GRADE 8 - GENERAL MUSIC
STANDARD	SKILLS and CONCEPTS	VOCABULARY
Standard 1:  Students sing accurately and expressively with good breath control, diction, and posture, both alone and in small groups.	8.1.1  Sing a given melody correctly while maintaining a steady beat, consistent vocal tone, proper pronunciation, and expressive use of dynamics and phrasing.	dynamics, phrasing
	8.1.2  Sing alone or as part of a group while standing or sitting straight.
Standard 2:  Students play an instrument accurately and independently. They play simple melodies and accompaniments by ear and perform instrumental parts while others play or sing.	8.2.1  Echo melodic and rhythmic patterns on an instrument.
	8.2.2  Play a melody while other students play an accompaniment.	melody, accompaniment
	8.2.3  Play an accompaniment to a given melody.
Standard 3:  Students read and notate rhythmic notation in various meters. They read and notate pitches in treble and bass clef. Students in Grade 8 identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression.	8.3.1  Demonstrate the ability to read music notation in compound meter. Example: Clap a 4-measure rhythm in 6/8 meter, which is notated on the board.	6/8 meter
	8.3.3  Use appropriate musical terminology when discussing music. Example: Upon receiving a printed musical example from the instructor, talk about the key signature, meter signature, dynamic terms, and tempo markings of the piece.	time signature, tempo
Standard 4:  Students improvise simple short melodies, alone or accompanied, using a steady tempo and a consistent meter. They improvise simple accompaniments.	8.4.1  Create a simple ostinato accompaniment.
	8.4.2  Create a short melody over a given rhythmic accompaniment.
Standard 5:  Students compose music with the instructor’s guidance. They use the elements of music to create unity and variety in the composition.	8.5.1  Write a short piece of music in simple or compound meter. Example: Compose a song in the techno style.	techno
	8.5.2  Use the selected pitches and rhythms to create unity and variety in a composition.	unity, variety
	8.5.3  Perform the piece that was composed.
Standard 6:  Students identify musical forms when they are heard. They talk about specific musical events heard, and using proper terminology, they define and use the musical elements of meter, rhythm, and pitch. Students also identify vocal characteristics, musical sounds, and instruments originating from other cultures.	8.6.1  Identify a musical work as being in theme and variation or ABA form.
	8.6.2  Upon listening to several examples correctly identify the musical events such as crescendo, decrescendo, accelerando, ritardando, piano or forte, and instrumental sounds, using the correct terminology. Example: Listen to a recording of Copland’s setting of “Simple Gifts” from his ballet, Appalachian Spring. Talk about the changes in dynamics, tempo, and instrumentation through the excerpt.	crescendo, decrescendo, accelerando, ritardando, dynamics
Standard 7:  Students identify similarities among the various arts. They discuss similarities among other subject areas and the arts. Students also apply non-musical skills learned through music study to other life settings.	8.7.1 Discuss similarities among the arts in every culture. Example: Take part in a class (or school-wide) discussion on the topic of global understanding among nations. Present ways that each of the arts can enhance understanding and communication.
	8.7.2 Discuss ways in which the arts are similar to other subject areas. Example: Prepare a report or paper for another subject besides music, and in the paper, use some aspect of a musical work or musical process in order to illustrate a point you are trying to make.
Standard 8:  Students identify works and composers of other historical eras. They identify examples of musical genres and styles. Students also understand the impact of historical events upon music, and discuss the uses of music.	8.8.1  Identify the historical period during which musical works being studied were written.	Romantic Era, Modern/20th Century
	8.8.2 Communicate about the impact of historical events upon music. Example: Upon identifying a style of music and the era, from which it originated, talk about the society, customs, and trends of that era and how they influenced the era’s music.
	8.8.3 Discuss the characteristics that represent music of different types, styles, and cultures.	blues, jazz, alternative, rock, rap, techno, crooners, country, pop
	8.8.4 Discuss the uses of music and the roles of musicians within our culture and other world cultures.
Standard 9:  Students develop criteria for what defines musical quality, and constructively evaluate performances or compositions.	8.9.1 Develop a classroom rubric to use while evaluating musical performances.
	8.9.2 Using a classroom-devised evaluation tool, critique either a performance of your own or of another performer by noting both positive aspects and aspects that could be improved. Example: Using the rubric your class has developed, write an evaluation of a performance by the orchestra, band, and/or choir.