Music Syllabus for Eighth Grade
Music History Class
2006-2007

Objectives for each time period:

• Identify and understand the music of each time period by listening, researching, discussing, and/or performing the music of each era.
• Become familiar with the major musicians of each era.
• Relate the social, political, art, religious and scientific developments of each era to the music of the time.
• Be able to share information from research about each era by preparing a presentation. Also, note cards will be required for each project with information on the era. (See requirements for each era.)
• Students are to see and over all connection in the development of music through the years

For each project there will have allotted time for lecture/listening and research.  Students should use their time wisely.  All of the following projects must contain all the above objectives.  You will be graded on each objective. Students are required to bring to each class their text book, folder, note cards, and something to write with.

Gothic

• Prepare a poster presentation (1-2mins.) of the music of the era along with pertinent information on important influences of the era.  Each student will be expected to prepare an individual oral presentation along with poster. Use music in your presentation. Due date is September 22, 2005.

Renaissance

• Prepare questions for a press interview with the NC Symphony presentation which will take place on October 20^th. Gathering your information that you have researched and the information you received from the presenters on the 20^th prepare a press release to be presented in class.
• Note cards and questions due October 13, 2005
• Press Releases due October 27,2005

Baroque

• Prepare a news broadcast of the era. This should include information on the music, important composers and information on the era in general, such as scientific, political, etc.  This will be a group activity (2-3) and will be filmed by video camera.  Due date is Dec. 1,2005.

Classical

• Write a journal of a major composer from this time period. There need to be 52 entries of important information about the life and music of your composer and the world around them. These should be hard facts not fluff.  This will be an individual project.  Be prepared to share information with class.  Due date is January 12, 2006.

Romantic

• Prepare a coffee house skit focusing on a group (2-3 students) of artists from this era. Each skit must contain at least one composer and be only 5mins.  The group could be discussing important musical and political events as well as social conditions of the era. Due date is February 16, 2006.

Earlier 20^th Century or Contemporary Music including Impressionism

• Prepare a power point presentation to be done in conjunction with the computer lab. These will be individual presentations focusing on a composer and their music of the era and including all of the objectives.  Due date is March 23, 2006. Presentations will be done 5/4,  5/11, 5/18.

Later 20^th Century American Popular Music

• Students will be presenting a ‘wax museum’ to another class on their favorite musician and or composer. They should have information on the life of the musician and his/her works. Due date is May 25, 2006.

You will be working with Mrs. Williams in the media center developing library skills and researching information on the musical eras for your presentations. Lecture and listening classes will be held in the music trailer.

Your participation and your projects as well as your research will determine your grade for each period.  Ms. Williams and Mrs. Waddell will work together on the research grades.  In addition to the materials you will need for each project, you should have a pack of index cards with you when you come to class to take notes and for research.  These notes will need to be turned in with your project. Students who come to class prepared and participate in class activities as well as turn in completed projects on time will receive a 1 for each project. The project grades will be averaged to get the quarterly grades.

 Note: All group projects are graded on the individual content of each student not a group grade.