Unit # :

Grade: 6

Subject: Music

Aesthetic Criticism

Knowledge and Skills / Time Frame: Year-long / Prior Knowledge:
SC Indicator:
Evaluate selected musical compositions using established criteria.
Formulate, apply, and communicate criteria for evaluating personal performances and the performances of others.
SC Objectives:
Develop evaluative criteria based on the elements of music. (4.1.a)
Identify the composer’s intended dynamic levels, tempi, phrasing, and other related characteristics when performing or listening to music. (4.2.a)
Assessment Limits:
Develop evaluative criteria based on the elements of music. (4.1.a)
Identify the composer’s intended dynamic levels, tempi, phrasing, and other related characteristics when performing or listening to music. (4.2.a)
VOCABULARY
elements of music
dynamics
tempo / Enduring Understanding
Aesthetic Criticism
The critical process of observing, describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating leads to informed judgments regarding the relative merits of the arts.
Essential Questions
Aesthetic Criticism
How do people understand and express themselves through the arts?
How do you know when an expression of art is finished?
What criteria do people use to assign value to art and how is it assigned?
UNIT ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:
Music is a personal experience.
All music has value even if it differs from an individual’s musical preference.
Music is a universal language.
Music expresses human experiences and values.
Music expands understanding of the world, its people, and one’s self.
Music is embedded in all aspects of life.
Music serves different purposes.
Each music performance is unique.
UNIT ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
Should all music be respected and appreciated regardless of personal preference?
What does music communicate to an individual?
What inspires someone to create a piece of music?
What criteria do we use to evaluate a performance?
How does the style of the music affect the behavior of the audience?

6

Baltimore City Public Schools Office of Humanities SUBJECT Unit XX , Indicator XX- GRADE XX DRAFT

Unit # :

Grade: 6

Subject: Music

Aesthetic Criticism

Suggested Learning Plan / Learning Activities and Strategies
Essential Question: Should all music be respected and appreciated regardless of personal preference?
SC Objective: / Activity / Description / Materials/Resources
Develop evaluative criteria based on the elements of music. (4.1.a) / Composition/Assessments / Students will write a short percussion work (8-12 measures long). They should incorporate proper musical notation (e.g., whole, half, quarter, 8th and 16th notes/rests). Upon completion students are required to present their work to the class. The teacher will oversee a class discussion/assessment of each work, stressing the importance of respect for your classmates even if their work is not something everyone enjoys. / Manuscript paper, pencils.
Music notation software if available .
Classroom instruments for performance of works.
Performance / Students, in small groups, sing short pieces of varying types. Other students in the class evaluate the performance based on objective criteria, not personal musical preferences. / Sheet music.
Evaluation form.
Listening/ assessment / Students will listen to a spiritual (or other genre) upon entering the room, and listen for various elements within the music. Based on responses, teacher will give background information on the genre, and show how the background affects the sound of the music. / Selected recordings.
Historical information on musical selection.
Essential Question: What does music communicate to an individual?
SC Objective: / Activity / Description / Materials/Resources
Identify the composer’s intended dynamic levels, tempi, phrasing, and other related characteristics when performing or listening to music. (4.2.a) / Listening/Discussion / Students will listen to 5-7 different pieces of music. As students listen they are to log at least 4 things they picture in each song when listening to the music. Students will then participate in a teacher lead discussion about their findings. Students will discuss what they "see" when they listen and they will learn that this is one way music communicates with its listeners. / Teacher Developed Listening Log.
Various recordings of music covering a wide range of genres/cultures.
Pencils.
Project / Students will create a cartoon based on a specific piece played in class. Students will present their cartoons to class, and describe the rationale for their illustrations. / Recorded music.
Art supplies.
Project / Students read and interpret the lyrics to three songs of varying moods. Students then match the lyrics to the given mood. / Song lyrics
Pencils.
Essential Question: What inspires someone to create a piece of music?
SC Objective: / Activity / Description / Materials/Resources
Identify the composer’s intended dynamic levels, tempi, phrasing, and other related characteristics when performing or listening to music. (4.2.a) / Project / Students will read about a pre-designated composer in small groups. They will focus on the composer’s reasons for writing or their reasons for writing a specific work. Students will create an interview with one student acting as the composer and the other students the interviewers. Students will cover as much material as they can uncover with the materials provided. If time allows, music that the composer wrote should be played. / Materials related to various composers thoughts/reasonings in regards to composition. (readings, youtube interviews, dvd's etc.).
Paper, pencil.
Musical examples/recordings of specific works of the composers being studied.
Composition / Students select a topic that they use as inspiration to write a short work. / Pencils
Manuscript Paper
Classroom instruments
Music Notation software as available
Project / Students select a work from a given event or era and explain how the music from that era was affected by that event or era. / Songs
Historical references
Pencils
Essential Question: What criteria do we use to evaluate a performance?
SC Objective: / Activity / Description / Materials/Resources
Develop evaluative criteria based on the elements of music. (4.1.a) / Project / Students/ teacher devise criteria based on the elements of music to evaluate musical performances. / Chart paper.
Marker.
Project / Students develop and maintain a listening log in class that contains series of evaluations of different musical works based on the elements of music. / Composition Book/ Teacher-developed template.
Paper.
Pencils.
Project / Students compare their evaluation criteria with various professionally developed assessment tools. / Professionally developed evaluation forms (e.g. MMEA ensemble evaluation forms).
Student/ class developed criteria.
Essential Question: How does the style of music affect the behavior of the audience?
SC Objective: / Activity / Description / Materials/Resources
Identify the composer’s intended dynamic levels, tempi, phrasing, and other related characteristics when performing or listening to music. (4.2.a) / Project / Students view performances from various musical genres, record their observations of audience behavior, and compare the behavior of the audiences from the various performances. / Multiple performances of music of varying styles.
Listening Log.
Pencil.
Composition / Students write a piece in two different styles. Students in the audience record the audience’s reaction. / Listening log.
Field Trip / Students attend two distinctly different music based performances to observe the audience behavior/reaction. Students will summarize their findings from both performances. / Funding and transportation to concert venues.
Listening log
Pencil
DIFFERENTIATION
Accommodations / Arts Integration / Classroom Management / G.A.T.E./Enrichment / Graphic Organizers
Library Integration / Reading Strategies / Teacher Definitions / Technology Integration / Vocabulary Activities

6

Baltimore City Public Schools Office of Humanities SUBJECT Unit XX , Indicator XX- GRADE XX DRAFT