Fine arts course syllabus


Course Description: Music Theory I is designed for students who require it for career study, as a precursor to AP Music Theory, as well as those who desire it for enrichment. Though the main emphasis is placed on music of the Common Practice Period (Western tonality from 1600-1900), music of other stylistic periods and cultures is also studied.


Essential Questions: What is improvisation and how is is used as a tool for an actor How can I explore and create characters using improvisation? How can I write scripts using improvisation? What is the historical context of improvisation? 

b. Identify all key signatures in both major and minor keys

c. Identify time signatures

d. Identify, read, and write melodies using basic rhythmic values

e. Identify major, minor, augmented, and diminished intervals

f. Identify and write major and minor scales

g. Identify and harmonize major, minor, augmented, and diminished triads and their inversions

h. Identify and harmonize major, minor, and dominant seventh chords and their inversions

i. Write melodies using first, second, third, fourth, and fifth species counterpoint

j. Harmonize a bass line with appropriate chords using good voice leading

k. Harmonize a melody with appropriate chords using good voice leading

l. Analyze the chords of a musical composition by number and letter name

m. Transpose a composition from one key to another

n. Write simple rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic dictation



Common Goals:
Thinking and Communicating

1. 
   Read information critically to develop understanding of concepts, topics and issues.
   
2. 
   Write clearly, factually, persuasively and creatively in Standard English.
   
3. 
   Speak clearly, factually, persuasively and creatively in Standard English.
   
4. 
   Use computers and other technologies to obtain, organize and communicate information and to solve problems.
   
5. 
   Conduct research to interpret issues or solve complex problems using a variety of data and information sources.
   

6. 
   Gain and Apply Knowledge in:
   
   1. 
      Literature and Language
      
   2. 
      Mathematics
      
   3. 
      Science and Technology
      
   4. 
      Social Studies, History and Geography
      
   5. 
      Visual and Performing Arts
      
   6. 
      Health and Physical Education
      

7. 
   Demonstrate personal responsibility for planning one’s future academic and career options.
   
8. 
   Participate in a school or community service activity.
   
9. 
   Develop informed opinions about current economic, environmental, political and social issues affecting Massachusetts, the United States and the world and understand how citizens can participate in the political and legal system to affect improvements in these areas.
   

• Identifying notes on a staff

• Key signatures

• Time signatures and meter

• Basic rhythms and note values

o Whole

o Half

o Quarter

o Eighth

o Triplet

o Sixteenth

o Combinations

o Dotted rhythms

• Intervals

• Scales

• Chords

• Major

• Minor

• Augmented

• Diminished

o Seventh

• Major

• Minor

• Dominant

• First Species

• Second Species

• Third Species

• Fourth Species

• Fifth Species

• Vocabulary

• Moving from one chord to another

• Role of chords

• Tonic (I or i)

• Dominant (V)

• Subdominant (IV or iv)

• Submediant (VI or vi)

• Supertonic (ii or ii-dim.)

• Subtonic/Leading Tone (vii-dim. Or VII)

• Mediant (iii or III)

• Cadences

• Perfect authentic

• Imperfect authentic

o Half

o Deceptive

o Plagal

• Inversions

• Seventh chord inversions

• Nonharmonic tones

o Passing tone (PT)

o Neighbor tone – upper or lower (UN, LN)

o Anticipation (ANT)

o Accented passing tone (APT)

o Suspension (SUS)

o Appoggiatura (AP)

o Echappee or escape tone (ECH)

o Cambiata (CAMB)

o Double neighbor or changing tones (DN)

• Chromatics

• Secondary Dominants

• Tonicization

• Modulations
Daily warm-up – Dictation.

Short dictation exercises.
Rhythmic Dictation

Suggested sequence of learning:

• Whole notes and half notes

• Whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes

• Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes

• Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes

• Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and triplets

• Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, eighth-sixteenth note combinations and sixteenth note-eight note combinations
Tonal Dictation

Suggested sequence of learning:

• Melodic Dictation

• Sketch contour of line (does the melody move up, down, or remain static)

• Melodies that move stepwise

• Melodies that include leaps of a third

• Melodies that include leaps of a fourth

• Melodies that include leaps of a fifth

• Melodies that include leaps of a sixth

• Melodies that include leaps of a seventh

• Melodies that include leaps of an octave

• Chordal Dicatation

• Unisons and octaves

• Major and minor seconds

• Major and minor thirds

• Perfect fourths

• Perfect fifths

• Major and minor sixths

• Major and minor sevenths

• Dictation of two voices at once

• Dictation of four voices at once (SATB)



Major Evaluation Strategies:

Name of Assessment	Type of Assessment		Common Goals Assessed	Standards Assessed	Other Objectives Assessed
	Test	Performance Assessment
 			     	     	     
Daily in-class assignments			     	     	     
Daily dictation exercises			     	     	     
Weekly analysis assignments			     	     	     
Quizzes			     	     	     
Unit tests			     	     	     
Sight-singing assessments			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     
     			     	     	     

Learning Standards from the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework:

MUSIC STRANDS AND STANDARDS
	PreK–12 STANDARD 1 Singing	Students will sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 2 Reading and Notation	Students will read music written in standard notation.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 3 Playing Instruments	Students will play instruments, alone and with others, to perform a varied repertoire of music.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 4 Improvisation and Composition	Students will improvise, compose, and arrange music.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 5 Critical Response	Students will describe and analyze their own music and the music of others using appropriate music vocabulary. When appropriate, students will connect their analysis to interpretation and evaluation.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 6 Purposes and Meanings in the Arts	Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 7 Roles of Artists in Communities	Students will describe the roles of artists, patrons, cultural organizations, and arts institutions in societies of the past and present.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 8 Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change	Students will demonstrate their understanding of styles, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created, and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 9 Inventions, Technologies, and the Arts	Students will describe and analyze how performing and visual artists use and have used materials, inventions, and technologies in their work.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 10 Interdisciplinary Connections	Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering.
THEATRE STRANDS AND STANDARDS
	PreK–12 STANDARD 1 Acting	Students will develop acting skills to portray characters who interact in improvised and scripted scenes.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 2 Reading and Writing Scripts	Students will read, analyze, and write dramatic material.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 3 Directing	Students will rehearse and stage dramatic works.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 4 Technical Theatre	Students will demonstrate skills in using the basic tools, media, and techniques involved in theatrical production.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 5 Critical Response	Students will describe and analyze their own theatrical work and the work of others using appropriate theatre vocabulary. When appropriate, students will connect their analysis to interpretation and evaluation.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 6 Purposes and Meanings in the Arts	Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 7 Roles of Artists in Communities	Students will describe the roles of artists, patrons, cultural organizations, and arts institutions in societies of the past and present.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 8 Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change	Students will demonstrate their understanding of styles, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created, and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 9 Inventions, Technologies, and the Arts	Students will describe and analyze how performing and visual artists use and have used materials, inventions, and technologies in their work.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 10 Interdisciplinary Connections	Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering.
VISUAL ARTS STRANDS AND STANDARDS
	PreK–12 STANDARD 1 Media, Materials, and Techniques	Students will demonstrate knowledge of the media, materials, and techniques unique to the visual arts.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 2 Elements and Principles of Design	Students will demonstrate knowledge of the elements and principles of design.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 3 Observation, Abstraction, Invention, and Expression	Students will demonstrate their powers of observation, abstraction, invention, and expression in a variety of media, materials, and techniques.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 4 Drafting, Revising, and Exhibiting	Students will demonstrate knowledge of the processes of creating and exhibiting artwork: drafts, critique, self-assessment, refinement, and exhibit preparation.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 5 Critical Response	Students will describe and analyze their own work and the work of others using appropriate visual arts vocabulary. When appropriate, students will connect their analysis to interpretation and evaluation.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 6 Purposes and Meanings in the Arts	Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 7 Roles of Artists in Communities	Students will describe the roles of artists, patrons, cultural organizations, and arts institutions in societies of the past and present.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 8 Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change	Students will demonstrate their understanding of styles, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created, and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 9 Inventions, Technologies, and the Arts	Students will describe and analyze how performing and visual artists use and have used materials, inventions, and technologies in their work.
	PreK–12 STANDARD 10 Interdisciplinary Connections	Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering.