Grade 7 Band

Avon Lake City Schools

Curriculum Framework

7TH GRADE BAND

Course Overview:

7th Grade Band focuses on continuing content instruction for students from the Grade 6 Band level, engaging students in a wide variety of experiences in musical performance, musical literature, and musical concepts commonly used at the middle school level.

Textbook (Title and Publishing Company):

  • Method Book: Measures of Success - A Comprehensive Musicianship Band Method, Book 1 by Deborah A. Sheldon, Brian Balmages, Timothy Loest, and Robert Sheldon. Percussion written and edited by David Collier. The FJH Publishing Company, Inc.
  • Scale and Rhythm Chunks - Rhythm and Scale-Based Technical Exercises for the Beginning Band Student by Richard Canter. Focus On Music Publication
  • Various musical compositions from classical standard band literature to current modern musical compositions

Online/Supplemental Materials:

  • Google Classroom
  • Flip (formerly FlipGrid)
  • MusicRacer.com
  • Sightreading Factory
  • EdPuzzle

Assessments:

  • Quarterly Scale and Rhythm Assessments
  • Weekly Playing Check-Ups

Content/Topics/Learning Goals

Subject to Pacing and Schedules

1st Quarter

  • Developing appropriate tone quality for the individual instrument
  • Development of proper instrument-specific technique - instrument position, stick/mallet grips
  • Proper breathing technique and articulation technique
  • Comprehension and application of the different parts of a time signature/meter
  • Reading/performing music in simple meters
  • Reading/writing/performing music notation: whole, half, quarter, eighth dotted quarter, dotted half notes and rests
  • Subdivided 8th note counting
  • Identifying and performing the first five notes of the Concert Bb, Eb, and Ab major scales

2nd Quarter

  • Continued review and refining of the first quarter goals
  • reading/writing/comprehension of music symbols commonly found in middle school level band literature
  • Comprehension and technique development of the various dynamic levels, crescendo and decrescendo
  • Development of quarter/8th note rhythmic combinations
  • historical background of musical selections, the composer’s thoughts and intents in creating a musical work
  • Identifying and performing the first five notes of the Concert F, C, and G major scales

3rd Quarter

  • Continued review and refining of the first and second quarter goals
  • Reading/writing/performing music notation: 16th notes and rests, 8th/16th note and rest combinations
  • Developing proper tone control for phrasing and proper ensemble balance and blending
  • Exploring form/structure of a variety of musical styles, including but not limited to marches, overtures, ternary form, etc.
  • Subdivided counting with shifting patterns from down beats to off beats
  • Participate in solo or small ensemble music performances to learn the concepts of communication and musical concepts within a smaller context
  • Identifying and performing the of the Concert Bb, Eb, and Ab major scales-full scales

4th Quarter

  • Continued review and refining of the first, second, and third quarter goals
  • Introduction to rhythmic motifs and patterns commonly found in instrumental middle school music literature.
  • Participate in OMEA Middle School Large Group Adjudicated Event
  • Identifying and performing the of the Concert F, C, and G major scales-full scales

Last Updated: September, 2023