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RADNOR TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
Course Overview
7th Grade Orchestra
7781 - 1
General Information
Credits: N/A
Length: Full Year
Weighted: N/A
Format: 2 X Per Cycle
Prerequisite: 6th Grade Orchestra
Grade: 7
Course Description
7th Grade Orchestra is an instrumental performing course for students learning a member of
the stringed instrument family (violin, viola, cello or bass). Typically, students are in their fourth
year of study. All students participate in one small group class, a lesson comprised of up
approximately ten students of like instruments; and two large group classes, a rehearsal group
comprised of all participants, up to approximately sixty members; in a six-day cycle.
Course Objectives:
The objective of this course is to allow the students to grow as ensemble musicians, to increase their
knowledge and application of personal technique, and their knowledge of historical and technical
aspects of music beyond the level achieved in 6th grade.
 Analyzing creators’ content and how they manipulate elements of music provides insight into
their intent and informs performance.
 Performers make interpretive decisions based on their understanding of context and expressive
intent.
 To express their musical ideas, musicians analyze, evaluate, and refine their performance over
time through openness to new ideas, persistence and the application of appropriate criteria.
 Musicians judge performance based on criteria that vary across time, place and cultures. The
context and how a work is presented influence the audience response.
 Response to music is informed by analyzing context (social, cultural and historical) and how
creators and performers manipulate the elements of music.
 Through their use of elements and structures of music, creators and performers provide clues to
their expressive intent.
 The personal evaluation of musical work(s) and performance(s) is informed by analysis,
interpretation and established criteria.
 How does understanding the structure and content of musical works inform performance?
 How do performers interpret musical works?
 How do musicians improve the quality of their performance?
 When is a performance judged ready to present? How do context and manner in which a
musical work is presented influence audience response?
 How does understanding the structure and context of music inform a response?
 How do we discern the musical creators’ and performers’ expressive intent?
 How do we judge the quality of musical work(s) and performance(s)?
Date Revised:
Common Assessments:
Students will participate in four individual playing assessments per graded quarter. Each assessment
will include one technical or scalar aspect and one performance aspect. Each aspect will be judged on a
rubric by the teacher for the following criteria: Tone, Knowledge of Keys or Key Signatures, Rhythm,
Dynamics, Intonation, Bowing and Posture. Students will be afforded a study guide near the beginning
of the quarter and to be completed by the end of said quarter. The total point value for each
assessment is 100 points. The same rubric will be used for all four playing assessments. . In addition to
a rubric graded by the teacher, each student will complete a written self- evaluation for the 2nd and 4th
playing assessment each school year. The compilation of each playing assessment will result in a seating
change within the orchestra usually based on highest to lowest scores. This is the only manner in which
students might be conceived as being compared to each other. The main purpose of each assessment is
to see individual student growth over the course of the year.
Major Units of Study:
There are two major units of study: Winter Concert Preparation and Spring Concert Preparation. Within
these two units, students will gain greater technical proficiency on their chosen instruments through
study, practice and assessment, and will progress to higher levels of ensemble performance achieved in
6th grade as a result.
Materials & Texts



Student Instruments
Published compendium of age-appropriate performance music, up to and including
Grades 3 ½ or 4
Technique books, which include but are not limited to the following:
o “Essential Elements 2000, Book II” by M. Allen, R. Gillespie, P. Tellejohn-Hayes,
published by Hal Leonard Corporation
o “Essential Technique for Strings, Book III” by M. Allen, R. Gillespie, P. TellejohnHayes, published by Hal Leonard Corporation
o “All for Strings – Theory Workbook 1 and 2” by Gerald Anderson and Robert S.
Frost;
o “Viva Vibrato! By Gerald F. Fischbach and Robert S. Frost; and
o “Harmonized Rhythms for String Orchestra-Progressive Melodic Rhythmic
Studies” by Charles Forque and James Thornton and edited by Gerald Anderson,
all published by Neil A. Kjos Music Company.
o “Fun With Flats,” arr. Merle J. Isaac, Wynn Music, Pub.
o “Daily Warm-Ups” by Michael Allen, Pub. Hal Leonard
In addition, students have access to electric string instruments, such as the electric violin/viola,
electric cello and electric bass.
Summer Assignment
All incoming students are contacted and given guidelines to prepare for this course in advance. It is
recommended that they keep their instruments through the summer months , practice and take private
lessons, if possible, to maintain skill levels.
Date Revised:
RADNOR TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
Course Curriculum
MARKING PERIOD: 1 and 2:
Unit: Winter Concert Preparation
Elements of Music, String Technique and Ensemble Skills
Common Core Standards and PA Academic Standards
MU:Pr4.2.4a Demonstrate understanding of the structure and elements of music (such as rhythm, pitch
and form) in music selected for performance.
MU:Pr4.2.3b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases
using iconic and standard notation.
MU:Pr4.3.2a Demonstrate understanding of expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) and
how creators use them to convey expressive intent.
MU:Pr5.1.2a Apply established criteria to judge the accuracy, expressiveness and effectiveness of
performances.
MU:Pr5.1.2b Rehearse, identify and apply strategies to address interpretive, performance and technical
challenges of music.
MU:Pr5.3.E.5a Use self-reflection and peer feedback to refine individual and ensemble performances of
a varied repertoire of music.
MU:Pr6.1.3a Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.
MU:Pr6.1.3b Demonstrate performance decorum and audience etiquette appropriate for the context
and venue.
MU:Re7.2.1a With limited guidance, demonstrate and identify how specific music concepts (such as
beat or pitch) are used in various styles of music for a purpose.
MU:Re8.1.2a Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts and how they support creators’/performers’
expressive intent.
MU:Re9.1.1a With limited guidance, apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of
music for specific purposes.
Keystone Connections:
RMS- Identify the Keystone Assessment Anchors that are aligned with this unit.
Date Revised:
RHS- Identify the Keystone Eligible Content that is aligned with this unit.
Student Objectives:
Students participating in this course will gain a greater understanding of techniques required to
perform more advanced music than was expected in 6th grade school orchestra classes,
including:
 Demonstrate knowledge of more advanced key signatures
 Perform all major scales and some minor scales up to and including three sharps and
three flats;
 Demonstrate a greater facility of position work
 Perform more advanced bowing styles.
Continue to expand their ensemble experience, including greater sectional
independence and styles of music.
Assessments:
Assessments take place constantly throughout the school year in both an informal and formal basis, on
both an individual level in the small group lessons, and on a group level in the large group rehearsals.
FORMATIVE Throughout the first half of the unit, the teacher makes informal corrections to student
posture and performance on an individual basis in the small group lesson. This is easier to accomplish
in the small group which numbers from two to twelve students.
SUMMATIVE Throughout the second half of the unit, the expectation for accomplishment is at a higher
level as time grows closer to concert time and students are often asked to self-assess or peer-assess in
addition to teacher assessment.
COMMON The culminating concert at the end of the unit is much like a “final exam” in a core course, as
all the technique which is learned is applied at this time. The other common assessments would be the
four individual playing assessments which occur each quarter to lead up to this culminating concert,
which will include a written self-evaluation during the second and fourth playing assessment. The
playing assessments, which set the seating, also identify which sections need work prior to performance
time.
Activities and Assignments
Students prepare performance repertoire for two evening concerts per year. These evening
concerts are opportunities for the public, especially the families of participating students, to
enjoy the accomplishments of these students. Students also perform in grade level assemblies
for their peers on the same day as their evening concert performance. Performance repertoire
can range from marches, waltzes, dances; television, show or movie theme music; classical,
baroque or romantic style pieces. They can also be recently composed, award-winning, original
or arranged compositions. These student performances are considered final projects/major
assignments per semester and all of the work within these two marking periods are geared
towards this performance/major assignment. The performance goals are achieved through
Date Revised:
large group rehearsals and small group lessons. Skills are mastered during small group lessons,
and applied during large group rehearsals.
 Large Group Rehearsals: Take place during two morning advisories (8:00-8:34 AM) on
Days 1 and Days 4. The orchestra director is the advisor for the orchestra students on
these days. Role is taken within these groups as any advisor would do.
o Students are taught to apply the skills they mastered in small group lessons to
perform as an ensemble. They are taught to perform their own part while
listening to the parts of the other sections as well as adjust dynamics based on
the importance of their part during the performance. They are also taught to
match pitches and intonation as well as bowings. They are taught to follow the
beat pattern of the director, including changes in speed, tempo and style.
o Perform increasingly complex parts in which each section begins to work
independently of each other.
 Small Group Instruction: Large groups are broken down by instrument into student
groups of 4 – 12 students. Small group instruction is a pull-out class which pulls only
from specials’ classes once in a six-day cycle, on one of the orchestra days, or the day
after. In small group instruction, the following skills are accomplished:
o Specific ensemble parts are studied and learned based on their rhythms,
dynamics, bowings, form, style, intonation and harmony. All of these areas are
discussed in full detail and with greater complexity than in the 6th Grade
Orchestra course.
o Students begin to explore the lower strings of their instrument in greater depth,
as well as beginning to learn pitches which go beyond 1st position, into 3rd
position on their upper string.
o Scales based on the keys of performance materials are studied and learned in a
variety of rhythms and bowings as gleaned from the performance parts.
o Technical exercises which serve to further enhance the understanding of the
performance parts and musical knowledge in general are studied.
o Good position and posture are always emphasized, as well as good bow control.
This is necessary to produce the best possible quality of performance.
 There is an Advanced Ensemble lesson comprised of students who study privately
outside of school. They will not necessarily have the same in-depth course of
instruction in this lesson as much of the same material is covered with their private
instructor, so they will be receiving more advance resource instruction, such as
additional small ensemble repertoire to learn instead.
Students have other opportunities within the curricular structure to further advance their skills.
Playing opportunities include small ensemble experiences at holiday times; selection to
participate in Schuylkill Valley Area Orchestra, an honors orchestra comprised of the top 7th and
8th grade musicians from nine area middle schools; as well as field trips to the Philadelphia
Orchestra. Selected students may participate in Music in the Parks, an adjudicated festival in
which students compete against orchestras from other schools anywhere in the tri-state area
and beyond. Students are assessed through the following methods:
 Students are individually tested four times per year (once per marking period) on
Date Revised:
preselected passages taken from performance materials. These performance
assessments also include scales and/or other technical material. Written quizzes may
also be administered on a more frequent basis throughout the marking period.
 Students voluntarily track practice times on practice records, which are signed by
parents and returned at next small-group class or at the end of each month.
 Positive incentives are instituted throughout the year, via monthly contests and sticker
charts, to help students maintain their responsibility of home practice and preparedness
for class.
 Students are constantly asked to self- and peer-assess in both small and large group
instructional settings in a positive and constructive manner.
Student achievements are communicated to parents via posting individual assessment scores
and report card grades each marking period to show lesson, rehearsal and concert attendance,
assessment scores, behavior and preparation.
Terminology

Rhythm: Notes: Eighth, Quarter, Half, Whole and adding Sixteenth and Dotted Eighths,
Syncopation, ¾, 4/4, 6/8;
 Melody: Enharmonic Tones
 Tempo: Andante, Moderato, Allegretto, Allegro, Ritardando, Accelerando;
 Tone: Phrasing, Bow Placement on String;
 Dynamics: Pianissimo, Piano, Mezzo Piano, Mezzo Forte, Forte, Fortissimo, Crescendo,
Decrescendo, Szforzando, Accent;
 Harmony: Major and Minor Scales (up to and including three sharps and flats), Chords;
Modulation
 Form: ABA Form, Styles, including Symphonic, March, Waltz, Fiddle, Dance, Ballade,
Medlies, Show and TV Themes.
 Bowings: Legato, Staccato, Spiccato, Hooked, Col Legno, Glissando
Other Techniques: Vibrato, Shifting
Materials & Texts
ESSENTIAL


Student Instruments
Published compendium of age-appropriate performance music, up to and including
Grades 3 ½ or 4
ADDITIONAL

Technique books, which include but are not limited to the following:
o “Essential Elements 2000, Book II” by M. Allen, R. Gillespie, P. Tellejohn-Hayes,
published by Hal Leonard Corporation
o “Essential Technique for Strings, Book III” by M. Allen, R. Gillespie, P. TellejohnHayes, published by Hal Leonard Corporation
o “All for Strings – Theory Workbook 1 and 2” by Gerald Anderson and Robert S.
Frost;
o “Viva Vibrato! By Gerald F. Fischbach and Robert S. Frost; and
Date Revised:
o “Harmonized Rhythms for String Orchestra-Progressive Melodic Rhythmic
Studies” by Charles Forque and James Thornton and edited by Gerald Anderson,
all published by Neil A. Kjos Music Company.
o “Fun With Flats,” arr. Merle J. Isaac, Wynn Music, Pub.
o “Daily Warm-Ups” by Michael Allen, Pub. Hal Leonard
In addition, students have access to electric string instruments, such as the electric violin/viola,
electric cello and electric bass.
Media, Technology, Web Resources



Smart Music - A web-based form of instruction with built-in assessments for rhythm
and pitch on performance music. There are also solos and technical passages for scales
included in this software. Performance music is shown on a screen with which students
can play along. A small microphone can be attached to each individual instrument so
students can be individually assessed on their ability to play their orchestra part or the
scale or technical exercise being studied.
School Orchestra Webpage – The orchestra webpage under the Director’s name has all
valuable information for student members and their parents, including concert dates,
dress information, assignments, listening examples, etc.
Schoology – A web-based method of communication which allows the teacher the
opportunity to give detailed instruction or assignments in an easy-to-read calendar
format to an entire class at once or individually. It also allows students an opportunity
to prepare and transmit assignments, either written or performing on video, directly to
the teacher. Unlike school web pages, this is a private site and not visible publicly on
the Internet.
MARKING PERIODS 3 and 4:
Unit: Spring Concert Preparation
Elements of Music, String Technique and Ensemble Skills
Common Core Standards and PA Academic Standards
MU:Pr4.2.5a Demonstrate understanding of the structure and the elements of music (such as rhythm,
pitch, form and harmony) in music selected for performance.
MU:Pr4.2.4b When analyzing selected music, read and perform using iconic and/or standard notation.
MU:Pr4.3.3a Demonstrate and describe how intent is conveyed through expressive qualities (such as
dynamics and tempo).
MU:Pr5.1.2a Apply established criteria to judge the accuracy, expressiveness and effectiveness of
performances.
MU:Pr5.1.2b Rehearse, identify and apply strategies to address interpretive, performance and technical
challenges of music.
MU:Pr6.1.4a Perform music alone or with others with expression and technical accuracy and
appropriate interpretation.
MU:Pr6.1.4b Demonstrate performance decorum and audience etiquette appropriate for the context,
venue and genre.
Date Revised:
MU:Re7.2.2a Describe how specific music concepts are used to support a specific purpose in music.
MU:Re8.1.3a Demonstrate and describe how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) are
used in performers’ interpretations to reflect expressive intent.
MU:Re9.1.2a Apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music for specific
purposes.
Keystone Connections:
Student Objectives:
Students participating in this course will gain a greater understanding of techniques required to
perform more advanced music than was expected in 6th grade school orchestra classes,
including:
 Demonstrate knowledge of more advanced key signatures
 Perform all major scales and some minor scales up to and including three sharps and
three flats;
 Demonstrate a greater facility of position work, including great facility in movement
from first to third position
 Perform more advanced bowing styles
 Continue to expand their ensemble experience, including greater sectional
independence and styles of music.
Performance music chosen for Marking Periods 3 and 4 will still be using the standards,
techniques and terminology used in Marking Periods 1 and 2, but with greater facility and
accomplishment. Achievement in this type of instruction is largely based on incoming skills.
Spring Concert music is generally of a somewhat more challenging technical level than Winter
Concert music, based on the strengths of each section of the orchestra, which can be different
each year. This overview serves mostly as a general guide.
Assessments:
Assessments take place constantly throughout the school year in both an informal and formal basis, on
both an individual level in the small group lessons, and on a group level in the large group rehearsals.
FORMATIVE Throughout the first half of the unit, the teacher makes informal corrections to student
posture and performance on an individual basis in the small group lesson. This is easier to accomplish
in the small group which numbers from two to twelve students.
SUMMATIVE Throughout the second half of the unit, the expectation for accomplishment is at a higher
level as time grows closer to concert time and students are often asked to self-assess or peer-assess in
addition to teacher assessment.
COMMON The culminating concert at the end of the unit is much like a “final exam” in a core course, as
all the technique which is learned is applied at this time. The other common assessments would be the
four individual playing assessments which occur each quarter to lead up to this culminating concert,
which will include a written self-evaluation during the second and fourth playing assessment. The
Date Revised:
playing assessments, which set the seating, also identify which sections need work prior to performance
time.
Activities and Assignments
Students prepare performance repertoire for two evening concerts per year. These evening
concerts are opportunities for the public, especially the families of participating students, to
enjoy the accomplishments of these students. Students also perform in grade level assemblies
for their peers on the same day as their evening concert performance. Performance repertoire
can range from marches, waltzes, dances; television, show or movie theme music; classical,
baroque or romantic style pieces. They can also be recently composed, award-winning, original
or arranged compositions. These student performances are considered final projects/major
assignments per semester and all of the work within these two marking periods are geared
towards this performance/major assignment. The performance goals are achieved through
large group rehearsals and small group lessons. Skills are mastered during small group lessons,
and applied during large group rehearsals.
 Large Group Rehearsals: Take place during two morning advisories (8:00-8:34 AM) on
Days 1 and Days 4. The orchestra director is the advisor for the orchestra students on
these days. Role is taken within these groups as any advisor would do.
o Students are taught to apply the skills they mastered in small group lessons to
perform as an ensemble. They are taught to perform their own part while
listening to the parts of the other sections as well as adjust dynamics based on
the importance of their part during the performance. They are also taught to
match pitches and intonation as well as bowings. They are taught to follow the
beat pattern of the director, including changes in speed, tempo and style.
o Perform increasingly complex parts in which each section begins to work
independently of each other.
 Small Group Instruction: Large groups are broken down by instrument into student
groups of 4 – 12 students. In small group instruction, the following skills are
accomplished:
o Specific ensemble parts are studied and learned based on their rhythms,
dynamics, bowings, form, style, intonation and harmony. All of these areas are
discussed in full detail and with greater complexity than in the 6 th Grade
Orchestra course.
o Students begin to explore the lower strings of their instrument in greater depth,
as well as beginning to learn pitches which go beyond 1st position, into 3rd
position on their upper string.
o Scales based on the keys of performance materials are studied and learned in a
variety of rhythms and bowings as gleaned from the performance parts.
o Technical exercises which serve to further enhance the understanding of the
performance parts and musical knowledge in general are studied.
o Good position and posture are always emphasized, as well as good bow control.
This is necessary to produce the best possible quality of performance.
 There is an Advanced Ensemble lesson comprised of students who study privately
outside of school. They will not necessarily have the same in-depth course of
Date Revised:
instruction in this lesson as much of the same material is covered with their private
instructor, so they will be receiving more advance resource instruction, such as
additional small ensemble repertoire to learn instead.
Students have other opportunities within the curricular structure to further advance their skills.
Playing opportunities include small ensemble experiences at holiday times; selection to
participate in Schuylkill Valley Area orchestra, an honors orchestra comprised of the top 7 th and
8th grade musicians from nine area middle schools; as well as field trips to the Philadelphia
Orchestra. Selected students may participate in Music in the Parks, an adjudicated festival in
which students compete against orchestras from other schools anywhere in the tri-state area
and beyond. Students are assessed through the following methods:
 Students are individually tested four times per year (once per marking period) on
preselected passages taken from performance materials. These performance
assessments also include scales and/or other technical material. Written quizzes may
also be administered on a more frequent basis throughout the marking period.
 Students voluntarily track practice times on practice records, which are signed by
parents and returned at next small-group class or at the end of each month.
 Positive incentives are instituted throughout the year, via monthly contests and sticker
charts, to help students maintain their responsibility of home practice and preparedness
for class.
 Students are constantly asked to self- and peer-assess in both small and large group
instructional settings in a positive and constructive manner.
Student achievements are communicated to parents via posting individual assessment scores
and report card grades each marking period to show lesson, rehearsal and concert attendance,
assessment scores, behavior and preparation.
Terminology









Rhythm: Notes: Eighth, Quarter, Half, Whole and adding Sixteenth and Dotted Eighths,
Syncopation, ¾, 4/4, 6/8;
Melody: Enharmonic Tones
Tempo: Andante, Moderato, Allegretto, Allegro, Ritardando, Accelerando;
Tone: Phrasing, Bow Placement on String;
Dynamics: Pianissimo, Piano, Mezzo Piano, Mezzo Forte, Forte, Fortissimo, Crescendo,
Decrescendo, Szforzando, Accent;
Harmony: Major and Minor Scales (up to and including three sharps and flats), Chords;
Modulation
Form: ABA Form, Styles, including Symphonic, March, Waltz, Fiddle, Dance, Ballade,
Medleys, Show and TV Themes.
Bowings: Legato, Staccato, Spiccato, Hooked, Col Legno, Glissando
Other Techniques: Vibrato, Shifting
Materials & Texts
ESSENTIAL

Student Instruments
Date Revised:

Published compendium of age-appropriate performance music, up to and including
Grades 3 ½ or 4
ADDITIONAL

Technique books, which include but are not limited to the following:
o “Essential Elements 2000, Book II” by M. Allen, R. Gillespie, P. Tellejohn-Hayes,
published by Hal Leonard Corporation
o “Essential Technique for Strings, Book III” by M. Allen, R. Gillespie, P. TellejohnHayes, published by Hal Leonard Corporation
o “All for Strings – Theory Workbook 1 and 2” by Gerald Anderson and Robert S.
Frost;
o “Viva Vibrato! By Gerald F. Fischbach and Robert S. Frost; and
o “Harmonized Rhythms for String Orchestra-Progressive Melodic Rhythmic
Studies” by Charles Forque and James Thornton and edited by Gerald Anderson,
all published by Neil A. Kjos Music Company.
o “Fun With Flats,” arr. Merle J. Isaac, Published by Wynn Music
o “Daily Warm-Ups” by Michael Allen, Published by Hal Leonard Corporation
In addition, students have access to electric string instruments, such as the electric violin/viola,
electric cello and electric bass.
Media, Technology, Web Resources



Smart Music - A web-based form of instruction with built-in assessments for rhythm
and pitch on performance music. There are also solos and technical passages for scales
included in this software. Performance music is shown on a screen with which students
can play along. A small microphone can be attached to each individual instrument so
students can be individually assessed on their ability to play their orchestra part or the
scale or technical exercise being studied.
School Orchestra Webpage – The orchestra webpage under the Director’s name has all
valuable information for student members and their parents, including concert dates,
dress information, assignments, listening examples, etc.
Schoology – A web-based method of communication which allows the teacher the
opportunity to give detailed instruction or assignments in an easy-to-read calendar
format to an entire class at once or individually. It also allows students an opportunity
to prepare and transmit assignments, either written or performing on video, directly to
the teacher. Unlike school web pages, this is a private site and not visible publicly on
the Internet.
Date Revised: