Glynn County School System
First Quarter
th
Subject Area/Grade: 6 – 8th Grade Chorus
Unit Title: Characteristics of a good singer - good tone, good pitch, and good rhythm.
GPS:
MMSBC 1a. Demonstrate Appropriate singing posture and breathing techniques,
MMSBC 1b. Identify basic vocal anatomy. MMSBC 1c. Demonstrates pure vowel sounds
and articulate voiced and unvoiced consonants. MMSBC Utilize a rhythmic and melodic
language to read and sing music appropriate to ability, MMSBC 1g. Demonstrate and
respond to basic conducting patterns and gestures representing tempo, expression, and
vocal technique. MMSBC 2d. Utilize aural skills to match pitch, improve intonation, and
sing with attention to ensemble balance and blend.
MMSBC 2c. Notate simple rhythms and melodies utilizing a dictation method.
Big Ideas/ Enduring Understandings?
The student will understand that……there is a characteristic sound on my instrument and many different factors enter
into that sound – such as how loud or soft I sing, how I stand and breath, how I keep up with the music, if I am singing
in tune with the others around me, how fast or slow I am singing, if my pitches are correct, if I am staying with the
beat, if I am singing with accents and phrasing, if I am following the directors conducting pattern, if I am using pure
vowel sounds and articulation, if I am following the music.
What do students need to know, understand, and be able to do?
Knowledge
Skills
Vocabulary: , time signature, whole note, half
notes, quarter notes, eight notes, rests, first
and second ending, beats, measure #, interval,
half-steps, whole-steps, chromatic scale, key of
C, key of G, Major scale pattern, Good posture,
good breath control, good expression, dynamics,
melody, tempo, dictation, intervals, arpeggios.
 Understand terminology for this unit.
 Sing in common time, 4/4, ¾, 2/4
 Count time
 Use correct posture
 Breath efficiently
 Use pure vowel sounds
 Write a scale
 Sing intervals and arpeggios
 Repeat and go to 1st and 2nd endings
 Follow the conductor
 Sing expressively
Unit Essential Question
How do I expand upon my basic knowledge of music and techniques to improve my sing?
Balanced Assessment Opportunities
1) Informal Assessment(s)

Teacher, ensemble evaluations, and self-evaluations
2) Performance Assessment(s)

Individual singing tests given one time a week on material covered

Rubrics for performance

Performance
3) Constructed Response - written tests on material – 1 time a week

Playing in ensemble with each other.
Written essays on performances.
4) Selected Response – Questions and whiteboard response throughout lesson.

5. Create your content map.
Examples on pages 16-40 in the Acceleration/Previewing section of your LFS manual and page 14
in the Learning Units section. Hint…You could use Inspiration or the draw tools in Word (in this
space or as a separate page).
Posture
Good singing
Breathing
vowels
Consonants
Pitch and intonation
Rhythm
Scales
6. Develop your lesson essential questions.
In addition to your acquisition lessons remember to include 2-4 extending/refining lessons. (See
the appropriate sections in your LFS manual for examples.)
What is a Staff? What is an interval? What are rhythm notes and melody notes? What are
half steps and whole steps? What is a key signature? How do I draw a scale? What is the
time signature? What are tempo markings? How do I follow the conductor? What is the
first and second ending? What is harmony? What is an arpeggio? What is a chromatic
scale? How do I breath? What is correct posture? What are the pure vowel sounds?
7. Develop a performance or product activity that will be the culminating activity.
See pages 4 -12 in the Learning Units section of your LFS manual for ideas.
Essential Question of the
Culminating Activity:
Paragraph Describing the
Culminating Activity:
How does practice at
home help me be a better
musician?
Students will keep a daily
log of practice.
Steps or Task Analysis of the Culminating
Activity:
Teacher will check records each week.
8. Develop a rubric for the culminating activity.
Refer to the Rubrics section in your LFS manual. *Feel free to change the scale.
How am I
doing with
my singing
Criteria 
4
Everyday
3
4 days a
week
2
3 days a
week
1
1 day a
week
Posture
Pitch
Rhythm
Knowledge
Breath
Support
9. Develop your launch activities.
How will you create student interest and link to prior knowledge? How will you preview the
content map and key vocabulary? Refer to the Activating Strategies and the
Acceleration/Previewing sections of your LFS manual.
-
-
Play CD’s of pieces students have sung or will sing.
Use staff boards for writing scales and notes.
Have advanced students sing for the class
To review the vocabulary I will ask oral questions each day throughout the lesson
I will also use the vocabulary frequently and require the students to do so also.
-
I will use sheet music for sight reading to assure students are using knowledge to sight
read.
10. Develop your acquisition lessons.
You must have at least one acquisition lesson for each essential question you developed in step 6.
Use the form your school has given you for these lessons.
Tune In –1) Get an index card and write 5 things that you need to know to be a good
singer. 2) Get an index card and write 5 things that you need to know to be a good
sight reader. 3) Get staff paper and draw a scale. 4) Get notebook and write down
the rhythm notes used in music include rests) 5) Get a piece of music (handout) and
circle the quarter notes. 6) Sit with a partner and time how long they can hold a
note. 7) Use the staff board and draw a key signature – ask a partner to ID it. 8)
Get the handout (Intervals) and change them to minor. 9) Choose a partner and
practice good posture.
11. Develop your extending/refining lessons.
Page 4 of the Extending/Refining section of your LFS manual shows how this type of lesson
should be set up. Specific examples are found on page 5. Review the entire section for additional
ideas.
Students will perform their repertoire using the knowledge this quarters’ curriculum.
12. Create a timeline and a list of resources.
Week 1 – Sight-reading – Staff, Rhythm notes and melody notes, time signature
Week 2 – Sight-reading - Rhythm notes and melody notes, Intervals, arpeggios.
Week 3 - Sight-reading – Half Steps and whole steps, First and second endings, Sharps
and flats, Chromatic Scale.
Week 4 – Breathing, Correct Posture,
Week 5 – Tempo markings and expression markings.
Week 6 - Arpeggios and harmony.
Week 7 - Pure vowel sounds.
Week 8 – Following the director Time signatures and conducting patterns
Resources - Printed chorus music appropriate for the student’s level of abilities.
- Harvard Dictionary of Music for use when researching words or techniques for
playing.
- The ups and downs of music by John Olvera.
- Sight Singing Complete and workbook by Bruce Benward
- Sing at First Sight by Beck, Surmani, and Lewis
- Essential Elements for Chorus
- GMEA and NAFME website and publications
- DVDs of chorus’ and performing groups.