Grade 6, 7, 8 Music Appreciation

Happy 2014, and welcome back! In grades 6, 7, and 8 we have begun to explore music appreciation more fully, while using the ideas and vocabulary related to the Elements of Music to support our discussions.

Students will have 2 weeks and one class work period to complete this assignment and present it in their chosen groups or individually, and are encouraged to chose Canadian songs and artists to explore.

Students will be using the Critical Analysis process in their explorations of music appreciation, and are reminded to consider the importance of the cultural context of their song. Why is it important to the culture where it originated? What was going on at the time historically, and what was the impact that the song had?

Elements of Music

Pitch – Are the notes or voices high or low? Is the song in a major (pleasing) or minor (dissonant) scale?

Duration – Is the tempo andante (a walking pace), largo (slow), or other? What is the meter (4 4 time or other)? Is the beat steady or does it change? Are the notes staccato or legato?

Timbre – The quality or colour of the sound. What instruments are used? What feelings do they create in the song? Using words like: soft, harsh, brassy, thin, mellow, bright, dark, etc.

Dynamics and other expressive controls – Is the song loud or soft? Are there crescendos (getting louder) and decrescendos (getting softer)? Are they sudden or do they happen slowly? Do the notes rise and fall or do they stay mostly the same? Are their jumps between notes (intervals)?

Texture/harmony – How many lines of music can you hear? Is the song thin or thick sounding? Are there any ostinatos (repeated rhythms)? Are there harmonies? Do they sound major or minor?

Form – Is there a repeating chorus? Do the words rhyme? What is the pattern (ie. ABAB)?

(Canadian) Song Rubric

	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Knowledge and Understanding	Name displays knowledge of the elements of music and understands how the song uses these elements with little effectiveness.	Name displays knowledge of the elements of music and understands how the song uses these elements with some effectiveness.	Name displays knowledge of the elements of music and understands how the song uses these elements with considerable effectiveness.	Name displays knowledge of the elements of music and understands how the song uses these elements with a high degree of effectiveness.
Thinking	Name displays critical and creative thought processes with little effectiveness.	Name displays critical and creative thought processes with some effectiveness.	Name displays critical and creative thought processes with considerable effectiveness.	Name displays critical and creative thought processes with a high degree of effectiveness.
Communication	Name communicates ideas with little effectiveness.	Name is able to communicate ideas with some effectiveness.	Name is able to communicate ideas with considerable effectiveness.	Name is able to communicate ideas with a high degree of effectiveness.
Application	Name makes connections between this song and other contexts with little effectiveness..	Name makes connections between this song and other contexts with some effectiveness.	Name makes connections between this song and other contexts with considerable effectiveness.	Name makes connections between this song and other contexts with a high degree of effectiveness.