Music Curriculum Guide - Instrumental Music
(Updated Summer, 2011)
MENC NATIONAL STANDARDS:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments; composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
4. Reading and notating music.
5. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
6. Evaluating music and music performances.
7. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
8. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
OVERARCHING ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS (BIG IDEAS)

Music‐making is one of the oldest, most intimate and basic forms of communication and cultural expression.
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Singing and playing an instrument provide people with the means of learning musical and developmental skills.

Through composing and improvising, people learn to connect ideas with symbols, sound patterns, and musical elements.

Reading and notating music are essential to music literacy.

Educated music listeners learn to describe, analyze and evaluate music and music performances as an expressive art form.

Critical listening and thinking skills learned through music are essential to a successful, comprehensive educational experience.

Music is an important element of the historical and cultural record of humankind.
OVERARCHING ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Why and how do people create music?

How do people sing and play an instrument?

How is music communicated?

How is music analyzed and understood?

How is a music performance evaluated?

What is the relationship between music and other disciplines?

How does music reflect as well as shape history and culture?
Effective Components of a Middle School Music Program
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Maintains an inquiry‐based learning environment
Actively engages and motivates students in the process of learning music
Provides learning activities that are appropriate in complexity and pacing
Models and demonstrates accurate and artistic musical technique
Selects challenging yet realistic literature for performance
Introduces and expects appropriate use of music vocabulary
Provides opportunity for individual and multiple groupings in performance and learning activities
Differentiates music instruction to meet wide range of student needs
Reinforces effort and provides recognition
Integrates music with other content areas with an emphasis on literacy
Elementary Instrumental Music
Content
Standards
1
Essential
Questions
How can singing aid
instrument playing?
Essential Learning
2
How can a quality
sound be produced
on an
instrument using
proper playing
technique?
Performs a varied
repertoire of music on
pitched and non‐pitched
instruments with some
expressive elements
Sings passages from
band/string repertoire
Embedded throughout the year
Produces sounds with
proper technique
4
How is music read
and notated?
Reads simple melodies in
the appropriate clef
5
How can the
characteristics of
music be analyzed
and described?
What criteria can be
used to
evaluate the quality
of a music
performance or
composition?
How does music
relate to other
subject areas?
Analyzes musical events
using appropriate music
vocabulary
6
7
Identifies what elements
contribute to the
effectiveness and quality
of a
musical performance or
composition
Articulates the
connection between
music and other subjects
Content
Objectives
Sings short, unison passages with melodic and rhythmic
accuracy
Plays with a steady beat
Plays with dynamics
Plays at various tempos
Plays with articulations
Plays with musical phrasing
Plays in major tonality
Performs with confidence music at a beginning level (grade
1 on a scale of 1‐6)
Performs with proper tone production
Performs with proper fingering
Performs with proper breathing/bow technique
Performs with proper articulation
Properly maintains instrument
Reads and writes meters of 3/4, 2/4, and 4/4
Reads and writes whole, dotted half, half, quarter, eighth
notes and rests
Reads and writes in appropriate clef
Echoes melody and rhythm accurately
Recognizes two and four measure phrases
Uses stylistic elements as criteria to evaluate the
effectiveness and quality of music
Describes how rhythm and meter concepts relate to math
Describes how the principles of design and elements relate
to visual art
Iowa Core
Connection
Graduate Ends
Embedded throughout the year
6th Grade Instrumental Music
Content
Standards
1
Essential
Questions
How can singing aid
instrument playing?
Essential Learning
2
How can a quality
sound be produced
on an
instrument using
proper playing
technique?
Performs a varied
repertoire of music on
pitched and non‐pitched
alone and with others
How is music
created and
organized?
How is music read
and notated?
Create, improvise, and/or
compose music
Composes and improvises short musical compositions
Reads simple melodies in
the appropriate clef
How can the
characteristics of
music be analyzed
and described?
What criteria can be
used to
evaluate the quality
of a music
performance or
composition?
How does music
relate to other
subject areas?
Listen to, analyze, and
describe music
Reads and writes meters of 3/4, 2/4, 4/4, and 6/8
Reads and writes whole, dotted half, half, quarter, eighth
notes and rests
Reads and writes in appropriate clef
Describes aspects of melody
Identifies form in music performance
Identifies musical devices
3
4
5
6
7
Sings passages from
band/string repertoire
Produces sounds with
proper technique
Content
Objectives
Sings short, unison and two-part passages with melodic
and rhythmic accuracy and intonation
Follows a conductor’s cues
Plays in tune with self and others
Plays with expression and dynamic control
Plays with balance, blend, phrasing
Plays with major and minor tonalities
Performs a varied repertoire of music grades 1 -1.5 (on a
scale of 1‐6)
Performs with proper articulation/bow techniques
Evaluate music and music
performances
Uses stylistic elements as criteria to evaluate the
effectiveness and quality of music
Articulates the
connection between
music and other subjects
Describes how rhythm and meter concepts relate to math
Demonstrates written work to describe music
Iowa Core
Connection
Graduate Ends
Embedded throughout the year
7th Grade Instrumental Music
Content
Standards
1
Essential
Questions
How can singing aid
instrument playing?
Essential Learning
2
How can a quality
sound be produced
on an
instrument using
proper playing
technique?
Performs a varied
repertoire of music on
pitched and non‐pitched
alone and with others
How is music
created and
organized?
How is music read
and notated?
Create, improvise, and/or
compose music
How can the
characteristics of
music be analyzed
and described?
What criteria can be
used to
evaluate the quality
of a music
performance or
composition?
How does music
relate to other
subject areas?
How does music
reflect history and
culture?
Listen to, analyze, and
describe music
3
4
5
6
7
8
Sings passages from
band/string repertoire
Produces sounds with
proper technique
Reads simple melodies in
the appropriate clef
Content
Objectives
Sings short, unison and two-part passages with melodic
and rhythmic accuracy and intonation
Plays expressively and in control as indicated by conductor
Plays more in tune with self and others
Develops skills to tune own instrument
Performs music indicating an understanding of rhythmic,
harmonic, and melodic elements
Performs with expressive elements
Plays with major and minor tonalities and one octave
chromatic scale
Performs a varied repertoire of music grade 2 (on a scale of
1‐6)
Creates a musical idea in a similar length and style to a
given phrase
Reads and writes syncopated patterns
Sight-reads simple music
Recognizes more musical terms and phrases
Reads and notates harmonic and rhythmic elements
Recognizes 4, 8, and 12 measure phrases
Identifies musical devices
Recognizes diatonic tonal center
Evaluate music and music
performances
Formulates questions related to quality and effectiveness
of musical performances
Articulates the
connection between
music and other subjects
Understand music in
relation to history and
culture
Describes how rhythm and meter concepts relate to math
Demonstrates written practice records
Identify characteristics in selected musical literature that
relate to history or regional styles
Iowa Core
Connection
Graduate Ends
Embedded throughout the year
8th Grade Instrumental Music
Content
Standards
1
Essential
Questions
How can singing aid
instrument playing?
Essential Learning
2
How can a quality
sound be produced
on an
instrument using
proper playing
technique?
Performs a varied
repertoire of music on
pitched and non‐pitched
alone and with others
How is music
created and
organized?
How is music read
and notated?
Create, improvise, and/or
compose music
Reads simple melodies in
the appropriate clef
Plays in 3/8, 9/8
Sight-reads with confidence
Recognizes most musical terms and phrases
How can the
characteristics of
music be analyzed
and described?
What criteria can be
used to
evaluate the quality
of a music
performance or
composition?
How does music
relate to other
subject areas?
Listen to, analyze, and
describe music
Recognizes different intervals
Recognizes tonic and dominant harmonics
Recognizes 12 bar blues
Evaluate music and music
performances
Formulates questions related to quality and effectiveness
of musical performances
Articulates the
connection between
music and other subjects
Describes how rhythm and meter concepts relate to math
Demonstrates understandings of physical properties of
instruments, including how they are made and repaired
How does music
reflect history and
culture?
Understand music in
relation to history and
culture
Identify characteristics in selected musical literature that
relate to history or regional styles
3
4
5
6
7
8
Sings passages from
band/string repertoire
Produces sounds with
proper technique
Content
Objectives
Sing with appropriate style and intonation
Demonstrates a higher level of technical ability and
accuracy
Tunes own instrument with ease
Performs music indicating an understanding of rhythmic,
harmonic, and melodic elements
Performs with expressive elements
Plays with major and minor tonalities and two octave
chromatic scale
Performs a varied repertoire of music grade 2-2.5 (on a
scale of 1‐6)
Creates a musical idea in a similar length and style to a
given phrase
Iowa Core
Connection
Graduate Ends
9-12th Grade Instrumental Music
Content
Standards
1
Essential
Questions
How can singing aid
instrument playing?
Essential Learning
2
How can a quality
sound be produced
on an
instrument using
proper playing
technique?
Performs a varied
repertoire of music on
pitched and non‐pitched
alone and with others
How is music
created and
organized?
How is music read
and notated?
Create, improvise, and/or
compose music
Creates a musical idea in a similar length and style to a
given phrase
Reads simple melodies in
the appropriate clef
Sight-reads with confidence
Reads a musical score with up to 4 staves
Recognizes most musical terms, phrases and symbols
How can the
characteristics of
music be analyzed
and described?
What criteria can be
used to
evaluate the quality
of a music
performance or
composition?
How does music
relate to other
subject areas?
Listen to, analyze, and
describe music
Recognizes different intervals
Recognizes tonic and dominant harmonics
Recognizes 12 bar blues
Evaluate music and music
performances
Determines elements that create a quality and effective
musical performances
Articulates the
connection between
music and other subjects
Describes how rhythm and meter concepts relate to math
Demonstrates understandings of physical properties of
instruments, including how they are made and repaired
How does music
reflect history and
culture?
Understand music in
relation to history and
culture
Identify characteristics in selected musical literature that
relate to history or regional styles
Embedded throughout the year
3
4
5
6
7
8
Sings passages from
band/string repertoire
Produces sounds with
proper technique
Content
Objectives
Sing with appropriate style and intonation
Demonstrates discipline to self-prepare
Performs accurately in all time signatures
Demonstrates a variety of articulations
Performs in small ensembles with one student on a part
Performs with elements of tension/release
Performs a varied repertoire of music grade 3-4
Iowa Core
Connection
Graduate Ends
Band Musical Elements Scope and Sequence
4/5
6
7
8
9-12
4/4, 2/4,
, 6/8, 2/2
3/8, 9/8
Multi-meter
all
Quarter, eighth,
Sixteenth, eighth-
Syncopation,
whole, half, dotted
sixteenth, dotted sixteenth
Musical Terms
Rhythms
half, dotted quarter
Key Signatures (band)
(concert) Bb
Bb, Eb, F, C,
Bb, Eb, Ab, F, C, G
Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, F, C, G, D
all
Key Signatures (orchestra)
D
G, D, A
C, G, D, A,
F, C, G, D, A, E
all