Course Syllabus

Vocal Music Syllabus

Mr. Endres

Contact information: kevinendres@fcschools.net

Google Sites page: https://bit.ly/3i7cQsD (Links to an external site.)

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WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE QUARANTINED- CLICK HERE! (VIRTUAL OFFICE HOUR LINK INCLUDED)

REMOTE LEARNING INFORMATION

Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 7:30-8:10am 

 

Course Description 

Students develop knowledge and skills in musical literacy, response and relevancy. Course content is aligned to the Essential Standards curriculum for music at the appropriate grade level. Students gain skills such , but not limited to, musical literacy through singing and playing simple instruments, reading and notating music, improvising, composing, and arranging music. For musical response, students focus on listening to, describing, analyzing, critiquing, and evaluating music. Students understand musical relevancy by applying musical knowledge in relation to history, culture, heritage, other content areas, concepts, 21st century skills and lifelong learning.

 

Course Goals 

Students who complete this course successfully will be able to: 

•  listen to a piece of music and create a well developed analysis of instrumentation, historical background, emotional content, and describing the overall impact of the musical work (personally, as well as other points of view) 
•  write basic music notation principles and music theory concepts applicable to their grade band.
• perform a variety of repertoire from different musical genres, historical time periods and/or styles of arrangements.
• sing a melody and/or harmony part with satisfactory accuracy.
• chant or reading rhythms that match their grade level’s music standards for music literacy.

 research the connection between past/current musical practices with careers in music or possible cultural impacts music has had in the world.

 

Daily Expectations:

These are the typical operating procedures throughout each class period:

• All students must arrive on time for each class session. Students that are late must be accompanied by a staff member responsible for the tardiness or a note signed by the staff member responsible for the tardiness. The instructor will reserve the right to investigate any tardiness.
• When students enter the music classroom all individuals are expected to go directly to their seat and open their chromebooks (unless otherwise instructed). Students, throughout the class, should not be leaving their assigned seats unless instructed to be the instructor. 
• All students are to only consume water in the music classroom and exceptions will be made for students with documented medical needs per school administration or school nurse. 
• All students need to be respectful to each other and only one individual will speak at a time in order to focus on the instructional task for the class period.
• Students are expected to turn off ALL devices except for the school issued chromebook during the entire class period. If a student does not follow this expectation then consequences will be administered based on school policy.
• Students are expected to be working the entire class period on their assignments or be an active participant in the class discussions. 
• Students are expected to raise their hand and wait for the instructor to call on the individual  in order to share with the class their thoughts, answer or other statements/questions.
• When students need to leave the classroom at the end of the class they will do so in line while also not disrupting the traffic within the classroom. 
• If students are playing instruments they will be responsible for all aspects of the instrument assigned to them during each class period. All students will return the instruments, in the same condition it started in, before leaving the classroom.
• Students will not be permitted to exit the classroom during the class period unless a restroom break is scheduled as a part of the normal day; office staff requests a student; or for a documented medical need based on the school nurse’s documentation.

Students will access course information by going to the Canvas Page. Students will need their FCS NCEdCloud username and unique password. ALL assignments, materials and other important announcements will only be posted on the Canvas Classroom page.

 

 

Materials used during instruction will include (will be provided):

Rock Hall EDU (optional): Students have the opinion to create a free account but may only do so if the parent or guardian permission is given. If students do not have an account created then the resources will still be available to the students through a temporary link which has an approximate time frame of 2 weeks before the instructor needs to refresh the link. More details can be found by going to edu.rockhall.com  (Links to an external site.)

The Rhythm Book, by Richard Hoffman

Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory: Complete By Andrew Surmani, Karen Farnum Surmani, and Morton Manus

Teachrock.org- This may be utilized by the instructor during classes. Students can go to the website and explore, with parent/guardian permission, https://teachrock.org/ (Links to an external site.)

Daily Work

All students are required to complete the tasks assigned in class if rehearsal is not being held to learn vocal parts. Students will be given opportunities to create music, hear about information regarding a wide variety of music topics, and collaborate with their peers throughout the semester. If a student does not complete the tasks given to them during class then it is the student’s responsibility to complete tasks outside of class. Homework is determined by the individual student or group (if the task is a group assignment). All assignments for a grade are due by the end of each quarter unless otherwise noted by the instructor. 

Major Assignments: Concerts, Singing Exams or Projects

 For each grade level the major assignments will be considered as concerts and/or projects which may be presented outside or within the classroom. All concerts that students take part in are required and part of the overall grade for all students. One of the class objectives and description deals with the performing aspect of music thus it is required that students participate. Students may also be assigned a project on a genre or music, performer or other concepts within this subject area. The individual project, concert or singing exam will not exceed 35% as a total category. However, the instructor does hold the right and privilege to reduce the total amount of weight as the course progresses based on the needs of the class. 

The instructor, or school administration in isolated cases, holds the authority for excusing a student from a performance, singing exam or projects. If a student is excused there will be an alternative assignment that will be given. The alternative assignment must be completed 7 school days before the end of the quarter and requests for the alternative assignment must be submitted in writing at least 3 days prior to the event. 

 

*At this current time concerts have been scheduled for December 16th and May 12th. These dates are tentative and the instructor can replace these concerts with an alternative assignment if the concert needs to be rescheduled/canceled. Details for these events will be given to families ahead of time.

Singing Test/ Performance Rubric

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Sing in unison	Matches pitches consistently and without error	Matches pitches with few errors, high/low notes need to be developed	Can match some pitches, is developing a sense of high and low sounds	Is developing the ability to hear and sing pitches with increased accuracy
Apply the elements of music while singing	Is able to change dynamics, clap beat/rhythm, switch roles and show meaning of music through movement	Is able to change some dynamics, clap beat/rhythm, switch roles and show some meaning of music through movement	Is developing the ability to change dynamics, can clap some beat/rhythm, can show some meaning of music through movement	Is developing the ability to change dynamics, clap beat/rhythm, switch roles and show meaning of music through movement
Musicianship	Correct singing posture while sitting, back straight, hands on knees. While standing, hands at sides, back straight, feet apart. Correct breathe control. Student is able to rehearse in a small group and large group setting consistently.	Is not able to show correct posture while sitting/standing. Is developing breath control.

Total points:___________/12

Terrell Lane Music Hall of Fame

Each year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognizes the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll. Factors such as an artist's musical influence, body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique are all considered when evaluating artists for induction – but “musical excellence” is the essential qualification for induction. Here are TLMS we will be building our own Hall of Fame. 

What does this mean, exactly? How can thinking about musical excellence help us to better understand the value of popular music and the value of critical thinking in the 21st century? Who would YOU choose to be inducted? We want your students to be the judge. 

Each student is responsible for creating a nomination of his or her artist or band they would like to see in the Hall of Fame. This nomination will be presented to the teacher through a written assignment. The number of inductees will be determined by the instructor. All nominations will be treated as a project grade not to exceed 30 points. Each student may choose to write their nomination as a paper or in a Google Slides presentation form. After the nominations have been collected, all students will be given the opportunity to defend their choice by presenting reasons why their nominee would be best. If the student’s nomination is inducted into the Terrell Lane Music Hall of Fame that student will receive an incentive determined by the instructor.

The following rubric will be used to grade the nominations:  

 

Score/Category	3-no evidence present	5- slight evidence	7.5- moderate evidence presented	10- strong evidence presented
Musical influence	None presented	Presents one influence their nominee has on music.	Presents 2-3 musical influences or one influence but 1 supporting fact of the influence.	Presents a wide array of influences or provides one influence and more than one supporting fact of the influence
Body of work	None presented	Presents one piece of music or contribution.	Presents two pieces of music or contributions.	Presents three or more pieces of music or contributions.
Musical Excellence	N/A	No supporting evidence	1-2 supporting details	3+ supporting details

Total grade:______/30

Minor Assignments- Weekly/Daily Tasks

Minor Assignments will be assignments that are not projects, concerts or singing exams. Students will be asked to complete these assignments through the Canvas platform. All minor assignments will be worth the points they are assigned and make up the remainder of the percent of the overall grade aside from any assignments which fall into the major assignment category. 

If your class is in session with active rehearsals, each student will have a rehearsal grade for the week. This rehearsal grade is subject to change based on current guidelines from the Franklin County Schools Central Office regarding COVID-19 protocols. The grade will be given for the week worth 10 points total (2 points each per day) and be based on actively participating in rehearsal. Active participation is defined as sing music, chatting/reading rhythms, contributing to the rehearsal process as a musician overall in a positive manner. A score will be awarded for students each day but will appear on the official grade reports or report cards as a weekly rehearsal score. 

Rubric for determining rehearsal grades (per day):

 

Score of 0	Score of 1	Score of 2	Student absence
Students are participating in less than half of the class. Less than half means to not participating in the following possible activities: -Physical Warm-ups -Vocal Warm-ups -Sectionals -Rhythm Readings -Music Theory Discussions -Full Rehearsals -Listening Activities	Students are participating in at least 50% to 80% of the class period. This means you are somewhat participating in the following possible activities: -Physical Warm-ups -Vocal Warm-ups -Sectionals -Rhythm Readings -Music Theory Discussions -Full Rehearsals -Listening Activities	Students are participating in the class from 80%-100% of the class period. This is defined as participating in the following possible activities to the percent listed above: -Physical Warm-ups -Vocal Warm-ups -Sectionals -Rhythm Readings -Music Theory Discussions -Full Rehearsals -Listening Activities	Students will not be held responsible for participation grade based on absence from school. If student is not in class due to another activity they are subject to a score of 0 at the instructor’s discretion. Scores may be counted as a 2 or excluded from the grade book.
Student scores will be based on overall observation during class. The purpose of this grade is to allow for a grade to reflect the student’s level of engagement with the materials in class or music rehearsals.

Total Points:_______/2 (x 5 for weekly grade)

Video Assignments

In an effort to address 21st century tools and technology, students will be required to complete a weekly rhythm reading assignment after getting direct instruction by the instructor every Wednesday (unless noted otherwise on the projected calendar below). These assignments will be utilizing the video function within a Canvas assignment. This is integrated within the assignments in Canvas and students should not need to login after accessing the assignment. The students will be given time to complete rhythm reading, video reviews or any other similar assignment in class. If the student chooses to complete this at home the student is not required to use their camera in an effort to maintain privacy at home. All video responses will be private between the instructor, school administration and the student. No student will have access to another student’s work.

 

Score of 0	Score of 3	Score of 4	Score of 5
Student does not complete the assignment.	Student does turn in the assignment but does not meet the minimum time limit set by the instructor. Student may turn in a video but it is not on topic, or does not cite the video or article of his response. Student does not use the language of a musician and does not accurately describe concepts of the assignment.	Student response is within the timeframe set up by the instructor. Student is off topic about their response for more than 60% of the video response. Student use at least two music terms or fine arts terms to describe their response.	Student discusses more than two music concepts.  Student explains the expression being conveyed in the video their are responding to. Student is on topic for 75% of the response video.
If a student chooses to do an article from Rock Hall EDU it will be graded based on the following: Did they submit a video or written response that summarizes the article. Scores will be based on discussion in the words of the student. This is the breakdown of how an article assignment will be graded: A score of 0 is a result of not turning in the assignment. A score of 2 means student did not summarize the article to 50% accuracy and/or did not site what article the video is in response to. A score of 3 means the student only discussed two points of the article or does not communicate the reasoning for choosing the article. A score of 5 means that the student summarizes the article up to and above 75% accuracy, within the time frame of the video, discusses at least one musical aspect of the article and communicates the reasoning for choosing their article.

Total points awarded ________/ 5

 

Canvas Course Pages

ALL students are required to use the Canvas Platform found in the student’s NCEdCloud platform. Students will be asked to access course materials through this platform as well as the course Google Site in order to complete academic tasks as needed. The Canvas Platform will be used to post assignments, necessary announcements, or other materials as needed. All students are expected to keep track of their missing assignments as well as the weekly assignments found in their page. 

 

Course Grading  

Statement of Grading Approach or Philosophy

 All assignments will be given a point value and there will be no grading on a curve or alteration of grades based on the type of assignment, assessment or project. This will ensure that every student has a clear understanding about their grade for an academic task. All letter grades that will be assigned to individual students will follow the school’s grading scale and policy. Within the Canvas page, each assignment will have an assigned date and a closing date. Students are expected to turn in each assignment on or before the due date, failure to meet the deadlines can result in no credit given for the assignment if past the closing date. Once the assignment is closed on Canvas it is up to the discretion of the instructor to reopen the assignment. Any student that commits an act of academic dishonesty will be subject to school policy or choose to take a zero for the assignment. The student and family member will also have to have a conference with the instructor to discuss ways to correct the behavior.

 

All rubrics above are subject to change based on the need of the class or circumstances beyond the control of the instructor. Additions to any rubric above falls under the discretion of the instructor in an effort to assess student work in an optimal manner.

Concert Attire (as needed):

All students taking part in a concert must wear the following attire:

• Students will be instructed as to the color scheme prior to the event by the instructor. These specifications will be made available in writing.
• Students must wear clothing with no hole in them on stage or representing the ensemble in an official capacity.
• Students will not be required to wear gender specific outfits. In place of this the students will be provided with options for types of clothing to wear such as:
• Solid color collared shirt covering the shoulders and abdomen of all students.
• Solid color dress pant/slacks with close toed shoes
• If you choose to wear a dress or skirt it must be a solid color and fall within the school dress code.
• Any student may be excluded before or during the event by the instructor or school administration based on not complying with the above requirements.

*The concert attire may be changed under the discretion of the instructor or school administrator and will be provided to the student within a reasonable time period to allow adjustments.

Instrument Agreement

In some cases your student may have an instrument assigned to them. As a result, the family may wish to provide a personal instrument for which the student may house within the music classroom or follow the agreement set forth in the following text of this section.

 The instrument is assigned to the student for a period extending from August 2021 to the end of the 2021-22 fall semester. We acknowledge  receipt  of the instrument and accessories and agree to the following: 

1. To be personally responsible for the safe-keeping of this instrument and return it in the condition it was issued to me.
2. Immediately to return the instrument to the school upon request of the director/instructor or principal/administrative staff. 
3. To maintain the instrument in good condition at all times including having it repaired as deemed necessary and as requested by the director/instructor. (Any repairs which are to be paid by the school must be handled by the general music instructor.) 
4. To have the instrument assessed by the general music instructor at the end of the contract period and pay a fair assessment for all damage in excess of normal wear and tear. Any missing parts, accessories or assigned materials will also be subject to be assessed a fee or cost to replace. 
5. To allow no person other than myself to play, handle, or use this instrument without specific permission of the director/instructor. 
6. Due to the limited number of instruments/equipment owned by the school, my use of the instrument/equipment may preclude another student from using it. Therefore, I agree to be a positive contributor to the program by practicing and maintaining proper demeanor.
7. To use the instrument in the best of my ability for serious study including regular attendance at all organizational rehearsals and performances, regular home practice and additional instruction and study when possible, assigned or deemed required by the instructor. 
8. If an instrument is lost or stolen while checked out to me, I am responsible for reporting the incident, turning in a police report and possibly paying the replacement cost. 

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

All students are required to attend class at their assigned times. Students that fail to attend may see an impact on their grade by their own actions. Also, leaving the classroom during the class period is strictly prohibited and students with a documented need will be allowed to exit the classroom during instruction or work time. 

Projected Calendar of events

 

Requests for assignment extensions

Students will not be allowed extensions for assignments unless otherwise noted by the instructor. The rationale for this statement is that the assignments typically are available for at least three weeks unless it is near the end of the quarter for which time will not allow that timeframe. Students will be given a due date which will serve as a target date to turn in the assignments. Students will also be given a closing date. The close date is when the student will no longer be able to access the assignment. The due date and closing date can be found for all assignments on their assignment pages. Students are responsible for meeting the deadlines. No penalty will be assessed for students turning in the work between the due date and the closing date. 

The student may, on a case by case basis, be granted an extension by the school administration. In the case of an extension granted by the school administration, the deadline set will not be changed and the student will be held to the same requirements of the original assignment. In extreme circumstances, the school administrator and the instructor can change the requirements for the assignment but the changed deadline will remain firm once the decision is rendered to the student in writing.

 

Acknowledgement of content written above:

I acknowledge that by filling out the Google Form linked in this file (CLICK THE LINK HERE (Links to an external site.)) are the expectations for your child. I have read and understood the syllabus and agree to the syllabus. I also am aware that changes in the syllabus are up to the discretion of the instructor and school administration.