Created 2013 by Rachael Lewis1. Questions students want to know Am I in the right place? What is...

Created 2013 by Rachael Lewis 1

Welcome to Music!Swain Middle School Chorus

Year 2013-2014


Questions students want to know

Am I in the right place?

What is this class going to teach

me?

Is it a place where I will fit in,

or feel safe?

Will I be able to be successful?

How is this class organized?

How will I be graded?

What are the work

expectations?

What are the outside of class expectations?

What are the benefits of being

in this class?

What are the expectations and

consequences for behavior?

Will I like this teacher? Who is she as a person?

Where am I supposed to sit?

What Field Trips will be go on?

What performances are planned?

What Materials do I need for this

class?

What Kind of Music will be

Learn?


What is This Class Going to Teach Me?

In Music class you will learn to use your voice to sing with good technique. You will learn how to perform on stage. You

will learn to Sight Read Music rhythm and pitch notation, to listen and respond to different styles of music, and you will learn about music history. Being a part of the Swain Middle School Chorus will help prepare you to be a participant in

chorus in High School.


Am I in the Right Place?

You are in the classroom for the

Swain Middle School Chorus. If your class

list says “music,” then you are in the

right place!

All 6th grade students have music for 9

weeks, with a few exceptions.

7th and 8th grade students may sign

up to take the class for the whole year, or they may take

one semester at a time.

When we perform, 6th, 7th, and 8th will rehearse together and perform at the

same time.


THE BIG ROCK for Music ClassMy number 1 goal as your teacher

The mission statement of Swain County Schools is to prepare all students to be ready college or career ready by Graduation. My number one goal for sixth grade music is to enable all students to find their personal love and joy in music and to become live long music advocates, and to develop a deep appreciation of music and musicians, while fostering and building skills necessary to participate in music ensembles in high school and college.


Is it a place where I will feel safe?

In Music Class, everyone belongs.

All students are entrusted to believe in the best of others. There will be no tolerance for bullying in this class. Students will

be treated fairly and with respect, and will be asked

to give their “best and then some.” This is a

mixed chorus with both boys and girls from 6th

through 8th grade.


Will I be able to be Successful?What are the work requirements?

Chorus is a class where all students can be successful, regardless of musical or intellectual ability. The primary requirement is a great attitude and willingness to try. You will be required to sing in every class, most of the time with the group, sometimes alone. If you uncomfortable singing alone in front of the group, the teacher can make special accommodations for you. There is a small amount of homework and a weekly quiz. You will be responsible for a fall, winter, and spring evening concert, talent show, spring musical, and several fund raisers. This is not a “goof off, easy A” class! If you don’t do the work, you can fail, but if you make the effort to learn, I will make certain you succeed.


How will I be graded?Percentages

Daily Class ParticipationData Note-booksWeekly QuizzesHomeworkExamsEdmodo

40%: Daily Class Participation and Behavior

You can earn up to 100 points per week, 20 points per day. Every 10 minutes is equal to 5 points.

10% Data Note Books ( 3 ring binders)

10% Weekly Quiz Grade

10% Homework as Assigned

20% Midterm Exam, Final Exam10% Edmodo Participation (online journal)

Every Concert attendance is BONUS POINTS. 100 as a test grade. (not coming does not lower your grade, but coming will raise it.)


How is this class organized?

1st 5-10 minutes:

Vocal warm-ups

2nd 10 minutes: Sight reading

work

Last 20 minutes: Working on

Concert music

Fridays: Quizzes,

Music History days, Student Choice time sometimes

(not always).

Students will be presented with graphic organizers by the course and unit. Students will be expected to keep up with these and other hand outs in a data notebook, which will be checked other Friday. A rubric for grading the notebook will be presented the first week of school.


What are the benefits of being in this class?

Participating in music has life long benefits like a smarter brain, better health, and an increased sense of well being. Music is fun! Members of chorus get to display their talent in front of the school, get to attend fun field trips, and get to compete in the annual spring chorus festival at Western Carolina University. Chorus can be a great place to make long lasting relationships with others that share your interests. Just to make sure your hooked, check out this music advocacy video…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPnnmpYDlxI&list=PLBBA820F04B8F520E.. Or this one…., even better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPsWCqNgpvc&list=PLBBA820F04B8F520E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPnnmpYDlxI&list=PLBBA820F04B8F520E









What are the expectations and consequences for behavior?

Be Prepared

Be On Time

Be Kind

Be Respectful

Follow Directions

Listen

Redirect Lunch Detention Bounce Office

Referral


REWARDS!

Extra Bonus Student Choice Time, 5 minutes accumulated time for

whole class good behavior

Pride CardsFor demonstrating

Swain Middle School Pride

Candy:Punctuality, games

Independent Computer Lab Time: worth 5 pride

cards

Positive Home Contacts Free Quiz Pass Awards: worth 5 pride cards

End of Semester Award Certificates

Participation in Field Trips: Less than 2 office referrals in a semester

Movie Day: whole class good behavior reward

8th Grade Chorus Trip to Fontana Village: 8th

graders who participate in chorus for the entire 7th and 8th grade year.

Pizza PartiesConcert Attendance

Bonus points: 100 test points per concert


PRIDE

P: Prepared R: Respectful I: Integrity D: Dedicated E: Excited


Will I Like this Teacher?Who is She as a Person

Hello, my name is Rachael Katrina Lewis.

I am 34 years old and this is my 12 year teaching in Swain

County.

I love music, and even more, I love to teach

music to you!

I play the piano, percussion, harpsichord, mandolin, guitar, organ,

and recorder.

I live in Jackson County with my husband,

Brandon Lewis, and my three children, Grady,

Annie, and Samuel.

I earned my Bachelor’s degree from Western

Carolina University and my Master’s in

performance from the University of Lafayette,

Louisiana.

I love to travel and explore. Some of the

places I have been include most of the

southern states, Alaska, Mexico, and London.

More about Rachael


Where Am I Supposed to Sit?This class is a mixed chorus, meaning we will have both boys and girls. Typically, in a mixed chorus, there are 4 voice parts, and the parts sit together. Since we are also a beginning choral group, we usually sing in 2 or 3 part harmony. You will need to sit in the section where your voice feels most comfortable. You can experiment with different voice types until assigned a part by the teacher, after that point, we will have assigned seating.

HighSoprano

MiddleSoprano 2

LowAlto, Tenor


What Field Trips will we go on?2013-2014 planned field trips

Fall, early in the 2nd nine weeks: Appalachian Southern Gospel

Harvest Celebration: Dollywood.

Winter: Nursing Home Tour, Tsali Manor, Autumn Winds, Mountain

View Manor.Spring: WCU Choral MPA Festival

Starting in the spring of 2015: next year, 8th graders who have stayed in

chorus through all of 7th and 8th grade will take a reward field trip to Fontana

Village in the spring.


What Performances are Planned?

Fall: Appalachian Concert in conjunction with West Elementary

Veteran’s Day Performance

Winter: December Christmas Concert

Spring: MPA at WCU, March or early April

Late Spring: Look forward to a BIG musical!


What Materials Do I Need for This Class?

• 3 Ring Binder with Pockets.This is required. It will be your data notebook.

I will require you to keep handouts, newsletters, notes, homework and music compositions in this binder. I will grade it every 2 weeks. It will be 10% of your overall grade.• $7.00 for a chorus T Shirt. Due within two weeks

of the start of class. This is the performance shirt, we will wear it on all field trips and concerts.


What Kind of Music Will We Learn?

You will be studying music for performance and in class that will help your vocal development and understanding of classical musical literature. Students will also have opportunity to sing for fun music they enjoy during student choice time, which is scheduled the last 10 minutes of class most Fridays. This can be a variety of styles: Rock, Country, Classical, Christian Praise, Gospel, Bluegrass, hip hop, rap, or modern. You can submit a song choice in writing to the teacher in the turn in box. I will review it for school appropriateness and insert it in a “Student Choice Power point.”

Created 2013 by Rachael Lewis1. Questions students want to know Am I in the right place? What is...

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