary triads
Musical rules
Define the following terms:
Accompaniments
Glissando accompaniment triad
accompaniment in a melody
Arpeggiation
Create original compositions that
demonstrate triad accompaniment,
glissando, accompaniments, and
arpeggiation
Define the following terms with relation
to form:
Form
Accompaniments- piano accompaniment,
glissando, arpeggiation
Binary form
Noteflight Tutorial
Location
Note input
Editing a score
Email a file
Save as MIDI and open in Finale
Expression markings and articulations
Key signature and time signature
Theme
Binary form- definition, letters, length,
characteristics
Compare and contrast simple binary form
and rounded binary form
Create an original composition in simple
binary form and convent to rounded
binary form
Demonstrate the ability to locate
Noteflight on the internet and login
Create a new score, assign it as “private”
and input pitches and rhythms to create
a short melody.
Use the editor to change individual
notes, edit a full measure, select
measures, staves, notes, chords, or
multiple measures, move or copy
measures, and add new measures.
Demonstrate methods for exporting and
emailing music files including saving as a
MIDI file and opening in Finale
Add expression markings and
articulations to melodies
Assessments:
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Finale-Music Notation software
DVD Player
Subject: Music Theory
Unit Title: Transposition and Modes
Grade: 9-12
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
What is transposition? Transposition is used when attempting to write music for various instruments not in concert key, i.e. clarinet, trumpet,
saxophone, French horn, etc.
What is orchestration? Orchestration is used when arranging a piece of music for various instruments i.e. taking a choral work and writing it for
band.
Unit Objectives:
Play selected compositions, scales and chord progressions, sight-read pieces, begin transposition and harmonization.
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Competencies/Skills:
Description of Activities:
Students will…
Students will be able to…(identify)
Define orchestration and arrangements
Define terms relating to instruments
including: instrumentation, range,
register, technical ability, mood,
transposition, balance
Identify the instrumental families and the
common instruments including:
Strings, woodwinds, brass, pitched and
non-pitched percussion, keyboards
Define transposition and discuss the
purpose of transposition in composition
Define the term “interval”
Construct major, minor, and diminished
intervals on the staff.
Discuss the relationship between
intervals and transposition
Orchestration, arrangement, range,
register, technical ability, mood, balance,
transposition
Instrumental families: strings,
woodwinds, brass, pitched and nonpitched percussion, keyboards
Terms relating to transposition:
Intervals, concert pitch, concert
instruments, transposing instruments,
transposing key signatures
Concepts relating to modes:
Modes, type of modes, key signature and
mode
Theory textbook and workbook
Music dictation
Piano workbook
Finale
Noteflight
Define the following terms with relation
to transposition:
Concert pitch, concert instruments,
transposing instruments
Identify the transposition characteristics
of the most common instruments in the
band and orchestra
Demonstrate how to transpose key
signature for different instruments in the
band and orchestra
Composition: Given a vocal score,
transpose for four different instruments
Define a mode
Construct the following modes on the
staff:
Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian,
Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian
Given the key signature, identify the
mode
Composition:
Create original music that demonstrate
the following concepts:
Range, register, technique, mood,
transposition, balance, modes
Assessments:
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Finale-Music Notation software
DVD Player
Subject: Music Theory
Unit Title: Composition Project
Grade: 9-12
Unit Overview/Essential Understanding:
How do composers translate external influential elements into music?
Unit Objectives:
Students will experience the development of skills needed to analyze and evaluate music.
Students will continue to explore music’s relationship with other disciplines and its impact on culture, and development of ability to
perform/record/present/discuss original compositions.
Focus Standards Addressed in this Unit:
National Standards for Music Education: 1,2,5,6,7,8,9
Concepts/Content:
Competencies/Skills:
Description of Activities:
Students will…
Students will be able to…(identify)
Create an original composition that
demonstrates student achievement in:
Major/minor keys
Key signatures
Modes
Chords and chord progressions
Transposition
Orchestration
Form
Major/minor keys
Key signatures
Modes
Chords and chord progressions
Transposition
Orchestration
Form
Theory textbook and workbook
Music dictation
Piano workbook
Finale
Noteflight
Assessments:
In class assignments
Weekly quizzes
Unit exam
Additional Resources:
Robert Ottman: Music for Sight Singing
Robert Ottman: Rudiments
Finale-Music Notation software
DVD Player