Upper Moreland School District Planned Course

Course: Piano Lab

National Standards: NS1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. NS2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. NS3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. NS4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. NS5. Reading and notating music. NS6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. NS7. Evaluating music and music performances. NS8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. NS9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Pennsylvania Standards: 9.1.12 Production, performance and exhibition of dance, music theatre and visual arts. 9.2.12 Historical and cultural contexts 9.3.12 Critical response 9.4.12 Aesthetic response

Course Description:

The Music program is designed to enhance the musical, creative and expressive qualities of all students. Musical opportunities are provided for every student to learn the basic skills of singing, playing and reading music, developing song repertoire, broadening listening skills and experiencing the interrelated nature of music with other cultures and content areas.

The high school Piano Lab course is designed for students to apply musical skills as they continue to create and experience music as a classroom community. Students will learn basic piano playing skills which include proper playing position, note names, and the locations of the notes on the staff in relation to their placement on the keyboard. Students will be reintroduced to rhythmic notation, 1-beat and 2-beat subdivisions up to the 8th note value, maintaining a steady beat while playing the keyboard and identifying strong beats and subdivisions by using a counting system. Harmonically, students will learn to identify, construct and play note intervals, major, minor and chromatic scales and construct and perform major and minor chords. Students will learn to interpret a variety of pieces in different styles with appropriate characteristic tone by identifying and playing written articulation markings, dynamics and sharp, flat and natural symbols. The topics in this music course will provide a strong basis for the continuation of their music

UMTSD, 9th – 12th Grade General Music - Piano Lab June 2010 skills as the high school age student continues on their path to becoming a life-long participant of music.

Specific and measurable objectives directly related to the academic standards to be achieved by students: Specific objectives for this course are stated as benchmarks for the standards in the District 9th – 12th Grade General Music Scope and Sequence document.

Content to be used to reach objectives: In order to offer a comprehensive, balanced music program students are offered a wide variety of materials at varied levels and interests.

Materials: Textbook Palmer, Willard A., Manus,Morton, and Lethco, Amanda Vick. Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course Book 1. California: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 1996. Palmer, Willard A., Manus,Morton, and Lethco, Amanda Vick. Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course Book 2. California: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 1997. Palmer, Willard A., Manus,Morton, and Lethco, Amanda Vick. Alfred’s Basic Adult All-In-One Course Level 1. California: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 1996. Teacher created materials Supplemental Texts Technology (Web-based Resources, CD/DVD player and related audio equipment) Finale music notation program Keyboard Lab System Electronic keyboards with headphones and jacks

Instructional Activities: A standards-based Music program requires that our students develop thinking processes that are self-directed, creative, critical, and reflective. Instructional activities include the following best practices:

Active Listening Active Reading Cooperative Learning Guided Composing Hands-on Activities Read Aloud Role Playing Think-Pair-Share Whole Group Discussions Whole Group Performance

Estimated instructional time to be devoted to achieving objectives: 1 Semester, 5 days a week, 47 minutes per class

UMTSD, 9th – 12th Grade General Music - Piano Lab June 2010 Procedure for measurement of student progress on the objective: A variety of assessments will be used to determine individual student progress during the development of music reading skills and performance experiences. The Assessment Plan includes the following components:

Performance Assessments Written Assessments Checklist Rubrics Music Composition Formal & Informal Teacher Observations

An explanation of how student grades will be determined: A minimum of five assessments (written assessments and performance tasks) and participation will determine a student’s grade.

UMTSD, 9th – 12th Grade General Music - Piano Lab June 2010