Guitar Syllabus

East High School Guitar Syllabus

Teacher: Mrs. Dorothy Pino Lamp

Email: Dorothy_pino@dpsk12.org, dorothypino@gmail.com

Website: dorothypino.blogspot.com

Classroom: 153

Time: 3rd Period

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 7:00AM-7:25AM

Textbooks: Teacher will provide handouts from a variety of sources

Materials: Acoustic Guitar, guitar pick, pencil, binder paper, music folder or binder

Expectations

Students will be expected to:

• Arrive on time to class each day with the appropriate materials
• Turn off and stow cell phones upon entering class
• Treat their instruments, materials, classmates, and teacher with respect
• Complete all assignments on time, be prepared for class, and work to the best of their ability
• Have a positive attitude and participate fully in classroom activities
• Be safe, respectful, and responsible
• Raise their hands with questions about the content or come in during office hours for extra help.

Consequences

If students do not adhere to the expectations there will be consequences including (but not limited to):

• Parent phone calls for disrespectful behavior, referrals for repeat offenders, or removal from the course for severe and detrimental behavior
• Confiscation of cell phones (or other distracting devices)
• Reduction in grade if academic standards are not being met, assignments are not completed, preparation for tests is not evident, or students have excessive tardiness and lack of participation.

Objectives

Students, throughout the course of the year, will learn how to:

• Read music in treble and/or bass clef
• Sit and stand with appropriate posture while performing
• Respect “the podium” by responding appropriately to the conductor’s authority
• Prepare music for performance, starting at a beginning level and working their way to the level of 3 (Medium Hard) by the end of the year
• Play all 12 major scales, 36 minor scales, 12 blues scales, and major arpeggios by the end of the year
• Play the chromatic scale in various octaves of the guitar by the end of the year
• Play music in unison and in divided parts
• Listen for balance across the ensemble and when playing in small groups
• Tune their instruments by listening to a pitch and by referring to electronic tuners
• Match pitches throughout the ensemble by learning their instrument pitch tendencies
• Differentiate between different styles and time periods of music
• Use expression in music, including dynamics, phrasing, articulation, tempo contrast, and timbre
• Analyze a musical performance and give appropriate feedback about the music, including what improvements could be made and what went well with a piece of music
• Compose simple arrangements for guitar and voice using basic chords such as I-IV-V-vi and cadences
• Improvise to basic harmonic patterns
• Sight-read at a level of 2 or greater by the end of the year
• Follow the conductor’s cues and signals while performing music
• Interpret musical symbols correctly and appropriately
• Master their instruments and move onto the next level of musicianship

Goals:

We are going to work through many styles of music and cover a large amount of basic guitar theory in this class. No matter what level you start at, Mrs. Lamp wants you to grow as a musician this year. If something is too easy or too hard for you, let Mrs. Lamp know (in private) so that she can help you find music that will help you become a better guitarist and musician!

Procedures:

Start and Finish: Each day, students will enter the classroom and immediately start setting up their “playing station” by getting a music stand, chair, music folder, setting up their instrument, and warming up. If they are tardy to class, they will sign into the Absences/Tardies notebook without interrupting the flow of class. At the end of class, it is expected that students will clean up their “playing station” and leave the classroom tidy as it will be shared with other teachers.

Podium Respect: In the music world, the conductor is the leader of the ensemble. In this class you will be learning how to respect a conductor so that you will be prepared to continue into higher levels of musicianship. In order to master this skill, you will respond to the conductor, Mrs. Lamp, in the following ways: 

• Mrs. Lamp steps on the podium or to the center of the room, and all students will stop talking/playing, straighten their posture, and quietly look to Mrs. Lamp for further instructions.
• When she raises her conducting baton, instruments will go to the ready playing position. In the event that Mrs. Lamp is playing guitar with you and not conducting, pay attention to her verbal and nonverbal cues to begin playing.
• When her baton is lowered or Mrs. Lamp signals to stop playing, instruments will be brought down to resting position.
• Whenever Mrs. Lamp is working with another group of students, use this time to either write in notes in your music, silently practice tricky fingerings, or quietly help a neighbor with a question about the music. Make the most of every second in class by using it to improve your musicianship.

During Class: Throughout class, students will be given opportunities to ask questions about the music and to participate in class discussions. Students will be expected to raise their hand and wait to be called on if they have a relevant question. Students are asked to refrain from making rude comments as this hinders the learning environment and classroom safety. 

Bathroom Breaks: Mrs. Lamp understands that restroom emergencies happen, so students will be allowed to go to the bathroom only 4 times each quarter during class before it affects their participation grade (if you’re regularly missing class, it’s hard to participate). Students will be asked to quickly sign in and out of a bathroom log when they leave and return from bathroom breaks. This is a safety precaution in case of fire drill, lockdown, or evacuation--we will know who is out of the classroom and why. Students will also need to take with them the classroom bathroom pass, so that only 1 student may be out of the class at any given time. Students will be expected to return within 3 minutes after they leave the classroom to use the restroom. If for some reason the particular emergency requires more time, let me know in advance. In order to cut down on class disruptions, to ask for permission to use the restroom, all you have to do is lift your index finger above your music stand. I will give you a head nod if you can go at that time. If I need you to wait a minute, I’ll signal for you to hold on with my hand.

Pencils: Every student should be equipped with two pencils every class period. There will be a pencil jar for emergencies, but it is best if every student comes prepared to class with their own pencils. Please, no pens in class! Writing in PEN in music is a BIG NO-NO. Please, Please, Please... only use pencil in music class. If you make mistakes writing in notes, it will be easy to change. Also, when working with sheet music, we can erase markings before returning it so the next person has clean music.

Materials: Every class period, please bring your instrument, music binders and sheet music, pencils, and keep a few pieces of binder paper in your music folder so that you can take notes if necessary in class. Keep in mind that all music that is not personally purchased by you is the property of East High or Mrs. Lamp, and it should be returned in good condition when it is no longer needed for class.

Tests: In order to help Mrs. Lamp help you in your learning, she will have routine assessments/tests. Every other Friday, students will be asked to prepare specific songs/pieces or scales for performance. Some times students will get to choose between a range of songs, and other times, they will be given precise examples to play. Please make sure you are prepared to play these by yourself, with a friend, and/or as a class.

Sectionals: On occasion, Mrs. Lamp will give the class time to work in small groups. Please make sure to use this time wisely and work nicely with your classmates in order to accomplish more in less time. If it appears this time is being abused by certain groups, we will use other methods to rehearse difficult pieces as a whole class.

Grades:

Grades will be calculated in a few ways. On the following page, you will find a break down of how you will be graded in our class. Your grade will be broken down into the following categories: 

• Music Effort - Participation and Effort  (30%)
• Practice (10%), 
• engagement in class and good attitude (10%), 
• on time and does not exceed bathroom break allowance (5%), 
• comes prepared for class with all necessary materials (5%)
• Musical Expression and Theory- Performance Ability/Improvement and Assessments(40%)
• Student shows great improvement throughout the year and performs at an appropriate level for each stage of learning (20%), 
• performs well and prepares for assessments (15%) 
• comes in for help during office hours when struggling or arranges another time with Mrs. Lamp (5%), 
• Music Performance - Concert Attendance (20%)
• Student is present/on time at all required concerts in the appropriate attire (all black “Concert Blacks” for most concerts, unless otherwise indicated) and checks in with Mrs. Lamp prior to each concert
• Student brings all required materials to the concert (music binder, guitar, pencils, picks, etc)
• Music Analysis and Composition - Music Assignments (10%)
• Composition and improvisation assignments
• Homework, including take home quizzes

Students will receive a daily participation grade which adds up to 6 Points.

• Practiced/Completed Homework and Knows Part - 2 Points
• Engagement and Attitude in Class - 2 Points
• On Time with all materials - 2 Points

Instructional Syllabus for Guitar Class at East High - General Plan for the class, subject to change as needed.

Week	Unit	Standard	Concepts	Assessment
1	Guitar Basics	1. 1. Perform music accurately and expressively demonstrating self-evaluation and personal interpretation at the minimal level of 3 on the difficulty rating scale	Procedures for the classroom, String names (EADGBE), tuning the guitar (standard tuning), history of the guitar, chromatic scale notes, reading tab and standard notation.	Students will diagram the guitar strings and spell each chromatic note on each string of the guitar up to the 5th fret, transcribe the notes of the chromatic scale and C major scale in tablature and standard musical notation.
2	Scales and I-IV-V-vi	1.4.a. Identify all major and relative minor scales and arpeggios (DOK 1)	C major/A minor; G major/E minor, D major/B minor (scales and chords); graphic organize keys learned on Circle of Fifths.	Students will choose a school appropriate song in one of these keys to perform for the class either solo or as a small group.
3	Scales and I-IV-V-vi	1.4.a. Identify all major and relative minor scales and arpeggios (DOK 1)	A major/F# minor; E major/C# minor (scales and chords)	Students will choose a school appropriate song in one of these keys to perform for the class either solo or as a small group.
4	Scales and I-IV-V-vi	1.4.a. Identify all major and relative minor scales and arpeggios (DOK 1)	F major/D minor; Bb Major/G minor; Eb Major/C minor (scales and chords)	Students will transpose a song they previously learned into one of these new keys and perform it for the class.
5	Scales and I-IV-V-vi	1.4.a. Identify all major and relative minor scales and arpeggios (DOK 1)	Ab Major/F minor, B major/G# minor	Students will transpose a song they previously learned into one of these new keys and perform it for the class.
6	Scales and I-IV-V-vi; Enharmonic Notes	1.4.a. Identify all major and relative minor scales and arpeggios (DOK 1)	Db Major/C# Major, Gb Major/F# Major,	Summative Assessment: Students will create the circle of fifths, spell out the scales for each of the keys they learned, and list the I-IV-V-vi chords of all 12 major scales.
7	Genres: 12 bar blues, jazz, and Improvisation	1. Improvise a stylistically appropriate vocal or instrumental solo over a given pattern of harmonic progressions	Dominant 7th chords in the keys of C, G, D, A, and E; scatting, strumming patterns for the Blues.	Students will perform the 12 bar blues and improvise/scat a melody in the key they choose to play for the class.
8	Genres: Spirituals	3.2. Classification by genre, style, historical period, or culture	Down by the Riverside, Go Down Moses, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Follow the Drinking Gourd, Wayfaring Stranger
9	Genres: Popular Music		Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Imagine Dragons, Fun, One Direction, Beyonce, Katy Perry
10	Genres: Folk Music and multi-cultural music		The Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, Mumford and Sons, Stephen Foster, Songs from Civil Rights Era, Greensleeves, Silent Night
11	Genres: Classical Music		Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Baroque), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3JgUZHlDK4 Rondo alla Turca (Classical) http://www.classicalmusic4guitar.com/
12	Genres: Composition Assignment and Form analysis		Forms in music, composing, key signatures, writing meaningful lyrics	Students will choose from one of the genres they have learned and compose their own song (chords, lyrics, tab) using a specific form: call and response, verse-refrain, through- composed, or rondo.
13	Sacred Music and Holiday Music		Silent Night, Hannukah, Kwanza, Sleigh Ride, Walking in a Winter Wonderland, O Holy Night, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas, Christmas Waltz