Course Title: 7th & 8th Grade Experience Music
Instructor: Laura Finch
Email: lfinch@bssd.net
Plan Hour – 3rd Hour (9:05 – 9:50)
Course Description:
This semester long class focuses on all aspects of music. From creating their own composition
to listening to the great composers of the classical period, your child will experience all the
ways in which music comes to life.
Objectives:
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Basic Knowledge of music symbols – List given at beginning of each semester
Rhythmic patterns learned throughout semester using quarter, half, whole, & eighth
notes and rests
Composing original rhythmic patterns using quarter & eighth notes and rests (Semester
1: August – September Semester 2: January – February))
Composing original rhythmic patterns using sixteenth, eighth, quarter, half, whole notes
and rests (Semester 1: October – December Semester 2: March – May)
Sight reading simple melodic patterns will be touched upon throughout the semester
Create entire Rondo Composition (end of each semester)
Genres of Music discussed
o Broadway, Opera, Country, Classical, Rock, Rap,
Music History/Composers
o George Fredrick Handle - Baroque Period (1600-1750)
o Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Classical Period (1750 – 1820)
o Gioacchino Antonio Rossini – Classical Period/Romantic Period
o Ludwig van Beethoven – Romantic Period (1820 - 1900)
o Franz Liszt – Romantic Period
o Claude Debussy – Impressionistic Period (1890-1910)
o Scott Joplin – Contemporary Period (1900 – present)
Grading:
Class Participation – 70%
Written Work/Tests – 30%
Course Outline:
Rhythm Unit
Sing at First Sight Unit 1 - 3
1st Semester: September & October
Sing at First Sight Unit 4 - 5
1st Semester: November and December
Composition Unit
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August/September: Simple 4 measure rhythm compositions using 1 and 2 beat
note/rest values
October/November: More complicated 12 – 16 measure compositions using all
note/rest values
December: Rondo composition
Genres of Music
New Style of Music introduced each month of the semester
Composer Unit
New Composer/Composers introduced each month of the semester
TimeLine Unit
Will be creating a “Timeline” on a famous musician in October of 1 st semester
Instrumental Making Units
We will create our own musical instruments throughout the semester. It is my goal to
make a new instrument each month starting in September. Supplies will be asked to help with
these projects.
September – Maracas
October – Packing Tap Drums
November – String Instrument
December - Rainsticks