	VOCAL MUSIC CURRICULUM (K-12)
	STUDENT PROFICIENCIES IN MUSIC
	STRAND 1: VALUING MUSIC

Value Making Music as a Rewarding Lifelong Activity

Value the Music Making of Others

Value Different Kinds of Music

Kindergarten - Grade 1

· Participate alone and with others in singing, singing games, moving to music, and playing instruments

· Begin to develop the skills to share positive feedback with others about making music

(To next strand: Singing in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

Grades 2-3

· Discuss the presence of music in everyday life

· Demonstrate a sense of respect for music, its creation and performance

· Use music as a means of personal expression

(To next strand: Singing in Grades 2-3)

Grades 4-5

· Demonstrate an increased awareness of the variety of music in everyday life

· Participate in classroom activities that create, perform, and move to music

· Develop a tolerance for different types of music

· Choral and Instrumental Electives - Elementary

· Demonstrate enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment from participating in a performing group

· Recognize the value of individual practice

(To next strand: Singing in Grades 4-5)

· Grades 6-8

· Demonstrate a sensitivity to the aesthetic qualities of music performed or heard

· Develop an appreciation for larger musical forms

· Develop an appreciation for music from time periods other than one's own

· Value instrumentation other than that used in contemporary popular music

· Value the skill of reading music

· Value music as a means of expressing a variety of feelings

· Choral and Instrumental Electives - Middle

· Demonstrate continuing enjoyment and sense of accomplishment in performing music

· Value the skill of reading music

· Demonstrate the development of various performance techniques

(To next strand: Singing in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

· Demonstrate an enjoyment of singing, and a commitment to singing well

· Demonstrate a personal aesthetic response to music

· Attend a musical performance in the community

· Demonstrate an understanding of the various roles of music in society

· Demonstrate an appreciation for the development of individual musical style

· Demonstrate an appreciation of different interpretations of the same musical work

· Value composing, arranging and improvising as a means of personal expression

· Value amateur music making for post-secondary school participation

· Demonstrate an enjoyment of listening to and studying music of various types

· Demonstrate a knowledge of quality compositions, composers, and performers

· Demonstrate a respect for music of recognized quality and its skillful performance

· Demonstrate an enjoyment in singing or playing one's instrument(s)

· Demonstrate a commitment to playing and/or singing well

· Develop an understanding of the value of systematic practice

· Demonstrate a respect for the skilled performance of music

· Demonstrate a commitment to one's ensemble(s)

· Demonstrate an appreciation for developing one's own musical style

· Demonstrate proper audience and performance behavior

· Demonstrate an appreciation for the value to be gained from analysis of musical works

· Value the ability to sight-read

(To next strand: Singing in Grades 9-12)

Table of Contents

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STRAND 2: SINGING AND CHORAL PERFORMANCE

· Sing Various Kinds of Music Accurately, Expressively and in a Healthy Manner

· Achieve comfort with personal singing voice, alone or in groups

Kindergarten - Grade 1

· Differentiate between the singing voice and the speaking voice

· Demonstrate matching pitch in one's own range

· Sing in unison

· Sing with steady tempo and rhythmic accuracy

· Sing with expression

(To next strand: Instruments in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

Grades 2-3

· Sing a melody alone or with a group using a clear, free tone

· Sing from memory a varied repertoire of folk and composed songs

· Sing with expression

· Sing a part in a round with rhythm and pitch accuracy while maintaining a steady tempo

· Sing a simple ostinato

· Sing alone or in a group in a healthy manner (for example: good posture, proper breath support, appropriate range)

(To next strand: Instruments in Grades 2-3)

Grades 4-5

· Demonstrate expressive singing through vocal control

· Sing one part alone or in a small group while others sing contrasting parts

· Demonstrate accurate intonation

· Choral Performance - Elementary

· Demonstrate a clear tone in the upper register (top of the treble staff)

· Demonstrate proper diction

· Perform with correct posture and breath control

· Demonstrate a sense of ensemble while singing

· Respond to cues from conductors

(To next strand: Instruments in Grades 4-5)

Grades 6-8

· Demonstrate accurate intonation in ensemble singing

· Demonstrate proper use of register changes

· Sing with expression

· Sing with understanding through the period of voice change

· Sing a varied repertoire of folk, art, and contemporary songs

· Sing an independent vocal part within an ensemble

Choral Performance - Middle

· Sing with a healthy, appropriate vocal tone and range

· Sing with a tone quality appropriate to one's voice part

· Sing sensitively from memory a part in a conducted piece

(To next strand: Instruments in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

Choral Performance - High

· Demonstrate accurate intonation in ensemble singing

· Recognize aurally and demonstrate vocally the parts of harmony, e.g. major/minor and root/third/fifth

· Demonstrate commonly used rhythmic elements e.g. meter, syncopation, back beat

· Sing using good posture and breath control at all dynamic levels

· Sing with a free tone and accurate pitch and rhythm throughout one's range

· Sing with correct phrasing and appropriate expression

· Sing with pure, undistorted vowels

· Sing with good diction a varied repertoire of solo vocal literature and choral literature

· Sing music written in four parts with or without accompaniment

· Sing an independent vocal part

· Sing pieces with non-English text with proper pronunciation and diction

· Sing music from other time periods and cultures (for example: chant, sprechstimme, recitative)

· Sing from memory some of the music performed publicly by the ensemble

· Respond sensitively to the gestures of a conductor

(To next strand: Instruments in 9-12)

Table of Contents

Web Resources for Music Educators

STRAND 3: PLAYING AND IDENTIFYING INSTRUMENTS

Perform Various Kinds of Music Accurately and Expressively on an Instrument(s)

Kindergarten -1

· Play instruments with an awareness of beat, tempo (fast-slow), dynamics (loud-soft), and pitch (high-low)

· Demonstrate appropriate, instrument-specific technique when playing instruments

· Play un-pitched rhythm instruments and body percussion sounds (e.g.: clap hands, snap fingers, stomp feet)

· Echo short (four to eight beat) rhythm patterns

(To next strand: Creating in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

Grades 2-3

· Play short pieces using traditional and nontraditional instruments

· Accompany a song using a melodic instrument

· Sort instruments into families, differentiating between band and orchestra instruments

· Identify/discriminate instruments both aurally and visually

· Play ostinato/bordun patterns to accompany group singing

(To next strand: Creating in Grades 2-3 )

Grades 4-5

· Use classroom instruments to demonstrate the use of variety in tempo, timbre, dynamics, and phrasing for expressive purposes

· Play as a member of an instrumental ensemble with independent parts

· Perform one's own composition

· Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures

· Instrumental Performance - Elementary Band & Orchestra

· Begin like-instrument lessons on a brass, percussion, string, or woodwind instrument of choice

· Perform with a focused tone characteristic of the instrument played

· Perform with correct posture, breath control and hand position

· Perform musically with acceptable pitch, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and dynamics

· Perform appropriately with other students as part of an instrumental ensemble

· Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures

(To next strand: Creating in Grades 4-5)

Grades 6-8

· General/Vocal Music Classroom

· Play world instruments with stylistically appropriate technique

· Identify the elements of world music which are present in our western music system

· Instrumental Performance - Middle School Band & Orchestra

· Continue like-instrument lessons on the brass, percussion, string or woodwind instrument of choice

· Perform throughout a growing range with a focused tone characteristic of the instrument played

· Perform with correct posture, breath control and hand position

· Perform with increasing technique including chromatics and accidentals

· Perform musically with accurate pitch, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and dynamics

· Perform appropriately with other students as part of large and small instrumental ensembles

· Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures

· Perform as a soloist or member of a small ensemble for others in classroom or performance settings

· Perform music of a higher level of sophistication

(To next strand: Creating in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

· Instrumental Performance - High School Band & Orchestra

· Perform throughout a growing range with a focused tone characteristic of the instrument played

· Perform with correct posture, breath control and hand position

· Perform with increasing technique music of a higher level of sophistication

· Perform musically with accurate pitch, rhythm, articulation, phrasing and dynamics

· Perform appropriately with other students as part of large and small instrumental ensembles

· Follow and correctly interpret conducting gestures

· Perform as a soloist or member of a small ensemble for others in classroom or performance settings

· Play a varied repertoire of solo and ensemble instrumental literature

· Perform arrangements and compositions written by members of the class

(To next strand: Creating in Grades 9-12)

Table of Contents

Web Resources for Music Educators

STRAND 4: CREATING AND IMPROVISING

Create Music
Improvise Music

Kindergarten - 1

· Improvise sound patterns and songs with a variety of media

(To next strand: Notation in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

Grades 2-3

· Create short melodies

· Create simple rhythm patterns by singing, clapping or playing

· Improvise rhythmic movement to various styles of music

(To next strand: Notation in Grades 2-3)

Grades 4-5

· Create a contrasting section to a song

· Create variations to a song through alteration of pitch, tempo, dynamics, phrasing and/or timbre

· Create and/or arrange music to accompany readings or dramatizations

(To next strand: Notation in Grades 4-5)

Grades 6-8

· Develop an enjoyment and satisfaction in creating original musical ideas

· Create simple music in at least one performance medium

· Create vocal melodies to pre-existing texts as well as to student-written texts

· Create songs in a suggested form, key and/or scale

· Create songs with a variety of feelings and tempos

· Suggest an orchestration for songs

· Arrange songs for combinations of instruments or voices different than those in which they were first performed

· Improvise within pieces by varying melody and rhythm

· Improvise within simple harmonic patterns

(To next strand: Notation in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

· Create short musical compositions using instrumental, choral, and electronic media

· Create pieces in a range of styles for voices and acoustic or electronic instruments

· Improvise within pieces by varying melody, rhythm, timbre, phrasing, dynamics, articulation or text (voice)

· Improvise within a piece using more sophisticated harmonic patterns

· Improvise in a variety of styles

(To next strand: Notation in Grades 9-12)

Table of Contents

Web Resources for Music Educators

STRAND 5: NOTATION, READING AND WRITING

Read and Write Music with Accepted Notation

Kindergarten-Grade 1

· Use a simple vocabulary of music terms to describe sounds

· Know that music can be written and read

· Read and write basic rhythms in notation, incorporating eighth, quarter, notes/rests

(To next strand: Listening in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

GRADES 2-3

· Understand that notation can represent melodic direction and duration

· Read and notate pitches on the Treble Staff/G-Clef

· Read and write more complex rhythms, incorporating half & whole notes/rests

(To next strand: Listening in Grades 2-3)

GRADES 4-5

· Read and notate the beat, its subdivisions and longer note values of rhythm

· Read and notate the pitches from "a" below middle c to "a" above the Treble Staff/G-clef

· Read and write still more complex rhythms

· Read and write simple melodies, incorporating sixteenth & triplet notes/rests

· Instrumental Performance - Elementary Band & Orchestra

· Read notation appropriate to the range and technical requirements of an instrument studied

(To next strand: Listening in Grades 4-5)

Grades 6-8

· Use standard notation as a guide to singing or playing classroom instruments

· Sing or play simple melodies

· Employ traditional notation as a means of retaining musical ideas

· Identify by name and function standard notational symbols for pitch, rhythm, articulation, and dynamics

· Recognize similar and contrasting patterns in musical notation

· Read and notate pitches written in bass clef

· Employ an appropriate system to learn on one's own new rhythms containing eighth notes or longer values

· Notate after hearing simple rhythms and diatonic melodies

· Notate written intervals (half/whole step, major 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th) on the printed staff

· Follow one line of music which is part of a choral "system" or part of a full score that is written on a single staff

· Instrumental Performance - Middle School Band & Orchestra

· Read more complex notation appropriate to the range and technical requirements of an instrument studied

· Choral Performance - Middle School

· Read and perform one's own part in 2-, 3- or 4-part music in the appropriate clef

· Perform musical intervals (half/whole step, major 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th)

· Identify and perform recurring musical patterns (such as do-mi-so) in a piece of music

(To next strand: Listening in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

· Demonstrate through playing, singing or writing a knowledge of pitch and rhythm symbols and musical terminology

· Sight-sing simple music with consistency

· Identify duple, triple, compound and irregular meters and perform by subdividing

· Read music written in treble and bass clefs

· Instrumental Performance - High School Band & Orchestra

· Read more complex notation appropriate to the range and technical requirements of an instrument studied

(To next strand: Listening in Grades 9-12)

Table of Contents

Web Resources for Music Educators

STRAND 6: LISTENING, HEARING, AND EVALUATING

Listen To, Evaluate and Describe Various Kinds of Music, Using Appropriate Music Terminology

Kindergarten-Grade 1

· Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior while listening to short (1 to 3 minute) selections of a variety of music

· Recognize and describe obvious musical contrasts

· Indicate an aural recognition of high and low pitches

· Identify patterns of simple forms (for example: AB)

· Provide appropriate feedback to performers

(To next strand: Theory in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

Grades 2-3

· Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior while listening to longer (3 to 5 minute) selections of a variety of music

· Listen to and recognize repeated and contrasting phrases, slow and fast tempos, double and triple meters, and major and minor modes

· Indicate aural recognition of high and low pitches by making directional hand movements that follow the pitch of melodic lines

· Recognize aurally the timbre of individual instruments from the families of instruments

· Identify the patterns of more complex forms (for example: ABA, Rondo)

· Provide specific appropriate feedback to performers using musical terms

(To next strand: Theory in Grades 2-3)

Grades 4-5

· Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior while listening to longer (5 to 7 minute) vocal and instrumental selections of a variety of music

· Identify the patterns of more complex forms (for example: AABA, Fugue, Musical Imitation, Theme and Variations)

· Provide appropriate feedback to performers using musical terms

· Demonstrate ability to critique the student's own performances using appropriate musical terms

(To next strand: Theory in Grades 4-5)

Grades 6-8

· Assess and analyze one's own or group performances of music using appropriate musical terms (e.g., pitch, rhythm, texture, form)

· Analyze aurally performances of music with attention to form, type, performance medium, and musical features

· Demonstrate an understanding of more complex musical styles and music from diverse cultures

(To next strand: Theory in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

Appreciation/General Music

· Recognize aurally and describe musical forms

· Recognize aurally and describe musical genres such as chamber music, jazz, folk, symphony, opera, and musical theater

· Listen and evaluate performances by other ensembles

· Compare musical performances by using established criteria

· Performance - High School

· Describe the forms and structures of the works being rehearsed

· Demonstrate accurate intonation

· Recognize appropriate phrasing and expression

· Respond sensitively to the gestures of a conductor

· Appropriately evaluate the quality of performances of instrumental and choral ensembles

(To next strand: Theory in Grades 9-12)

Table of Contents

Web Resources for Music Educators

STRAND 7: UTILIZE THE ELEMENTS OF MUSIC THEORY

Understand and Apply Musical Elements

Kindergarten-Grade 1

· Hum the tonic of a piece after hearing, singing, or playing it

· Move to the beat of a piece

· Demonstrate locomotor and non-locomotor movement

(To next strand: History in Kindergarten-Grade 1)

Grades 2-3

· Hum the tonic at any point in a piece after hearing, singing, playing it

· Utilize appropriate movement to musical examples

· Demonstrate ability to keep a steady beat to a song or ostinato

(To next strand: History in Grades 2-3)

Grades 4-5

· Identify the modality of a song (i.e., major or minor)

· Demonstrate musical concepts, such as phrases and form, through movement

· Identify duple and triple meter

· Sing a major scale

· Demonstrate ability to keep steady subdivisions of the beat in a song or piece

(To next strand: History in Grades 4-5)

Grades 6-8

· Hum the chord roots to a song or piece

· Sing or play a simple harmonic progression

· Identify the organizational beat in duple and triple meter

(To next strand: History in Grades 6-8)

Grades 9-12

· Describe and discuss musical examples using correct terminology

· Analyze the works performed by the ensemble in terms of the elements of music

· Demonstrate a knowledge of major and minor scales, intervals, chords, and chord progressions

· Identify and subdivide compound and irregular meters

(To next strand: History in Grades 9-12)

Table of Contents

STRAND 8: UNDERSTANDING, APPLYING AND RELATING MUSIC AND MUSIC HISTORY TO THE OTHER ARTS AND DISCIPLINES

Apply an Understanding of Music History to Musical Styles

Correlate Music to the Other Arts and to Other Disciplines

Kindergarten - Grade 1

· Recognize the fine arts as a form of expression

· Demonstrate an awareness of music/fine arts as a part of everyday life

· Demonstrate the knowledge that people have made music throughout history

Grades 2-3

· Demonstrate an awareness of the fine arts as a form of expression

· Continue to demonstrate an awareness of music/fine arts as a part of everyday life

· Demonstrate an awareness that music has evolved through, and relates to, history

· Listen to the music from different historical periods

Grades 4-5

· Relate music to other curricular areas

· Identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used in the various fine arts

· Describe in simple terms the similarities and differences of music from different time periods

· Demonstrate an understanding that the music one listens to or performs is often a reflection of the culture in which the music was created

· Listen to and describe the music from different historical periods

Grades 6-8

· Identify compositions that represent a variety of musical styles, periods and cultures

· Identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used in the fine arts

· Identify similarities of time periods in other disciplines

· Compare and contrast the music and cultures of several time periods and regions of the world

· Performance - Middle School

· Authentically perform music from time periods, styles and cultures other than one's own

Grades 9-12

· Discuss the historical and cultural background of a musical work

· Recognize aurally examples from the historical styles periods of music

· Name and describe style characteristics of music from different periods, cultures and styles

· Demonstrate a knowledge of the historical, musical, and cultural background of a representative sample of musical works of recognized quality

· Discuss the historical and cultural background of the works performed by the ensemble

· Demonstrate an understanding of how western tonal system relates to the tonal systems of other cultures

· Describe how a story can be set to music, art, dance, and theater

· Performance - High School

· Authentically perform music of multiple styles, periods and cultures

· Discuss the historical and cultural background of performed musical works

Table of Contents

Web Resources for Music Educators