Grade 8 Orchestra

Avon Lake City Schools 

Curriculum Framework

8th Grade Orchestra

Course Overview:

8th Grade Orchestra focuses on continuing content instruction for students from the 7th Orchestra 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: Habits of a Successful Middle Level String Musician- A Comprehensive Orchestra Curriculum For Years 3, 4 and Beyond by Christopher Selby and Scott Rush. GIA Publications, INC. 

  • A variety of musical compositions from classical standard band literature to current modern musical compositions 

Online/Supplemental Materials:

Google Classroom

Assessments: 

Quarterly Playing Assessments

Content/Topics/Learning Goals

Subject to Pacing and Schedules

1st Quarter- 

  • Review and continue to refine musical concepts learned and developed during the Grade 7 Orchestra year

  • Reading/performing music in meters cut time and 6/8

  • Understanding the historical background of musical selections, the composer’s thoughts and intents in creating a musical work

  • Identifying and performing the C, G, D, A, and F major two octave scales and arpeggios

  • Performance at the Fall Festival

2nd Quarter- 

  • Continued review and refining of the first quarter goals

  • Understand and play triplet note patterns

  • Identifying and performing the B flat scale and arpeggio in two octaves

  • Understanding and developing the basics of vibrato

  • Performance at the Holiday Concert

3rd Quarter- 

  • Continued review and refining of the first and second quarter goals

  • Continuing to refine C, G, D, A, F and B flat major two octave scales and arpeggios

  • Continuing to refine tuning abilities using fine tuners and begin tuning using pegs

  • Performance at the Winter Concert

4th Quarter -  

  • Continued review and refining of the first, second, and third quarter goals

  • Understanding the historical background of musical selections, the composer’s thoughts and intents in creating a musical work

  • Practicing sight-reading music

  • Participate in OMEA Middle School Large Group Adjudicated Event

  • Performance at the Spring Concert

Last Updated:

September, 2023