Download chorus_handbook_0708.doc 
Please click attached link for a copy of the 2007-2008 chorus handbook. Includes information about grading, uniforms, fundraising, music care and much more. Please refer to this handbook for information about upcoming concerts and performing opprotunites.
Spring Concert May 20th at 7:00!!
Students need to be in their seats in the theater at 6:00. We will have a brief warmup before the concert.
We will wear our chorus shirts and nice looking, full length blue jeans with school appropriate shoes.
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY all music classes will be meeting the media center computer lab to work on our multicultural research projects. Students have chosen a country to research and they will find several facts about the music and culture of that country. After the research, they will create a power point slide show to display their information.
Thursday in class will begin presentations and these presentations will last until Tuesday next week.
Monday April 21: All classes are learning about the differences between a musical, play, opera and ballet production. We will discuss the differences and similaries. We will also be learning about the classic play "Romeo and Juliet".
Tuesday April 22- Thursday May 1st. We will be wacthing the movie "West Side 
Story" (which is a muscial based on Romeo and Juilet). Each student will be answering questions about the movie as they watch and we will compare the play "Romeo and Juliet" and the musical "West Side Story".
vs. 
DUE TO CRCT schedule Music classes will meet Thursday (4/24) and Monday (4/28) and will resume regular schedule on Wednesday (4/30) . Students will not come to music on Wednesay, Friday or Tuesday.
After we complete West SIde story, all classes will begin their research projects inthe media center project lab. May 2nd-May 8th. For this project, students will choose another country to research and will look for specific facts about the music and culture of that country to create a power point presentation of that material.
7th and 8th grade classes will continue to work on their songwriting projects as we discuss promoters, video directors and critics. Projects are due Friday April 18th and should include original lyrics (verse chorus and bridge), list of instruments used heard in song, name of famous performer that they wish would record their song, Cd cover design, and a music video storyboard. Extra credit will be given for performing their song for the class. There will be a vocabulary test on Friday the 18th.
6th grade will begin a songwriting project. We will discuss the reasons for writing songs, the sections of a song, the topics of popular songs, the musicians that perform songs and music videos. Projects are due Friday April 18th and should include origianl lyrics (verse, chorus, bridge), name of a famous performer that they wish would record their song and a music video storyboard. Extra credit will be given for CD cover designs and performing their song for the class.
7th and 8th grade classes will continue to work on their songwriting projects as we discuss the need for copyright laws, the perfect performers, voice coaches, sound engineers at concerts, recording engineers, producers, transcriptionist, copyist, editor and arrangers.
6th grade will be working in groups on a "court" project in which they are lawyers defending the laws or people's rights in topics such as downloading music and censorship. They will brainstorm reasons that the jury should agree with them, discuss credible witness ans write a final argument that they will read to the class.
Monday and Tuesday all chorus classes will be practicing pianos. They are working on the songs "Old McDonald", "Bingo" and "This Old Man".
Wednesday they will begin working on the song "when You Believe" from the movie The Prince of Egypt.
This week, in all grade levels, we will be completing our unit about music notation. We have learned about the rhythm symbols to compose individual rhythm patterns. We have learned the note names on the bass and treble clefs to compose a short meoldy. This week we will combine our melody line and rhythm to compose original songs. There will be a test over all this material on Wednesday March 26th.
Please review the class syllabus. If students return a signed copy of the syllabus, they will recieve extra credit points on their test.
On Thrusday 7th and 8th grade will begin their unit on Careers in the music industry and they will begin a songwriting project. For this project they will write lyrics for an orginal song as well as incorperate a few of other items through our study. There will be a vocabulary test on April 18th. 6th grade music class will begin a project in which they must debate the hot topic issues around music such as whether or not to download music for free and censorship of lyrics and music video content.
7th and 8th grade chorus is finishing West Side Story. 6th grade Chorus is watching Disney's Mulan. This nine weeks we will be performing music from various broadway plays and movie musicals.
On Wednesday we will be beginning a piano study. For the rest of the year, we will take a break from singing to learn keyboard skills. 
The students will be learning simple children's songs and the vocal warmups. Each student will be able to work at a pace that is easy for them and still be sucessful.
This week, in all grade levels, we will be learning about music notation. We will learn about the rhythm symbols to compose individual rhythm patterns. We will learn the note names on the bass and treble clefs to compose a short meoldy. Next week we will combine our melody line and rhythm to compose original songs.
There will be a test over all this material on Wednesday March 26th .
Please review the class syllabus. If students return a signed copy of the syllabus, they will recieve extra credit points on their test.
Today, each chorus class talked about respect.
Here are some of the topics the students agreed are DISRESPECTFUL behaviors that we want to avoid :
Talking at inappropriate times
Using bad language or saying "shut up"
Touching another person or their things without their permission
Hitting, Tripping or any other type fighting (playful or not)
Bully behavior or encouraging bully behavior
Teasing or making fun of people
Lying
Pointing fingers or blaming other people for our mistakes
Rolling eyes, rolling neck, waving hands around, smacking teeth or other negative body language
Pouting or having a negative attitude
Gossip and acting "two faced"
Talking back to adults
Disobeying rules and not following directions.
Wasting time or making people feel less important or intelligent.
Interrupting or trying to talk over other people
