Rose Park Middle School Bands
2nd Semester Course Description
Instructor: Mrs. Verdone
5th Grade Band (Beginning Band) is offered to musicians with no previous band class experience. Emphasis for this class will be mainly on development of basic technical skills, such as tone production, breath control, and music reading. Students will be responsible for two or more public performances during the school year, which will be scheduled in the evening.
All students should now have their own copy of Band Expressions, Volume 1. We will also continue studying the building blocks of music from the text Essentials of Music Theory, from worksheets which will be provided by the school. All students will need a ½” or 1” 3-ring binder with 10 sheet protectors to store copies of sheet music, objective sheets, academic vocabulary and music theory worksheets. Notebooks will be checked on Wed 1/24.
Brass players should have valve oil and slide grease to keep instruments in working order. Woodwind players should have no fewer than 3 unbroken reeds available at all times. All brass and woodwind players should get a mouthpiece brush to keep germs from collecting and growing in mouthpieces. Percussionists will need to provide the following accessories: one pair of snare sticks, and one pair of hard mallets for keyboard instruction, and a drum pad. Students are expected to bring instruments, band method books, a pencil, and their band notebook to class daily to record assignments, organize written work, and academic vocabulary.
Band Grades
Grades will be determined by adding total points accumulated during the marking period through a variety of learning activities and measurement tools.
Class Participation 40% Home Practice 20%
Concert Attendance 20% Playing Quiz 10%
Written Assignments/Quizzes 10%
Class participation will be graded daily, and is a significant portion of the student’s class grade. Students will start each day with 5 participation points. These can be added to by superior performance in the areas of musical accomplishment and behavior management. Students who experience difficulties in the areas of personal organization, academic preparation, or behavior management will lose points because these deficiencies disrupt class and prevent learning. Further consequences include written or telephone communication between the instructor and parents, discipline referrals, in-school suspension.
Written assignments will be short answer sheets covering various topics, such as instrument care, music theory, and history. They will be designed to be a length that is expected to be completed in class. Written quizzes will be administered at the end of a unit to assess student achievement, and will be announced ahead of time.
Home Practice: Home practice is considered homework for band class. Daily practice is always recommended to help train the many small muscles involved in playing an instrument. Each student is responsible for learning his or her exercises and concert music. Signed practice records will be turned in each Friday: practice assignments will be made daily. A practice record is attached to this document, and includes further details on its’ role in your child’s success in earning an excellent grade.
Playing quiz Home practice will also be evaluated through a playing quiz. On a weekly basis, the class will be required to play 4 – 8 measures of music from their method book or concert music. They will be assessed on 3 to 5 objectives. It also allows students to have flexibility in the amount of time that they spend preparing for band class, while increasing their responsibility to prepare their own part. Class rehearsal time will be spent assembling prepared individual parts into a cohesive finished product. Private lessons are also highly recommended, and a list of tutors and teacher resources is available by request.
Concert attendance expectations are detailed in the concert contract that was sent home last semester.
Band objective sheets are attached to this course description. It lists planned tests for this grading period. This is the third sheet of the year, and a new one will be issued for each remaining grading period. As a student accomplishes an objective, it is checked off and credit is recorded in my grade book. Please sign and detach this sheet, sign it and require that your student return it to inform me that you have received all this information. It is due this Friday, January 12th.
GRADING SCALE
The following grading scale will be used to assign final grades for the marking period:
A = 93 – 100% B = 85 - 92% C = 75 - 84% D = 70 - 74% F= Below 69%
BAND CLASS EXPECTATIONS
1. Treat everyone and everything with respect.
2. Do what you are asked to do right away, the first time you are asked.
3. Bring your instrument, accessories, music, notebook, and pencil every day..
4. Participate safely, actively, and willingly
5. Be responsible for your learning: Pay attention.
CONSEQUENCES
1. Verbal warning
2. Loss of one or more class participation points for day.
3. Phone call home to parent
4. Discipline referral and ISS.
5. Behavior contract, which if not successfully completed, will result in removal from the band program. |
