middlechoralsyllabus

_ QUARTER, 200_-200_//** Location: Music room Class time: Student text: None. Literature as selected by teacher. Teacher: Mr. David Klassy Teacher's Office phone: Teacher E-mail: david.klassy@k12.sd.us Teacher Website: http://maestroklassy.wikispaces.com CLASS OVERVIEW: The teacher reserves the right to make any changes to this syllabus, provided the students are given at least two written notifications, on paper, on the board, or in the announcements within one week after making the changes. Middle School Chorus is intended to be a combination of choral and general music and is required for all 7th and 8th grade students. In this year-long musical performance-based course in which students will utilize previously learned skills and knowledge with their voice and unite with others and sing as a team unit. In the fourth quarter, students will mostly rehearse and then sing in preparation for their Spring Concert, which will be held at the [performance center] on [date] at [time]. Their grade in this assignment will be given based on their appearance in wearing appropriate clothing, conduct in attending the entire program, full preparedness for and participation in their parts of the program On their way in practicing for this event, students will either sing at and/or help serve during the Spaghetti Dinner Music Boosters fundraiser at the [performance center] on [date] at [time]. The singers who plan to sing solos, duets, or quintets for contest, and anyone else wants to put a song together, are expected to perform. Any chorus member who is also in band and will be performing with their instrument will not need to sing or serve during the Spaghetti Dinner unless they choose to do so. As our music program possibly would not have survived over the years without the fundraising headed by our music boosters, and as performance is our number one task, all chorus members will do their part in either performing or serving for at least 30 minutes at the dinner. Students will also be asked to assist with the preparation of food or setting up for the event or for clean up at the dinner's conclusion. The grade for this will be based on the student's completion of all expectations in this event. The whole Middle School Chorus, along with the 5th Grade Vocal Music and 6th Grade Vocal Music classes separately, will be performing in the Regional Middle School Vocal Contest on Friday, April 7. The times involved are to be determined soon, but students need to be prepared to dress nicely for this event and to be able to buy their own lunch. The teacher hopes to avoid the need for many of the students to arrive before school for departure or return to school after school has let out for the day, but this has yet to be determined. Full group songs will be rehearsed during regular class practices, while those singing solos or in smaller groups will need to arrange their own practice times with the teacher and/or teacher's aide. There is a good chance that the choir, as a whole, and maybe in combination with the High School Chorus, will be asked to perform a song, to be chosen by the Senior class, at the Commencement Ceremony (graduation) on Saturday, May 13, at 2:00 P.M. More details on this will come later as they are presented to the teacher by the high school principal. GRADING AND EXPECTATIONS: Students can earn 1/4 credit towards their Fine Arts or Elective requirements for each semester studied. This course can be repeated in future semesters for additional credit. Any items turned in are to be neatly with your name on top, neatly handwritten in ink, with exception to any internet research for make-up assignments__. The school district grading scale is used as posted in the student handbook. Quarterly report cards will reflect grades in all areas, except for the semester exam. Midterm reports will be given to all students to show progress for the first half of the quarter. All other school and handbook rules and policies will apply to this course. Students will earn a 100 point or 100% based 4th quarter grade based on: A. 67% Evaluatory Grades 1. 25% Mid Quarter Evaluation: The teacher will look over all daily participation grades in the first half of the quarter and weigh in absences, conduct, attitude, and overall contributions to the achievements of the band as a whole and assess with a 100 point cumulative grade. This will not include participation in the Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser. There is no make-up assignment needed for this evaluation, however make-up assignment for daily participation grades will be due by Thursday, April 13. 2. 25% End Quarter Evaluation: The teacher will look over all daily participation grades in the second half of the quarter and weigh in absences, conduct, attitude, and overall contributions to the achievements of the band as a whole and assess with a 100 point cumulative grade. This will not include participation in the Spring Concert. Make up journals would be due by the end of the school year. 3. 25% Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser by the Music Boosters: For an exempt or 0 grade given for this assignment, a student may raise the grade by completing 4 make-up journal assignments based on any of the topics listed on the teacher's website. If the choir as a whole is expected to sing at graduation, then this 25% for the Spaghetti Dinner will become 12.5% percent and the graduation ceremony will become the other 12.5%. More details on this will come later as they are presented to the teacher by the high school principal. 4. 25% Spring Concert, which will be held at the [performance center] in [date] on [time]. Their grade in this assignment will be given based on their appearance in wearing appropriate clothing, conduct in attending the entire program, full preparedness for and participation in their parts of the program. For an exempt or 0 grade given for this assignment, a student may raise the grade by completing 4 make-up journal assignments based on any of the topics listed on the teacher's website. The journals would be due by the end of the school year. B. 33% Daily Grades. Music ensemble practices in which each student contributes his/her part with the other ensemble members present are one of very few educational times in our school which cannot be made up. Each day of a class session, students present on time in class start with a full 100% or 100 point grade. This is based on 2 points or 2% of the grade is earned in each of the over 50 minutes of actual class time. After 2:19, 3 minutes is granted for chair, music folder, and music set-up, practice, visiting, and reading of announcements on the board or projector. If the class session follows the plans of the teacher, within reason and without unnecessary interruptions by students, the group practice session will conclude by 3:06, however students are not dismissed until 3:09. This should indicate that the teacher only plans for 44 minutes of actual practice time and can only follow that 44 minutes if the students will cooperate fully in being prepared for class and using appropriate behavior throughout the class session. The DDN Campus gradebook has been set up so that the lowest grade in this category will be dropped for each quarter. For each X (exempt) or 0 grade given for a class session, a student may raise that grade by completing 1 make-up journal assignment based on any of the topics listed on the teacher's website. More details on the daily grades are below: 1. **General grade reductions** may be made for any evidence of inadequate level of participation shown throughout the class (including proper posture while singing, attention given to the teacher's instruction), preparation to adequately participate in class (being ready to sing and having music organized, chairs set-up), and clean-up and proper storage of music and chairs. The class practice plan is always put on the white board or projected on to the wall before the class arrives. Rather than playing with instruments and engaging in other misconduct during the 3 minute preparation time, students should be reviewing their trouble spots in the planned practice songs or activities displayed for them as they enter the classroom. Students will be penalized individually and possibly as a small or large group in all instances that music, music folders, and/or chairs are not put away properly. 2. **Singability** is the student's responsibility, and it is the student's responsibility to get parental assistance with using proper health habits used. This would be like regularly using products for avoiding chapped lips, drinking fluids, taking vitamins, using cough drops and taking cold medicines or getting proper medical attention. Students having an issue with singability will be given 3 class sessions per quarter to resolve that issue, as long as written proof from a guardian is provided to the teacher within those 3 class sessions. The guardian-signed guardian-written note needs to acknowledge their awareness of the problem, and contact phone numbers if the teacher chooses to verify the truth of the letter. If no written proof by a guardian is provided, or if more than 3 class sessions pass and the student cannot adequately sing in choir, the student will be issued a 0 for each class session until they are able to sing again. 3. Students are expected to **use the restroom**, **get water**, and go to their **lockers** before entering class. Students are always permitted to bring study, reading, and homework materials to class practices but are only permitted to work on these when not expected to play or when not being given immediate instruction by the teacher. Students are not to routinely make these requests after the start of class or before the end of class. Students who leave class after it starts and return to class before it ends may receive up to a 2 point reduction for each minute they are out of the room. If the absence from class is not approved in advance by the teacher, up to an additional 2 point reduction will be given for each minute they are gone. 6th period is technically over at 2:16, and with our small school, students have 3 minutes, which is enough time to take care of personal business. 4. **Tardy** students may receive up to a 2 point reduction for that class period's grade for each minute that they are tardy. Those not producing an excused admit from another faculty member may receive up to an additional 2 point reduction for each minute. A student is considered tardy if they are not in the room to stay by 2:19 (don't ask to leave between 2:16 and 2:19) and also if they are not ready to sing with the rest of the group all planned music adequately by 2:22. 5. Students requesting to leave early without returning to class may receive up to a 3 point reduction for that class period's grade for each minute they left early. Those not producing a legitimate reason for leaving early, particularly in written form by another faculty member, may receive up to an additional 3 point reduction for each minute they are gone. This includes putting music, folders, and/or chairs away early without permission from the teacher. 6. Students with excused absences from class earn an exempt for that class period, which means their overall grade is not changed. Excused absences include those reported in the Lasso, out-of-school class or activity absences, or students needing to be in another location of the school during class time with a teacher's request made no later than the day before this class. The teacher reserves the right not to excuse the requested absence for that next day's class period, even if the requested is made with another teacher's approval. Students are expected to prioritize their assigned time and remember that music ensemble practices cannot be made-up like lecture notes can be provided from lectures, and like assignments, quizzes, and tests can be made up in other academic areas. 7. Students with unexcused absences** from class will receive a 0 for that class period. Students may not request an excused absence from the teacher on the day of the requested absence. Students not appearing in class, but appearing present in their first period class and not reporting absent for any reason for second period will also be considered as unexcused. CLASS SCHEDULE: Mon. Mar. 13: Introduction of quarter, distribution and overview of syllabi, discussion of make-up journal assignments. With time left, practice contest and Spring Concert music. Fri. Mar. 17--NO CLASS--Make-up Day, declared as a Light Day. Practice Spring Concert music as a group, then left-over time practice Spaghetti Dinner music independently while others may study/read/work in the music room. Mon. Mar. 20: Minimal practice time on Spring Concert music, more time given for Spaghetti Dinner music practice independently while others may study/read/work in the music room. Fri. Mar. 24: Same as Monday, March 20. Monday, March 27, 5:30-7:30 P.M. Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser Tue. Mar. 28: Practice mostly on Contest song "Dona Nobis Pacem" and then other Spring Concert music. Thu. Mar. 30: Same as Tuesday, March 28. Mon. Apr. 3 (testing that week?) Final Practice for Contest. Practice mostly on Contest song "Dona Nobis Pacem" and then other vocal contest music while others may study/read/work in the music room. Fri. Apr. 7 (testing that week?) Gone to Middle School Vocal Contest in Wessington Springs. If back by this period, read/study/work. Tue. Apr. 11: Practice Spring Concert music. Thu. Apr. 13: Practice Spring Concert music. This is the last class session before progress reports are due. Mon. Apr. 17--Possible Make-Up Snow Day, unknown if Light or Dark Day. If it's dark: Practice Spring Concert music. Fri. Apr. 21: Practice Spring Concert music. Graduation music and who sings it should be determined by this point. If the full chorus is to work on it, then some time will be given to practice it. Also, All-State music for next fall should be determined by this point and the full chorus will work some and learn some of the music at this time. Tue. Apr. 25: same as Friday, April 21 Thu. Apr. 27: same as Friday, April 21 Mon. May 1: same as Friday, April 21 Wed. May 3: same as Friday, April 21 Fri. May 5: Only practice Spring Concert music during our class period. Middle School Chorus may be asked to come during High School Chorus period (10:35-11:15) to practice joint songs together. Tue. May 9 Final Practice for Final Semester Exam Assignment--Spring Concert. Middle School Chorus will be asked to come during High School Chorus period (10:35-11:15) to practice joint songs together. Tuesday, May 9, 7:00 P.M. Spring Concert Thu. May 11: Graduation song practice (if applicable) and/or All-State music practice. Then read/study/work time in the music room. Whenever the last day of chorus occurs, end of the year organizational duties, music & folder turn-in, inventory assistance. Mon. May 15? (unsure of light or dark day) All-State music practice. Then read/study/work time in the music room. Whenever the last day of chorus occurs, end of the year organizational duties, music & folder turn-in, inventory assistance.
 * //COURSE SYLLABUS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORUS