Your State follows the MENC National Standards

1. Students will sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of songs.
   Singing the melodies of the themes in the Call Charts
   Singing the Blues (individual project)
   Singing in the hallway as they leave class (it does happen!)
   
   
2. Students will play, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of instrumental music.
   Playing harmonica daily allows students to develop a sense of pitch
   Playing harmonica daily develops the self discipline of practicing
   Giving weekly benchmarks keeps students moving forward
   Playing the harmonica gives the opportunity for lifelong music learning.
   Styles studied
   Blues
   Rock
   Traditional
   Free improvisation
   
   
3. Students will improvise melodies, variations and accompaniments.
   Playing harmonica
   Theme and variations (Mary Had A Little Lamb)
   Blues riff background for individual project (Da,Da,Da,Da)
   
   
4. Students will compose and arrange music.
   Singin‘ The Blues (individual project)
   Compose song about Jazz or Rock(individual project)
   Advanced students(performance group experience) make combo arrangements for final project backgrounds
   
   
5. Students will read and notate music.
   Students start harmonica by reading tab.
   Advanced students are directed to reading standard notation.
   
   
6. Students will listen to, describe and analyze music.
   Call Charts (40% of classroom activities)
   Call Chart critiques ( individual project)
   Comparative essay ( individual project)
   Discuss the similarities and differences between artists and their music of the same era
   Discuss the similarities and differences between artists and their music of different eras (Which era used more pink? Which era had symmetrical song patterns? Why do some songs use more multi layered functions?)
   
   
7. Students will evaluate music and music performances.
   Singin’ the Blues (Individual projects)
   Follow rubric (in student workbook) to evaluate performance
   Compare individual song themes
   Discussion of styles of improvisation ( pattern development, repetitive, free)
   
   
8. Students will make connections between music, other disciplines and daily life.
   Cuttin’ a Rug (group project)
   Learn steps
   Plan choreography
   Practice routine
   Perform with class assessment following rubric (student workbook)
   Broadcast sponsor ( making a commercial for the radio broadcast)
   Choosing the proper background to create the right impression
   Creating a jingle for the product
   
   
9. Students will understand music in relation to history and culture.
   Unit Powerpoint presentations ( By Era)
   Identifies stylistic elements in relation to cultural diversities.
   Identifies stylistic elements in relation to national and world events.
   Call Charts give visual examples of
   Styles of arrangements by period
   Styles of instrumentation by period
   Styles of improvisation by period
   
   

California(CMEA)

Grade Six:
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.1 Read, write, and perform intervals and triads.
1.2 Read, write, and perform rhythmic and melodic notation, using standard symbols for pitch, meter, rhythm, dynamics, and tempo in duple and triple meters.
1.5 Analyze and compare the use of musical elements representing various genres and cultures, emphasizing meter and rhythm.
2.0 Creative Expression
2.1 Sing a repertoire of vocal literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, good posture, tone quality, and vowel shape—written and memorized, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 1; scale; 1-6).
2.3 Perform on an instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, tone quality, and articulation, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 1; scale: 1-6).
2.4 Compose short pieces in duple and triple meters
2.6 Improvise simple melodies.
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
3.1 Compare music from two or more cultures of the world as to the functions the music serves and the roles of musicians.
3.3 Describe distinguishing characteristics of representative musical genres and styles from two or more cultures.
3.4 Listen to, describe, and perform music of various styles from a variety of cultures.
3.5 Classify by style and genre a number of exemplary musical works and explain the characteristics that make each work exemplary.
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.1 Develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music performances and compositions, including arrangements and improvisations, and apply the criteria in personal listening and performing.
4.2 Explain how various aesthetic qualities convey images, feeling, or emotion.
4.3 Identify aesthetic qualities in a specific musical work.
5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
5.1 Describe how knowledge of music connects to learning in other subject areas.
5.2 Identify career pathways in music.

Grade Seven:
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.1 Read, write, and perform intervals, chordal patterns, and harmonic progressions.
1.3 Transcribe simple aural examples into melodic notation.
1.5 Analyze and compare the use of musical elements representing various genres, styles and cultures, emphasizing tonality and intervals.
1.6 Describe larger music forms (canon, fugue, suite, ballet, opera, and oratorio).
2.0 Creative Expression
2.3 Perform on an instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, tone quality, and articulation, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 2; scale: 1-6).
2.4 Compose short pieces in duple, triple, and mixed meters.
2.5 Compose and arrange simple pieces for voice and instruments, using traditional and nontraditional sound sources, including digital/electronic media.
2.6 Improvise melodies and harmonic accompaniments.
2.7 Improvise melodic and rhythmic embellishments and variations on given pentatonic melodies.
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
3.1 Compare music from various cultures as to some of the functions music serves and the roles of musicians.
3.3 Identify and describe distinguishing characteristics of musical genres and styles from a variety of cultures.
3.4 Perform music from diverse genres and cultures.
3.5 Identify instruments from a variety of cultures visually and aurally.
3.6 Classify by style and genre exemplary musical works and explain the characteristics that make each work exemplary.
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.1 Use criteria to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of music performances and composition.
4.2 Apply criteria appropriate for the style or genre of music to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by oneself and others.
4.3 Compare and contrast the differences between one performance of a specific musical work and another performance of the same work.
5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
5.1 Identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used in various arts and other subject areas.
5.2 Identify and describe how music functions in the media and entertainment industries.
5.3 Identify various careers for musicians in the entertainment industry.

Grade Eight:
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.5 Analyze and compare the use of musical elements representing various genres, styles, and cultures, with an emphasis on chords and harmonic progressions.
1.6 Describe larger musical forms (symphony, tone poem).
1.7 Explain how music elements are used to create specific music events in given aural examples.
2.0 Creative Expression
2.5 Arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments other than those for which the pieces were written, using traditional and nontraditional sound sources, including digital/electronic media.
2.6 Improvise melodic and rhythmic embellishments and variations in major keys.
2.7 Improvise short melodies to be performed with and without accompaniment.
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
3.1 Compare and contrast the functions music serves and the place of musicians in society in various cultures.
3.2 Identify and explain the influences of various cultures on music in early United States history.
3.3 Explain how music has reflected social functions and changing ideas and values.
3.4 Compare and contrast the distinguishing characteristics of musical genres and styles from a variety of cultures.
3.5 Perform music from diverse genres, cultures, and time periods.
3.6 Classify exemplary musical works by style, genre, and historical period and explain why each work is considered exemplary.
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.1 Use detailed criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of musical performances and compositions and apply the criteria to personal listening and performing.
4.2 Apply detailed criteria appropriate for the genre and style of the music to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations, by oneself and others.
4.3 Explain how and why people use and respond to specific music from different musical cultures found in the United States.
4.4 Compare the means used to create images or evoke feelings and emotions in musical works form a minimum of two different musical cultures found in the United States.
5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
5.1 Compare in two or more arts forms how the characteristic materials of each art (sound in music, visual stimuli in visual arts, movement in dance, human relationships in theatre) can be used to transform similar events, scenes, emotion, or ideas into works of art.
5.2 Describe how music is composed and adapted for use in film, video, radio, and television.
5.3 Describe the skills necessary for composing and adapting music for use in film, video, radio, and television.

Grades Nine Through Twelve – Proficient
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.1 Read an instrumental or vocal score of up to four staves and explain how the elements of music are used.
1.2 Transcribe simple songs when presented aurally into melodic and rhythmic notation (level of difficulty: 1; scale: 1-6).
1.4 Analyze and describe the use of musical elements and expressive devices (e.g., articulation, dynamic markings) in aural examples in a varied repertoire of music representing diverse genres, styles, and cultures.
1.5 Identify and explain a variety of compositional devices and techniques used to provide unity, variety, tension, and release in aural examples.
1.6 Analyze the use of form in a varied repertoire of music representing diverse genres, styles, and cultures.
2.0 Creative Expression
2.4 Perform on an instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, tone quality, and articulation, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 4; scale: 1-6).
2.5 Perform on an instrument in small ensembles, with one performer for each part.
2.6 Compose music, using music elements for expressive effect.
2.9 Improvise harmonizing parts, using an appropriate style.
2.10 Improvise original melodies over given chord progressions.
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
3.1 Identify the sources of musical genres of the United States, trace the evolution of those genres, and cite well-known musicians associated with them.
3.2 Explain the various roles that musicians perform, identify representative individuals who have functioned in each role, and explain their activities and achievements.
3.3 Describe the differences between styles in traditional folk genres within the United States.
3.4 Perform music from various cultures and time periods.
3.5 Classify, by genre or style and historical period or culture, unfamiliar but representative aural examples of music and explain the reasoning for the classification.

4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.1 Develop specific criteria for making informed critical evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations and apply those criteria in personal participation in music.
4.2 Evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing each with an exemplary model.
4.3 Explain how people in a particular culture use and respond to specific music works from that culture.
4.4 Describe the means used to create images or evoke feeling and emotions in musical works from various cultures.
5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
5.1 Explain how elements, artistic processes, and organizational principles are used in similar and distinctive ways in the various arts.
5.2 Analyze the role and function of music in radio, television, and advertising.
5.3 Research musical careers in radio, television, and advertising.

Grades Nine Through Twelve – Advanced
1.0 Artistic Perception
1.1 Read a full instrument or vocal score and describe how the elements of music are used.
1.2 Transcribe simple songs into melodic and rhythmic notation when presented aurally (level of difficulty: 2; scale: 1-6).
1.3 Sight-read music accurately and expressively (level of difficulty: 4; scale: 1-6).
1.4 Analyze and describe significant musical events perceived and remembered in a given aural example.
1.5 Analyze and describe the use of musical elements in a given work that makes it unique, interesting, and expressive.
1.6 Compare and contrast the use of form, both past and present, in a varied repertoire of music from diverse genres, styles, and cultures.
2.0 Creative Expression
2.1 Sing a repertoire of vocal literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, good posture, tone quality, and vowel shape and articulation—written and memorized, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 5; scale; 1-6).
2.2 Sing music written in four parts with and without accompaniment (level of difficulty: 5; scale: 1-6).
2.3 Sing in small ensembles, with one performer for each part.
2.4 Perform on an instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, tone quality, and articulation, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 5; scale: 1-6).
2.5 Perform on an instrument in small ensembles, with one performer for each part (level of difficulty 5; scale: 1-6).
2.6 Compose music in distinct styles.
2.7 Compose and arrange music for various combinations of voices and acoustic and digital/electronic instruments, using appropriate ranges and traditional and untraditional sources of sound.
2.8 Create melodic and rhythmic improvisations in a style or genre within a musical culture (e.g. gamelan, jazz, and mariachi).
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
3.1 Analyze how the roles of musicians and composers have changed or remained the same throughout history.
3.2 Identify uses of music elements in nontraditional art music (e.g., atonal, twelve-tone, serial).
3.3 Compare and contrast the social function of a variety of music forms in various cultures and time periods.
3.4 Perform music from a variety of cultures and historical periods
3.5 Compare and contrast instruments from a variety of cultures and historical periods.
3.6 Compare and contrast musical styles within various popular genres in North America and South America
3.7 Analyze the stylistic features of a given music work that define its aesthetic traditions and its historical or cultural context.
3.8 Compare and contrast musical genres or styles that show the influence of two or more cultural traditions.
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
4.1 Compare and contrast how a composer’s intentions result in a work of music and how that music is used.
4.2 Analyze and explain how and why people in a particular culture use and respond to specific music works from their own culture.
4.3 Compare and contrast the musical means used to create images or evoke feelings and emotions in works of music from various cultures.
5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
5.1 Explain ways in which the principles and subject matter of music and various disciplines outside the arts are interrelated.
5.2 Analyze the process for arranging, underscoring, and composing music for film and video productions.
5.3 Identify and explain the various factors involved in pursuing careers in music.

New Jersey (NJMEA)
By the end of Grade 8, students will:

STANDARD 1.1 (AESTHETICS)
All students will use aesthetic knowledge in the creation of and in response to dance, music, theater, and visual art.
:
A. Knowledge
Examine works of art that communicate significant cultural beliefs or set of values.
Use domain-specific vocabulary relating to symbolism, genre, and performance technique in all arts areas.
Analyze how art is often defined by its originality.

B. Skills
Differentiate between the unique and common properties in all of the arts.
Distinguish among artistic styles, trends, and movements in various art forms.
Express how art is inspired by an individual's imagination.
Describe changes in meaning over time in the perception of a known work of art.

The Radio Hour:
Era units give overviews of artists and representative styles
Each unit has specific vocabulary which are tested in review crossword puzzles and online quizzes
Era units identify the individual contributions of each artist and their contributions to their style
Comparison of different musicians and the transitions to each new era
Students explore different styles through hands on projects
Students are required to write reflective essays about key musicians.

STANDARD 1.2 (CREATION AND PERFORMANCE)
All students will utilize those skills, media, and technologies appropriate to each art form in the creation, performance, and presentation of dance, music, theater, and visual art.
Perform compositions containing progressively complex notation and use standard notation to record musical ideas.
Perform independently and in groups a repertoire of diverse genres and cultures with appropriate expressive qualities.
Improvise original melodies and/or rhythms over given chordal progressions or rhythmic accompaniments in a consistent style, meter, and tonality.
Identify careers and lifelong opportunities for making music.

The Radio Hour:
Students compose and perform songs on harmonica in tab and standard notation.
Students are required to perform individual compositions for the class as well as ensemble materials in the Harmonica unit.
Students learn to imporvise on a diatonic harmonica in crossharp style.
Students learn about performance ettiquette, and radio (broadcast) techniques.

STANDARD 1.3 (ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES)
All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of dance, music, theater, and visual art.
Analyze the application of the elements of music in a diversity of musical works.
Examine how aspects of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions are organized and manipulated to establish unity and variety in musical compositions.
Describe various roles that musicians perform and identify representative individuals and their achievements that have functioned in each role.

The Radio Hour:
Students analyze 30 or more songs of varied styles in each curriculum.
Students are asked to identify aspects of each song using unit vocabulary.
Students are quizzed on vocabulary relevent to each selection
Student research the lives of key musicians and create an “interview” for their radio broadcast.

STANDARD 1.4 (CRITIQUE)
All students will develop, apply and reflect upon knowledge of the process of critique.
A. Knowledge
Explain the process of critique using the progression of description, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.
Compare artistic content among contrasting art works in the same domain.
B. Skills
Evaluate the judgment of others based on the process of critique.
Compare and contrast the technical proficiency of artists.

The Radio Hour:
Students are given multiple opportunities to evaluate their own and peers work using ready-made rubrics
Students compare the styles of form, composition, and improvisation between different artists and groups through musical debates and comparative essays.

STANDARD 1.5 (HISTORY/CULTURE)
All students will understand and analyze the role, development, and continuing influence of the arts in relation to world cultures, history, and society.
A. Knowledge
Analyze how technological changes have influenced the development of the arts.
Examine how the social and political environment influences artists in various social/historical/political contexts.
B. Skills
Identify the common artistic elements that help define a given historical period.
Discuss how cultural influences add to the understanding of works of art.

The Radio Hour:
Students will identify through Individual Projects
Movement – Dances of different eras
Call Charts - Identify improvements in technology for musical instruments and the recording industry.
Improvisation – Analysis of different songs of different eras.
Research – Personal research and listening to peer research presentations.
Visual representation on unit covers.
Open theme compositions of songs and poems.
Radio broadcasts for a study of advertising, and historical events.
Stylistic elements are identified for each unit
Elements are compared with previous units to identify cultural, historical and social changes with respect ot impact on the music.
Visual representation of cultural, historical and social changes on unit covers
Open theme compositions of songs and poems
Radio broadcasts for a study of national and international events

New York (NYSSMA)
By the end of Grade 8, students will:

Standard 4 – Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts (1,2,3)
1) Identify the cultural context of a performance.
2) Identify the titles and composers of well known examples of Blues/Jazz selections.
3) Discuss the current and past cultural, social, and political uses for the music that was performed and listened to.

Pennsylvania (PMEA)
By the end of Grade 8, students will:

9.1. Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts

A. Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.
The Radio Hour:
o Presenting puppet shows to create a production of a selection from the contemporary Era
o Presenting a self choreographed dance in Classical, Jazz, or Rock style
o Collaboration of ideas for radio broadcast
o Script development for radio broadcast and puppet show
o Create a variety of visual projects to represent the musical and historical elements related to an era in history

B. Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
The Radio Hour:
o Demonstrate the form of a selection of music by creating a choreographed dance
o Play harmonica to demonstrate a knowledge of notation, and theory.
o Create a song based on blues elements of Jazz and Rock musicians in history
o Interpret the roles of the staff of a radio show. (Production manager, reporter, disc jockey, advertising)
o Identify and use comprehensive vocabulary within each era of each curriculum.
o Identify multiple styles and musical trends within each curriculum through listening and analyzing of representative works.
o Communicate a unifying theme or point of view of works in the arts.
o Explain works of others within each art form through performance or exhibition.
o Explain the function and benefits of rehearsal and practice sessions.

C. Incorporate specific uses of traditional and contemporary technologies in furthering knowledge and understanding in the humanities.
The Radio Hour: using the website www.theradiohour.net
o Students will use the internet to research the life of representative musicians
o Students will use the internet to research the political issues based on the timeline of music eras
o Students will use the internet to research the use of music and its effect on advertising

9.2. Historical and Cultural Contexts
Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts.
The Radio Hour:
o Listen to at least 30 different works representative of the many eras within the genres of Classical, Jazz and Rock
o Relate styles within eras and compare the development of styles within the genre of Classical, Jazz and Rock
o Analyze the musical significance of a selection with the social, political, and scientific contributions within that period in music history.
o Know terms and composers/musicians relevant to each era are reviewed through unit crossword puzzles and online tests
o Discuss trends in music history through dance (Waltz, Charleston, Swing, Twist)
o Identify, explain and analyze common themes, forms and techniques from works in the arts (e.g., Copland and Graham’s Appalachian Spring and Millet’s The Gleaners).

9.3. Critical Response
Know and use the critical process of the examination of works in the arts and humanities.
The Radio Hour:
o Individual projects include Venn Diagrams for comparative essays and as a springboard for musical debates.
o Students use Call Charts to visually guide them though music analysis
o Students use Call Charts to identify trends in form, improvisation, and verse
o Students review related vocabulary within each Call Chart
o Students are asked to make comparisons about the musical elements of music analyzed in Call Charts with the music they purchase today

9.4. Aesthetic Response
Compare and contrast examples of group and individual philosophical meanings of works in the arts and humanities
The Radio Hour:
o Students keep personal connections with songs from the curriculum in their portfolio
o Students experience a variety of performance venues through Video/DVD
o Students discuss audience etiquette during Call Chart analysis
o Students discuss the intrinsic value of a variety of musical styles from Classical through Contemporary music and their effect on society throughout history.