The overarching goals of 6th Grade Music Appreciation is that students will further skills in standard notation, perform alone and with others a varied repertoire, study the music of American culture (especially the blues and musical theater), and be able to appreciate a wide variety of music styles, even if they differ from the students’ personal preferences.
6th Grade music allows students to build on previous knowledge and study in-depth the contributions of many cultures to the music of America. Students will perform the music of others, compose their own music, write their own blues lyrics, prepare a presentation of their preferred music styles, and understand the evolution of musical theater in the United States.
Unit 1: Music Theory
Unit 2: The Blues
Unit 3: The Musical Artist/Group Project
Unit 4: American Music Theater
Unit 1 Overview:
Students will gain fluency in note and rhythm reading and be able to apply knowledge to playing and composing. The culminating activity is a composition project where students synthesize their knowledge of standard notation to writing their own compositions and playing them for the class. Essential questions include: Why is it necessary to use standard notation while writing music? What instruments play in the treble clef? The bass clef? How does my knowledge of standard notation add to my success in music?
Unit 2 Overview:
Students will gain understanding of the formation of the blues in American music. Their musical journey will begin in West Africa, where they will see how the music of the West African people influenced the blues, in its rhythmic complexity and especially in its call-and-response form. The next step is to study the music of African-Americans during the time of slavery, especially work songs and spirituals, and see their place in the blues legacy. The Delta blues show students the conditions and emotions of freed African-Americans in the south and how a new form of music was born. As the blues develop, students will understand how instrumentation and amplification increased with the move from country to city blues. Finally, students will see how the blues directed impacted the created of rock ‘n roll, as seen in the music of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.
Unit 3 Overview:
Students will research a musical artist/group/genre in detail and prepare a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation and deliver it to the class.
Unit 4 Overview:
Students will be able to understand the contribution of American Musical Theater to the music and culture of the United States. The class will trace musical theater from its inception to modern day Broadway. Students will view YouTube clips of Broadway selections and view West Side Story in its entirety.