NASHUA SCHOOL DISTRICT
CURRICULUM GUIDE
Subject:
Color Guard Class
Instructional Level:
Grade: 9 -12
Last Updated: August 2005
Course Duration: One Semester (Fall)
One Credit
Table of Contents
I. Mission Statement
II. Nashua School District 2000 Goals
III. Enduring Understandings
IV. Essential Questions for Music K-12
V. Introduction
VI. Pacing Guide
VII. Unit 1: Basics/Techniques/Listening Skills
VIII. Unit 2: Routine and Projects
IX. Materials and Resources
X. Sample Lessons
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Contributors
Sophia Santerre
Anthony Courounis
Sylvie Stewart
Vincent Duval
Mission
Students who graduate from the Nashua Public Schools will demonstrate academic
competence and apply technology in accordance with their abilities. Students will learn to
use their minds well so that they may maintain a healthy, independent lifestyle and be
prepared to pursue further learning, productive employment, and responsible citizenship in
a changing, competitive, international environment.
Nashua School District 2000 Goals
1. Understand the world and their own position in it.
2. Use language, both English and another, as a means of
communicating successfully with others and as a means of
understanding American and other cultures.
3. Understand and apply the concepts of the life sciences, the physical
sciences and mathematics to various aspects of the physical world to
solve personal, scientific, and business problems.
4. Use and understand the arts and humanities as a means of personal
expression and as a way of enriching their life experiences.
5. Solve problems and process information using appropriate strategies
and technologies.
6. Act as responsible, healthy, and caring human beings who respect
themselves and others and can set personal and interpersonal goals.
7. Be independent, lifelong learners and individuals who can recognize
and value differences, abilities, ideas, and talents as well as culture,
race and religion.
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NASHUA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Music Enduring Understandings
Standard 1:
Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s ability to apply appropriate vocal techniques to enhance
personal expression through performance while singing alone and with
others.
Standard 2:
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s ability to apply appropriate instrumental techniques to
enhance personal expression through performance while playing alone
and with others.
Standard 3:
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s ability to choose musical elements (such as pitch, rhythm,
form) to create melodies, variations and accompaniments appropriate to a
given style of music enhances spontaneous personal expression.
Standard 4:
Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s ability to create musical works or arrangements using the
musical elements appropriate to specified compositional guidelines as a
basis for personal expression enhances the aural communication of ideas.
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Standard 5:
Reading and notating music.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s knowledge of music notation enhances their ability to read
and learn musical compositions in order to perform more effectively.
Standard 6:
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s skill in making informed opinions promotes their response
to, analysis of, and ability to put into words a description of music in daily
experiences.
Standard 7:
Evaluating music and musical performances.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s ability to evaluate and critique musical performances
enhances appreciation of various musical genres.
Standard 8:
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and
disciplines outside the arts.
Enduring Understanding:
Recognizing how music and the arts relate to all aspects of learning in
daily life enhances the ability to make connections and solve problems.
Standard 9:
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Enduring Understanding:
Recognition of music within the context of history and human experience
can promote an understanding of cross-cultural relationships and how
music and history impact each other.
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Standard 10:
Identify the range of careers in the field of music.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s knowledge of the range of careers in the field of music will
affect the role music will play in post-secondary choices, work and life.
NASHUA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Music Essential Questions
Standard 1:
1. Why is it important to experience music through singing?
2. How does singing alone and in large and small, accompanied and
unaccompanied ensembles affect self-expression?
3. How does singing a varied repertoire enhance the vocal music experience?
4. What benefits are derived from singing with proper posture, vocal technique and
knowledge of vocal function?
Standard 2:
1. Why is it important to experience music through playing an instrument?
2. How does playing alone and in large and small ensembles affect self-expression?
3. How does playing a varied repertoire enhance the instrumental music
experience?
4. What benefits are derived from playing with proper posture and instrumental
technique?
Standard 3:
1. How does creating music in the moment affect the creator and the listener in
different ways?
2. What is the value of spontaneous improvisation versus organized composition?
3. What concepts does the performer apply while improvising?
4. What adjustments must the improviser make when improvising a melody as
opposed to variations or an accompaniment?
Standard 4:
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1. How does composing music affect the creator and the listener in different ways?
2. What is the value of organized composition versus spontaneous improvisation?
3. What musical knowledge is applied when composing?
4. How do form and style affect the composers’ musical choices?
Standard 5:
1. What are the benefits of being able to read musical notation?
2. How does the ability to read and notate music enhance the musician’s capability
to play/sing by ear?
Standard 6:
1. What are the benefits of creating a focused listening environment?
2. How can listening build musical understanding and performance skills?
3. How do musical analytical skills enhance the listener’s appreciation for music?
4. How does describing a musical work affect the way one listens to music?
Standard 7:
1. Why is it important to develop skills in evaluating musical performances?
2. What are the processes involved in evaluating a piece of music?
Standard 8:
1. How does relating musical experiences to other artistic experiences broaden
one’s appreciation for the arts in general?
2. What benefits can be derived by connecting musical experiences to other
experiences outside the artistic domain?
Standard 9:
1. How have music and history impacted each other?
2. Why is it important to hear how contemporary music is derived from music of
the past?
3. How have various world cultures shaped their respective musical traditions?
Standard 10:
1. What careers are available to individuals interested in the musical arts?
2. How does developing a musical portfolio assist in furthering a musical career?
3. How do individual performances and solo experiences prepare young musicians
in their future auditions?
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Introduction:
The grades K-12 Music curriculum:
Is based on the 10 Music strands as stated in the New Hampshire Curriculum
Frameworks.
Exposes students to the performing, social, analytical, cultural, and historical
characteristics of music.
Explores how different musical styles meet their basic needs and wants.
Is linked with the content and skills of grades K-12.
Pacing Guide
September through November--Unit 1: (1/3 of year)
December through February--Unit 2: (1/3 of year)
March through June--Unit 3: (1/3 of year)
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Subject– Color Guard Theme/Unit: 1.
Class Basics/Technique/Listening
Skills
Unit Objectives: Students will be able to demonstrate proper flag technique
(Basics) with and without musical accompaniment.
CURRICULUM TOPICS and STUDENT ASSESSMENT
STANDARDS CONCEPTS PERFORMANCE
OUTCOMES
(Students will be able to : (Students will use the (Students will know and be able (In order to demonstrate what they know and what they are able to do,
Usually from State following content topic or to…) students will):
Frameworks or National concepts to meet the
Goals): curriculum standards):
Standard 2: Performing on 1. silk 1. Keep a steady pulse 1. Count and clap together and individually, beat patterns of
instruments (flags), alone and 2. tab with a variety of varying difficulty.
with others, a varied 3. butt musical selections. 2. Spin silks (flags) together and individually, using basic
repertoire of music. 4. right shoulder 2. Understand and techniques along with counts and music.
5. Right drop spins demonstrate
Standard 8. Understanding 6. Left drop spins knowledge of terms
relationships between music, 7. Figure 8’s and basic color guard
the other arts, and disciplines 8. Front backs technique.
outside the arts. 9. Tic ~ Tocks
10. Parallels
11. tosses
12. pops
13. Commands
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Subject– Color Guard Theme/Unit: 2.
Class Routines/Projects
Unit Objectives: Students will be able to perform routines to fall drill show, and
parades. Students will be able to design and perform original, individual routine.
CURRICULUM TOPICS and CONCEPTS STUDENT ASSESSMENT
STANDARDS PERFORMANCE
OUTCOMES
(Students will be able to: Usually (Students will use the following (Students will know and be able to..) (In order to demonstrate what they know and what
from State Frameworks or National content topics or concepts to meet they are able to do, students will):
Goals): the curriculum standards):
1. Keep a steady pulse with varying
Standard 2: Perform on Instruments 1. Color Guard Basics styles of music. 1. Count and clap together and individually,
(flags) alone and with others a varied 2. Counting skills 2. Write a color guard routine of beat patterns and of varying difficulty.
repertoire of music. (routines) 3. Listening skills their own by utilizing basic 2. Write basic color guard routines using proper
4. Written Guard Routine techniques. terminology.
Standard 4: Compose and arrange 5. Original Guard Routine 3. Develop a routine specifically 3. Perform written routines, accompanied by
music (routine) within specified 6. Musical selections in designed for an entire color guard. varying styles of musical selections.
guidelines. varying styles.
Standard 8: Understand relationships
among music, the arts and disciplines
outside the arts.
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Materials and Resources
*Sample Lessons
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ADDENDUM
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR MUSIC
Curriculum Standard 1: Sing, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
Curriculum Standard 2: Perform on instruments, alone and
with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
Curriculum Standard 3: Improvise melodies, variations and
accompaniments.
Curriculum Standard 4: Compose and arrange music within
specific guidelines.
Curriculum Standard 5: Read and notate music.
Curriculum Standard 6: Listen to, analyze and describe
music.
Curriculum Standard 7: Evaluate music and music
performances.
Curriculum Standard 8: Understand relationships among
music, the other arts and disciplines
outside the arts.
Curriculum Standard 9: Understand music in relation to
history and culture.
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NEW HAMPSHIRE FRAMEWORK FOR MUSIC
Curriculum Standard 1: Sing, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
Curriculum Standard 2: Perform on instruments, alone and
with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
Curriculum Standard 3: Improvise melodies, variations and
accompaniments.
Curriculum Standard 4: Compose and arrange music within
specific guidelines.
Curriculum Standard 5: Read and notate music.
Curriculum Standard 6: Listen to, analyze and describe
music.
Curriculum Standard 7: Evaluate music and music
performances.
Curriculum Standard 8: Understand relationships among
music, the other arts and disciplines
outside the arts.
Curriculum Standard 9: Understand music in relation to
history and culture.
Curriculum Standard 10: Identify the range of careers in
the field of music.
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