George Fox Middle School

Chorus Syllabus
2016-2017
Instructor Information
Liz Davidson, NBCT
EDavidson1@aacps.org
(410)437-5512
http://gfmsmusic.weebly.com/

Course Information
Chorus is offered to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at GFMS. This course is designed specifically to accelerate
achievement in understanding the language of music with an emphasis on Ensemble Performance. In
this course, students will have opportunities to express themselves through music. Students will perform
a variety of musical styles including; folk songs, spirituals, classic vocal repertoire, as well as popular age
appropriate pieces.
Course Materials
Students need a Binder for Chorus (any size is acceptable but a 1 inch with pockets is recommended).
Binders will be stored in the Chorus room and will NOT need to be taken home often. A Pencil is also
required every class period.

What Mrs. Davidson will do to support her students:

Create and implement engaging and rigorous learning activities using a variety of instructional
resources to help students build an understanding of singing, performing, and comprehending music.
Create a positive classroom culture that promotes self-expression and musicianship.
Notify parents via email or phone at any point during the marking period if a student is in
danger of failing or having difficulty managing classroom rules and behavior expectations.

What the student will do to be successful:

Come to class on time and ready to be an active participant.

Engage in lesson activities regularly and SING with the Ensemble consistently.
Keep track of music and materials (each student will have a spot in the classroom to house
materials).
Be Kind, Respectful, and Proud of your Work!

What parents can do to support the student:

Ensure that the student is in attendance at the 2 Mandatory Concerts (see dates on last page).
Encourage the student to discuss their music education and the pieces being rehearsed in class.
Check Parent Connect regularly to monitor student grades.
Contact Mrs. Davidson with any questions about assignments, grades, or other issues in a
timely manner.

Course Overview
Throughout the school year students will engage in a variety of engaging musical instruction and vocal
production as outlined in the Anne Arundel County Choral Music curriculum. The curriculum is
designed to support the creation of relevant vocal music alone and in an ensemble setting. Several of the
standards covered throughout the year are below. I have aligned the standards from the National
Association of Music Educators and the National Core Arts Standards with the AACPS Music Vision:
Cultivating Lifelong Learners, Creators, and Consumers of Music.

Learners
Standard: Generate rhythmic,

Standard: Identity how

Standard: Evaluate their own

melodic and harmonic phrases

cultural and historical context

work by selecting and applying

and harmonic accompaniments

inform performances and result

criteria including appropriate

within expanded forms

in different musical effects.

application of compositional

(including introductions,

techniques, style, form, and use

transitions, and codas) that

of sound sources.

convey expressive intent

Creators
Standard: Perform contrasting
pieces of music, demonstrating
as well as explaining how the
musics intent is conveyed by
their interpretations of the
elements of music and
expressive qualities (such as
dynamics, tempo, timbre,
articulation/style, and
phrasing).

Standard: Rehearse to refine

Standard: Perform the music

technical accuracy and

with technical accuracy, stylistic

expressive qualities to address

expression, and culturally

challenges, and show

authentic practices in music to

improvement over time.

convey the creators intent.

Consumers
Standard: Demonstrate how

Standard: Develop and justify

Standard: Demonstrate

interests, knowledge, and skills

evaluations of music, programs

understanding of relationships

relate to personal choices and

of music, and performances

between music and the other

intent when creating,

based on criteria, personal

arts, other disciplines, varied

performing, and responding to

decision-making, research, and

contexts, and daily life.

music.

understanding of contexts.

Grading Policy

Students grade in this course will be determined based upon progress towards mastery of the
standards. Students will receive a minimum of nine weighted grades each marking period. Small
homework assignments may be given once or twice a quarter. Quarterly assessments are given once per
marking period and do not qualify for the redo policy. Assessments in Chorus may be Standards Based
(i.e. - Concerts), Performance Based (i.e. - Daily Grades based on Skill Mastery), or Written (i.e. Homework and Quarterly Assessments).
Daily Grade: 70%

Standards Based
Assessments: 20%

Homework: 5%

Quarterly
Assessment: 5%

County Policy- Marking period grades are in percentage of points earned divided by possible points.
90-100% - A
80-89%- B
70-79% - C
60-69% - D
59% or less- E
Late and Redo Policies
All assignments have a due date. Assignments submitted late will be penalized one letter grade.
Per AACPS regulation, students may redo four assessments and/or assignments each quarter. Students
are encouraged, but not required, to participate in teacher-led re-teaching. All redo items must be
completed within ten days of receiving the original grade and may only be redone one time. The higher of
the two grades will be used for calculating the students quarter grade. The teacher may choose to have
the student redo all of an assessment or assignment or may have student only redo specific items or parts
of the work. Students may not redo homework, the quarterly assessment, or a large project; however,
students may redo parts of a large project, if graded separately by the teacher, with each part counting as
a separate redo. Assessments or assignments due in the last week of the quarter are not eligible.

Uniforms: All Music Students are required to have the official GFMS Music Uniform. These will be
available for sale in October. The price range is $25-$30 and will cover the TOP half of the uniform. Pants
are to be Nice Black Pants and can be purchased from any retailer at your convenience.

Concert Dates: ALL students are required to participate in 2 or more concerts per school year. The
mandatory concert dates are December 19th 2016 (Winter Concert) and May 9th 2017 (Spring Concert).
Additional Performance Opportunities will be provided this school year. These events will include a
Northeast Feeder Concert. NHS Mens Demo Workshop, and Recruitment Concerts at our local
Elementary Schools. Information will be sent home prior to each event.
Students with a B or Better for all 4 marking periods are invited to participate in an OPTIONAL Music
in the Parks Field Trip to Kings Dominion, VA on May 26, 2017. The trip is NOT part of the grade and
costs about $125.00. This trip is FIRST COME FIRST SERVE and information will be sent home in
February.
There will be a Fall Fundraiser to help students earn money towards their Spring Trip! This will begin in
October.