ROSE TREE MEDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
COURSE CURRICULUM
COURSE TITLE: VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir
GRADE LEVEL: High School
CREATION DATE: November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: I. Performing: All students perform independently and within an
ensemble using various textures and styles within the voicing of a well-balanced mixed SSAATTBB choir.
PA Standards: PA 9.1; NS 1
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Resources/Technology
The students will:
 Explore, describe and refine the
individual singing voice through
recording and listening to
themselves on tape. (1/9.1)
 Develop pure vowel placement.
Identify by sight and sound.
 Integrate diaphragmatic breathing
and extend the vocal range in an
appropriate manner.
 Sing, with accuracy, in small
ensembles with one person on a part.
(1/9).
 Demonstrate well-developed
ensemble skills. (1/9.1)
 Sing with expression and technical
accuracy a large and varied
repertoire of vocal literature with a
level difficulty of 4 to 5, on a scale
of 1 to 6, including some songs
performed from memory. (1/9.1)
 Sing music written in 3,4,5 and 6
parts, with and without
accompaniment. (1/9.1)






VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Routinely provide a taped
recording of him or herself in the
performance of vocal music from
three to six minutes in length. The
student is asked to use a rubric to
identify characteristics for quality
performance in terms of musical
accuracy, vocal quality and
expressiveness.
Identify by sound and be able to
employ International Phonetic
Alphabet symbols for the pure
vowels.
Perform with good breath control
throughout his/her singing range
and chart the development of the
singing range on the staff
throughout the course of the year.
Perform in a quartet of mixed
voice parts with one person on a
part, twice a year for assessment
purposes.
Understand definitions and
descriptions, and be able to
identify aural samples of a variety
of tone qualities. Graph changes
in personal tone quality as an
ongoing process throughout the
year.
Participate routinely in rotating
Page 1
Materials
 Essential Musicianship
(A Comprehensive
Choral Method) Books
1,2,3
 By Emily Crocker and
John Leavitt: Hal
Leonard Corporation,
1995.
 Teacher generated
materials: rubrics,
worksheets, quizzes,
critiques
 Mirrored wall in
classroom
 Individual hand-held
mirrors (100)
Resources
 Visiting Artists
 Exchange concerts with
other choirs
 Field Trips
 Choir Tours
Technology
 Pianistic/Sequencing
Keyboard
 Multi Track Tape Player
 Microphones with
directional pickup (6)
-1-
Approx. Time Allotment:
Instructional Strategies






Participate routinely in
group sightsinging
exercises.
Sightsing as part of a
formal assessment a
minimum of twice a year.
Complete notation
worksheets and quizzes.
Musically notate his/her
composed warm-up
exercise.
Analyze a selection of
twentieth-century music,
identifying and describing
the notation symbols used.
Participate routinely in
rotating sectional
rehearsals.
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: I. Performing: All students perform independently and within an
ensemble using various textures and styles within the voicing of a well-balanced mixed SSAATTBB choir.
PA Standards: PA 9.1; NS 1
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Resources/Technology
sectional rehearsals.
 CD Burner
 Participate in 4 annual mandatory  Blank Compact Disks
concerts:
(3 per student)
1. Winter Concert
 Tape recorders (a
2. December In-School Concert
minimum of 25)
3. December Concert for Visiting
 Blank cassette tapes (2
Elementary Students
per student)
4. Spring Concert
 Audio/Visual Tapes
 Participate in
School/Public/Community
concerts, in Choral Festivals,
Adjudications, and Master
Classes as scheduled.
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 2
-2-
Approx. Time Allotment:
Instructional Strategies
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: I. Performing: All students perform independently and within an
ensemble using various textures and styles within the voicing of a well-balanced mixed SSAATTBB choir.
PA Standards: PA 9.1; NS 1
Adaptations/Inclusion Techniques





One on One vocal sectional
Recorded voice parts for repertoire
Adapted rubrics/worksheets/quizzes
Private lessons
Teacher Aide
Enrichment Strategies










VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Sectional rehearsals
Visiting artists
Festivals
Community performances
Concert tours
Field trips
Choir Tours
Adjudications
Private lessons
Technology/Electronic
resources
Page 3
Remediation Strategies






One on One vocal sectional
Recorded voice parts for
repertoire
Adapted
rubrics/worksheets/quizzes
Private lessons
Teacher Aide
Peer Coaching
Approx. Time Allotment:
Multicultural/Interdisciplinary
Connection
 Authentic repertoire from
multicultural composers
 Visiting Artists
 Students with diverse
backgrounds
 Audio/Visual tapes
 Interdisciplinary Strands:
Foreign Language, Language
Arts, Social Studies,
Mathematics
-3-
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: II. Listening/Responding: All students critically assess music
performances that reflect a wide diversity of peoples, styles and times. The student will apply data from these
Approx. Time Allotment:
assessments to their personal and ensemble performance of vocal/choral music.
PA Standards: PA 9.2, 9.3, 9.4; NS 6, 7, 8, 9
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Instructional Strategies
Resources/Technology
The students will:
 Identify and explain compositional Materials
 Vocally imitate various
 Demonstrate the ability to perceive and
devices and techniques used to
genres, styles and cultures
 Essential
remember music events by describing in
provide unity and variety and
Musicianship (A
of choral/vocal music
detail significant events occurring in a given
tension and release in a
Comprehensive
through the use of
aural example. (6/9.3, 9.4)
choral/vocal work currently being
Choral Method)
clinicians, in-house
 Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the
prepared and give examples of
Books 1,2,3
teachers and CDs
technical vocabulary of music. (6/9.3/9.4)
other works that make similar uses  By Emily Crocker
 Demonstrate the usage of
 Identify and explain compositional devices
of
these
devices
and
techniques.
and
John
Leavitt:
music terminology
and techniques used to provide unity and
`The student will be asked to
Hal Leonard
contained in the repertoire.
variety and tension and release in a
construct
a
rubric
illustrating
these
Corporation,
1995.
 Listen to professional
choral/vocal work and give examples of
devices/techniques and the
recordings of vocal music
other works that make similar uses of these
 Teacher generated
repertoire’s relation to the
devices and techniques. (6/9.3/9.4)
materials: rubrics,
of various genres, styles
compositional devices.
 Develop specific criteria for making
worksheets,
and cultures.
informed, critical evaluations of the quality
 Identify music terminology by
quizzes, critiques
 Routinely view/listen to a
and effectiveness of choral/vocal
sight, by listening and by
 Mirrored wall in
video of the ensemble’s
performances, compositions, arrangements,
demonstrating vocally.
classroom
performance using a
and improvisations and apply the criteria in
 Identify and explain compositional  Individual handrubric to evaluate the
their personal participation in music. (7/9.3,
devices
and
techniques
used
to
quality of musicianship
held mirrors (100)
9.4)
provide unity and variety and
and stage performance.
Resources
 Evaluate a choral/vocal performance,
tension
and
release
in
a

Attend concerts,
 Visiting Artists
composition, arrangement, or improvisation
choral/vocal
work
currently
being
professional and nonby comparing it to similar or exemplary
 Exchange concerts
prepared and give examples of
models. (7/9.3, 9.4)
professional, comparing
with other choirs
other
works
that
make
similar
uses
 Evaluate a given choral/vocal work in terms
and contrasting the quality
 Field Trips
of these devices and techniques.
of its aesthetic qualities and explain the
of the school’s ensemble
 Choir Tours
musical means it uses to make it unique,
`The student will be asked to
and the individual’s vocal
Technology
interesting and expressive. (7/9.3,9.4)
construct a rubric illustrating these
technique through the use
 Pianistic/Sequencin
 Analyze aural examples of a varied
devices/techniques and the
of a rubric.
g Keyboard
repertoire of choral/vocal music,
repertoire’s relation to the

Routinely critique the
 Multi Track Tape
representing diverse genres and cultures, by
compositional devices.
ensemble’s performance
Player
describing the uses of elements of music and

Provide
a
taped
recording
of
him
or
using a rubric to evaluate
expressive devices. (6/9.3/9.4)
 Microphones with
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 4
-4-
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: II. Listening/Responding: All students critically assess music
performances that reflect a wide diversity of peoples, styles and times. The student will apply data from these
Approx. Time Allotment:
assessments to their personal and ensemble performance of vocal/choral music.
PA Standards: PA 9.2, 9.3, 9.4; NS 6, 7, 8, 9
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Instructional Strategies
Resources/Technology
 Compare characteristics of the choral/vocal
herself in the performance of vocal
directional pickup
the quality of
arts with other arts within a particular
music from three to six minutes in
(6)
musicianship and stage
historical period or style and cite examples
length. The student is asked to
performance.
 CD Burner
from various cultures. (8/9.2)
listen to the recording, and write an  Blank Compact
 Listen to professional
 Explain ways in which the principles and
evaluation on the performance on
recordings of vocal music
Disks (3 per
subject matter of various disciplines outside
the basis of its (1) technical
of various genres, styles
student)
the arts are interrelated with those of
accuracy, (2) expressive or musical  Tape recorders (a
and cultures.
choral/vocal music. (8/9.2)
qualities,
and
(3)
overall

Categorize the current
minimum of 25)
 Classify by genre or style and by historical
effectiveness.
(The
assessment
is
repertoire of choral
 Blank cassette tapes
period or culture unfamiliar but
based
not
on
the
quality
of
the
selections based on
(2 per student)
representative aural examples of
performance
but
rather
on
the
historical period,
choral/vocal music and explain the
 Audio/Visual Tapes
student’s ability to evaluate the
reasoning behind their classifications.
composer, style, genre and
performance.)
(9/9.2)
form.
 Identify and describe music genres or styles
 Evaluate a school choral
 Compare and contrast
that show influence of two or more cultural
performance of a selection,
choral/vocal masterworks
traditions, identify the cultural source of
comparing the performance to a
to other forms of art.
each influence, and trace the historical
recorded or live PMEA Choral
 Participate in Master
conditions that produced the synthesis of
Festival or college performance of
Classes conducted by
influences. (9/9.2)
the same or similar selection.
artists of various genres,
 Evaluate a school choral
styles and cultures.
performance based on the quality of
 Compare and contrast
musicianship and stage
choral/vocal masterworks
performance.
to other forms of art.
 Describe musical
characteristics/elements of music
and expressive devices that make
certain songs appropriate for
specific situations.
 Critique choral/vocal performances
of varying genres based on a rubric
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 5
-5-
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: II. Listening/Responding: All students critically assess music
performances that reflect a wide diversity of peoples, styles and times. The student will apply data from these
Approx. Time Allotment:
assessments to their personal and ensemble performance of vocal/choral music.
PA Standards: PA 9.2, 9.3, 9.4; NS 6, 7, 8, 9
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Instructional Strategies
Resources/Technology
and a set of open-ended questions.
 Analyze works in two or more arts
based on the same event or
phenomenon. In groups, the
students will present aurally how
the elements of the various arts are
used to convey the same specific
meanings or feelings and cite two
examples in each work. Attention
should also be given to the creators,
performers, and other professionals
involved in the production and
presentation of these arts,
comparing and contrasting their
roles. This is most effective when
the choral literature being currently
taught can be used as one of the
examples.
 Evaluate, through the use of a
rubric, the historical period, genre
and style of each musical selection
being taught that semester.
 Analyze representative works that
show the influence of two or more
cultural traditions, identify the
cultural source of each influence
and trace the historical conditions
that produced the synthesis of
influences. Use current or very
similar repertoire. The analysis can
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 6
-6-
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: II. Listening/Responding: All students critically assess music
performances that reflect a wide diversity of peoples, styles and times. The student will apply data from these
Approx. Time Allotment:
assessments to their personal and ensemble performance of vocal/choral music.
PA Standards: PA 9.2, 9.3, 9.4; NS 6, 7, 8, 9
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Instructional Strategies
Resources/Technology
be presented aurally or through the
use of a written paper or a
poster/flow chart.
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 7
-7-
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: II. Listening/Responding: All students critically assess music performances that reflect a
wide diversity of peoples, styles and times. The student will apply data from these assessments to their personal and ensemble
performance of vocal/choral music.
PA Standards: PA 9.2, 9.3, 9.4; NS 6, 7, 8, 9
Adaptations/Inclusion Techniques





One on One vocal sectional
Recorded voice parts for repertoire
Adapted rubrics/worksheets/quizzes
Private lessons
Teacher Aide
Enrichment Strategies










VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Sectional rehearsals
Visiting artists
Festivals
Community
performances
Concert tours
Field trips
Choir Tours
Adjudications
Private lessons
Technology/Electronic
resources
Page 8
Approx. Time Allotment:
Multicultural/Interdisciplinary
Connection
Remediation Strategies




One on One vocal
sectional
Recorded voice parts
for repertoire
Adapted
rubrics/worksheets/
quizzes
Private lessons





-8-
Authentic repertoire from
multicultural composers
Visiting Artists
Students with diverse
backgrounds
Audio/Visual tapes
Interdisciplinary Strands:
Foreign Language, Language
Arts, Social Studies,
Mathematics
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: III. Creating: Students manipulate music entities to compose
original music ideas. These ideas are developed and realized through personal and ensemble performance.
PA Standards: PA 9.1; NS 3, 4
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Resources/Technology
The students will:
Materials
 Compose a vocal warm-up
 Compose an original vocal
that directly enhances an area  Essential Musicianship (A
warm-up that enhances a
of work within a selected
Comprehensive Choral Method)
technique required in one
piece of the current
Books 1,2,3
selection of the current
repertoire.
 By Emily Crocker and John Leavitt:
repertoire. (4/9.1)
Hal Leonard Corporation, 1995.
 Improvise vocally over a
short familiar melody with
 Improvise stylistically
 Teacher generated materials:
appropriate harmonizing
clearly implied chords. The
rubrics, worksheets, quizzes,
parts in a variety of styles.
student is given one minute
critiques
(4/9.1)
to prepare, but may not sing
 Mirrored wall in classroom
aloud.
 Improvise rhythmic and
 Individual hand-held mirrors (100)
melodic variations on given
 Improvise a rhythm or
Resources
pentatonic melodies and
melody over a pentatonic or
 Visiting Artists
melodies in major and minor
major/minor chord
 Exchange concerts with other choirs
keys. (3/9.1)
progression. The student is
 Field Trips
given one minute to prepare,  Choir Tours
 Improvise original melodies
but may not sing aloud.
in a variety of styles, over
Technology
 Improvise a melody to a
given chord progressions,
 Pianistic/Sequencing Keyboard
twelve-bar blues or another
each in a consistent style,
 Multi Track Tape Player
given progression. The
meter, and tonality. (3/9.1)
 Microphones with directional
student is given one minute
pickup (6)
to prepare, but may not sing
 CD Burner
aloud.
 Blank Compact Disks (3 per
student)
 Tape recorders (a minimum of 25)
 Blank cassette tapes (2 per student)
 Audio/Visual Tapes
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 9
Approx. Time Allotment:
Instructional Strategies




-9-
Teach the choir/choir section
the original warm-up composed
for the selected piece of
repertoire.
Listen to songs that use
improvisation.
Practice improvising within the
choir setting over a pentatonic
or major/minor scale
progression.
Identify the twelve-bar blues
progression by sight and sound
and produce an improvisation
within the choir setting for a
twelve-bar blues progression.
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: III. Creating: Students manipulate music entities to compose
original music ideas. These ideas are developed and realized through personal and ensemble performance.
PA Standards: PA 9.1; NS 3, 4
Adaptations/Inclusion Techniques





One on One vocal sectional
Recorded voice parts for repertoire
Adapted rubrics/worksheets/quizzes
Private lessons
Teacher Aide
Enrichment Strategies










VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Sectional rehearsals
Visiting artists
Festivals
Community
performances
Concert tours
Field trips
Choir Tours
Adjudications
Private lessons
Technology/Electronic
resources
Page 10
Remediation Strategies




One on One vocal
sectional
Recorded voice parts for
repertoire
Adapted
rubrics/worksheets/
quizzes
Private lessons
Approx. Time Allotment:
Multicultural/Interdisciplinary
Connection
 Authentic repertoire from
multicultural composers
 Visiting Artists
 Students with diverse
backgrounds
 Audio/Visual tapes
 Interdisciplinary Strands:
Foreign Language, Language
Arts, Social Studies,
Mathematics
- 10 -
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: IV. Reading and Notating: All students combine music reading
and writing skills and competencies in their performance medium, alone and within an ensemble.
PA Standards: PA 9.1, 9.3, 9.4; NS 1, 4, 5, 6
Aligned Materials/
Benchmark/Skills
Assessment
Resources/Technology
The students will:
 Demonstrate the ability to read a
vocal score of up to 8 staves by
describing how the elements of
music are used and explaining all
transpositions and clefs.
(1/9.1,5/9.1)
 Sight-read accurately and
expressively music with a level of
difficulty of 4, on a scale of 1 to
6. (5/9.1)
 Demonstrate extensive knowledge
of the technical vocabulary of
music. (6/9.3, 9.4)
 Write an original vocal warm-up.
(5/9.1)
 Interpret nonstandard notation
symbols used by twentiethcentury composers.
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School





Participate routinely in
group sightsinging
exercises.
Sightsing as part of a
formal assessment a
minimum of twice a year.
Complete notation
worksheets and quizzes.
Musically notate his/her
composed warm-up
exercise.
Analyze a selection of
twentieth-century music,
identifying and describing
the notation symbols used.
Approx. Time Allotment:
Instructional Strategies
Materials
 Essential Musicianship (A
Comprehensive Choral Method)
Books 1,2,3
 By Emily Crocker and John Leavitt:
Hal Leonard Corporation, 1995.
 Teacher generated materials: rubrics,
worksheets, quizzes, critiques
 Mirrored wall in classroom
 Individual hand-held mirrors (100)
Resources
 Visiting Artists
 Exchange concerts with other choirs
 Field Trips
 Choir Tours
Technology
 Pianistic/Sequencing Keyboard
 Multi Track Tape Player
 Microphones with directional pickup
(6)
 CD Burner
 Blank Compact Disks (3 per student)
 Tape recorders (a minimum of 25)
 Blank cassette tapes (2 per student)
 Audio/Visual Tapes
Page 11
- 11 -





Sing selected repertoire,
identifying all notation and
elements of music used.
Routinely sightsing standard
repertoire with accuracy.
Articulate the definition of
the technical vocabulary for
all music in the current
repertoire identifying all
notation and elements of
music used.
Teach the composed warmup.
Using a selection of
contemporary repertoire,
write 4-8 bars of
nonstandard contemporary
notation and be able to
explain its meaning.
November, 2003
Essential Question, Concept or Theme: IV. Reading and Notating: All students combine music reading and
writing skills and competencies in their performance medium, alone and within an ensemble.
PA Standards: PA 9.1, 9.3, 9.4; NS 1, 4, 5, 6
Adaptations/Inclusion Techniques





One on One vocal sectional
Recorded voice parts for repertoire
Adapted rubrics/worksheets/quizzes
Private lessons
Teacher Aide
Enrichment Strategies










VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Sectional rehearsals
Visiting artists
Festivals
Community
performances
Concert tours
Field trips
Choir Tours
Adjudications
Private lessons
Technology/Electronic
resources
Page 12
Remediation Strategies




One on One vocal
sectional
Recorded voice parts
for repertoire
Adapted
rubrics/worksheets/
quizzes
Private lessons
Approx. Time Allotment:
Multicultural/Interdisciplinary
Connection
 Authentic repertoire from
multicultural composers
 Visiting Artists
 Students with diverse
backgrounds
 Audio/Visual tapes
 Interdisciplinary Strands:
Foreign Language, Language
Arts, Social Studies,
Mathematics
- 12 -
November, 2003
VOCAL MUSIC: Concert Choir High School
Page 13
- 13 -
November, 2003