ALL GRADES:  Students will be able to:  understand written music notation; sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music; evaluate music and music performances; understand the relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts; understand music in relation to history and culture; AND be able to think IN music.

Guitar - 7^th grade level will review skills from previous years.  All 3 levels focus on the BASICS, STRUMMING, CHORDS, PLAYING REPERTOIRE (alone and with others).  * Final playing exam at end.

Keyboards - 7^th =  short review.  6^th Grade = BASICS.  All levels = work at individual pace out of beginning level method books.  Be able to play alone and with others.  * Final playing exam at end.

Theory - Included into guitar and keyboard units.  Terms.  Signs/symbols.  Form (6^th grade - ABA; 7^th gr. - Theme and Variation; Music Alive  magazines (relating to all areas of theory, listening, evaluating, composing, pop art, etc.)

Composition - Each general music student will write his/her own piece of music and be able to play it (on their choice of instrument--guitar, piano, band/orchestra instrument).  6^th grade - 4-8 mm.  ABA./7^th grade - 8-10 mm. Theme & Variation.

Styles -6^th & 7^th  grade students receive lessons based on various styles of American music (jazz, ragtime, swing, etc.).  6^th graders research the culture and music of a certain country and present that research in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.  Where time and technology allow, each student corresponds with a pen-pal (via e -mail) from that country to compare and contrast the music and culture.  7^th graders research various decades on American pop music (preparing them for 8^th gr. Gen'l music). 

Jazz - 7^th grade students.  Constantly changing unit!  Sometimes worksheets.  Sometimes videos.  Next year???

History - 8^th grade students receive lessons based on a different decade every 8-10 days (early 1950's through today).  Students must listen/take notes during 2 days; listen to and compare the music of that decade; learn a piece of music from that time period on both the guitar and keyboard.

Musical Theatre - Each level will watch a video of a musical theatre production.  Throughout the show, class will discuss all aspects of the performance (singing, acting, dancing, lighting design, set design, costume/makeup, etc.)