MYP Band 7/8

Course Level: MYP Levels 2 and 3

Course Code:
2 Semesters (each year)
Instructor: Paul Schroeder
Email: schroederp@grps.org
Conference Period:

Room #:

Phone #:

Brief description of the course that incorporates the following:

The middle school band course incorporates the range of MYP fundamental
concepts and the characteristics of the learner profile. Learning to perform music
together requires communication among individuals, as well as with the
instructor. Various cultural traditions are explored in the range of musical pieces
studied.
Band students learned that concepts found in our class are the same ones that
can be used with the approach to other matters they encounter in their lives. This
gives the class a holistic approach to understanding the relevance of our work.
Students must be knowledgeable with performing practices as well as
terminology of music. They must be able to communicate both verbally and in the
manner that they play their instruments. Being principled is a necessary
component in the work ethic required in musical preparation. Open-mindedness,
as well as the willingness to take risks is needed to be prepared to handle the
challenges of any type of music encountered. While music is being shaped in
rehearsal, it is important to reflect on the progress and the results achieved along
the way.
Aims and Objectives

IB1- The aims of the teaching and study of MYP arts are for students to:
understand how the arts play a role in developing and expressing
personal and cultural identities
MI-Content Standard 4: All students will understand, analyze, and describe the arts
in their historical, social, and cultural contexts.

IB2-Appreciate how the arts innovate and communicate across time

and culture
MI- Content Standard 2: All students will apply skills and knowledge to create in the
arts.

IB3-Become informed and reflective practitioners of the arts

MI-Content Standard 5: All students will recognize, analyze, and describe
connections among the arts; between the arts and other disciplines; between the
arts and everyday life.

IB4-experience the process of making art in a variety of situations

MI- Content Standard 2: All students will apply skills and knowledge to create in the
arts.

IB5-explore, express and communicate ideas

MI-Content Standard 3: All students will analyze, describe and evaluate works of art.

IB6-become more effective learners, inquirers and thinkers

MI-Content Standard 5: All students will recognize, analyze, and describe
connections among the arts; between the arts and other disciplines; between the
arts and everyday life.

IB7-develop selfconfidence and selfawareness through art

experiences
MI-Content Standard 5: All students will recognize, analyze, and describe
connections among the arts; between the arts and other disciplines; between the
arts and everyday life.

IB8-appreciate lifelong learning in and enjoyment of the arts.

MI-Content Standard 4: All students will understand, analyze, and describe the arts
in their historical, social, and cultural contexts.

A Knowledge and understanding

MI-Content Standard 1: All students will apply skills and knowledge to perform in the
arts.

B Application
MI-Content Standard 2: All students will apply skills and knowledge to create in the
arts.

C Reflection and evaluation

MI-Content Standard 3: All students will analyze, describe and evaluate works of art.

D Personal engagement
Content Standard 5: All students will recognize, analyze, and describe connections
among the arts; between the arts and other disciplines; between the arts and
everyday life.

Role of the areas of interaction in your course

(Approaches to Learning, Community and Service, Environments, Human
Ingenuity, & Health and social education)
The Environments area of interaction is being used by reflecting on our
responsibilities to our environment as musicians, along with coming to an
understanding and awareness of the effects of our actions, attitudes and
constructs on the environment. This can be done by classroom activities and/or
concerts specifically designed to keep the environment component in mind.
========================================================
The area of Human Ingenuity will be used for topics such as the study of design
in music, or form. Students will learn how innovation can endlessly create
many types of musical pieces.
When approaching the design of a piece of music, we will examine questions
such as What are the challenges, and what solutions have composers, and we
ourselves as creators, come up with for our music that we are playing? What
steps will we take to solve the question of how to render the music? How will
we know if our solution was an effective one?
========================================================
Health and Social Education
Areas of Health and Social Interactions are achieved in music by developing
awareness and understanding of music in a global context, both cultural and
historical. It is also achieved through social and personal awareness. Students
will perform and listen to music of different times and cultures. Students will

understand physical health and emotional well being through proper posture,
technique, group participation and self discipline. Students will also identify
themselves in the wider society in regards to their behavior and ethical
choices. This can be done through different classroom activities and/or various
performances throughout the year.
========================================================
Community and Service
For the Community and Service area, each individual in the performing
ensemble comes from a community, family, and neighborhood to form a new
community for the purpose of learning the skills necessary to perform a variety
of music. The performing ensemble then shares their music with the larger
community.
========================================================
Approaches to Learning
Approaches to Learning will be taught by focusing student attention on the
organization of ensemble rehearsal time and personal practice time and goal
setting. Examples of this are setting deadlines for proficiency on a specific
piece, and organizing the flow of warm-up, mastery and review within a
rehearsal or practice session. Students will collaborate in the ensemble setting
by working toward a common goal, and will master non-verbal communication
by using musical notation and sound. Students will also reflect on both personal
and ensemble performances and will learn to understand music in a
cultural/historical context. Students will also focus on transferring learned
skills to other contexts both inside and outside of the music classroom.
Reflections on transferring skills could be identifying the same rhythm pattern
in different pieces of music and using similar strategies for solving the
performance challenges of that specific rhythm. Students will develop the
ability to identify problem areas of musical performance and will generate a
variety of strategies for solving the identified areas. Slowing the tempo,
breaking down a phrase to the measure or rhythmic pattern level, and altering
articulation are examples of strategies for solving musical problems.

Materials, Technology and Other Resources:

Texts and resources
The method books available for study for the students in the band are the
Essential Elements for Band, Book 1-2 The main material type used in the daily

band class is the actual sheet music arrangements that our group will be learning
to perform. Other resources include recording equipment, a library of solo and
ensemble literature, and sources of information found on the Internet.

Methodology
The middle school band class at City is met in a large group. Although all
students work on the same music at the same time, there is provision for the
different playing and ability levels. The rubrics are applied based on the current
grade level of each student. Also, within each instrument section, there are
varying levels of difficulty based on which part the student has. For example, the
clarinet section normally has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd parts for any given piece of music.
Sectional rehearsals are often led by the advanced students and allow all of the
students in the section to get closer attention to their part. Solo and small
ensemble work is also used to have students study aspects of playing their
instrument that goes beyond what their parts in band are like.

Methods of assessment
Band students are graded on performance and process criteria. For performance
criteria, there are playing tests that take place either in class or are recorded.
These tests measure the level of playing accuracy as well as the ability to
produce correct and characteristic tones for their instrument. For process criteria,
data is collected pertaining to issues such as concert participation, proper focus
in rehearsal, and overall level of leadership in class while working either in large
or small groups.
III.

Grading policy including the use of MYP criteria

Percentage

Letter

97-100

A+

Descriptor

MYP
10/10 OR 8/8

Exemplary Level of Performance

10

OR

10

OR

10

OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

OR

93 96

90 92

A-

87 89

B+

83 86

80 82

B-

77 79

C+

73 76

70 72

C-

OR

67 69

D+

OR

63 66

OR

60 62

D-

OR

0 59

OR

Outstanding level of performance

High level of performance

Acceptable level of performance

Minimal level of performance

Unacceptable level of performance

Course Overview

Unit

Literature

Topic

Writing

Pacing

1 Basic skills and

techniques

Method Book

Describe performance
elements

6 weeks

2 Solo/small
group playing

Various

Describe solo/small
group playing
considerations

4 weeks

3 Holiday
Concert

Holiday Music

Self assessment

5 weeks

4 Band Festival

Festival level
music

Self assessment and

performance review

8 weeks

5 Basic and
advanced skills

Method Book

Describe advanced
performance elements

7 weeks

6 Spring Concert

Popular, show
and lighter style
band music
Review for Exam

What is
exemplary
performance
quality?
How do we
perform by
ourselves and
with others?
Holiday
traditions
American and
international
Prepare for
adjudicated
performance
What are
advance skills
for each
instrument
Prepare for
spring concert
event

Self assessment and

concert review

5 weeks

1 week