Unit 2 — Performing
Description
Students develop the ability to sing and play instruments using proper technique, expression, and interpretation. Key performance skills include following conducting cues and gestures, breathing, posture, sound production, intonation, musicality, and expression. Students learn a diverse repertoire with emphasis on studying backgrounds of composers and musicians, and exploring how social issues such as spirituals and protest songs are conveyed through music. Through rehearsal and refinement, students prepare performances that convey expressive intent to specific audiences.
Essential Questions
- How do performers select repertoire?
- How do musicians improve the quality of their performance?
- When is a performance judged ready to present? How do context and the manner in which musical work is presented influence audience response?
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate and explain personal interest in, knowledge about, and purpose of varied musical selections
- Apply established criteria to judge accuracy, expressiveness, and effectiveness of performance
- Rehearse, identify, and apply strategies to address interpretive, performance, and technical challenges
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic music concepts such as tonality and meter in music from a variety of cultures
- Read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using iconic or standard notation
- Demonstrate understanding of basic expressive qualities such as dynamics and tempo
- Perform music for a specific purpose with expression and technical accuracy
- Perform appropriately for the audience and purpose
Supplemental Resources
- Sheet music and lyric sheets for varied repertoire
- Instruments and handbells for ensemble performance
- Whiteboard or chart paper for displaying conducting gesture cues
- Highlighters for marking expressive elements in music notation
Music - Performing
Students develop counting skills, recognize patterns in rhythm, and explore spatial relationships through musical compositions and rhythm notation.
Students engage in investigations and observations related to sound properties, cause and effect relationships in music, and the application of design thinking when creating musical solutions.
Students listen to and respond to diverse literature featuring diverse individuals, develop vocabulary for describing musical elements, and engage in collaborative discussions about music selections and performances.
Students develop body awareness, coordination, and fine motor skills through instrumental performance and movement activities that respond to music.
Students explore diverse composers, musicians, and cultural perspectives through music from different regions and communities, examine social issues like spirituals and protest songs, and learn about contributions of individuals with disabilities to music.
Students engage with music and songs from diverse cultures and regions around the world, building awareness of global musical traditions.
Formative Assessments
- Teacher observation of vocal and instrumental technique during rehearsal
- Echo singing and playing exercises to demonstrate correct technique
- Group discussion of conducting gestures and performance interpretations
- Skill testing of rhythm and melodic pattern performance
Summative Assessment
Students perform songs or instrumental pieces for peers or informal audiences, demonstrating proper technique, expression, and response to conducting cues
Benchmark Assessment
Students recognize and respond to basic conducting gestures such as cutoffs and dynamics; demonstrate instrumental rest position and vocal technique through echo exercises
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through simplified repertoire, shorter performance segments, or modified instruments adapted to physical needs. Visual conducting cues, hand signals, or verbal prompts may replace standard conducting gestures, and students may respond through movement, gesture, or assisted participation rather than independent singing or playing.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students with IEPs may benefit from visual supports such as picture cues or color-coded notation to reinforce concepts like dynamics, tempo, and conducting gestures during rehearsal. Teachers should allow alternative response modes — such as clapping, movement, or humming — in place of full vocal or instrumental performance when written or spoken output presents a barrier. Breaking rehearsal into shorter, clearly sequenced steps with frequent check-ins supports students who need additional processing time or structured practice. Oral responses and physical demonstration should be accepted as valid evidence of understanding in place of written reflection.
Section 504
Students with 504 plans should be seated where they have a clear sightline to the teacher's conducting gestures and any visual notation displays, minimizing distractions during rehearsal and performance. Additional time for echo-singing exercises or rhythm pattern practice helps ensure these students can demonstrate their skills without time pressure. Low-distraction environments during skill assessments support accurate demonstration of what students know.
ELL / MLL
Multilingual learners benefit from visual supports that pair musical vocabulary — such as dynamics, tempo, and posture cues — with images or physical demonstrations rather than relying solely on verbal explanation. Teachers should use gesture, modeling, and movement to convey conducting cues and expressive qualities so that language is not a barrier to participation. Connecting repertoire to students' cultural and linguistic backgrounds, where possible, builds engagement and helps students access prior musical knowledge they may already have from home.
At Risk (RTI)
Students who need additional support should be given accessible entry points into performance, such as focusing on a single rhythmic pattern or short melodic phrase before working toward the full piece. Teachers can connect new songs and expressive concepts to music students already know from their everyday lives, helping to build confidence and prior knowledge. Frequent, low-stakes practice opportunities — such as small-group echo exercises — allow these students to build technical skill and comfort before performing for a broader audience.
Gifted & Talented
Students who are ready for greater challenge can explore the cultural or historical context of the repertoire more deeply, investigating how social themes such as protest or community are expressed through specific musical choices like dynamics, tempo, or melodic contour. These students may be invited to analyze and articulate performance decisions — explaining why a particular expressive interpretation fits the intent of a piece — rather than simply executing what is modeled. Teachers might also encourage these students to begin exploring simple conducting patterns or to take on a peer leadership role during small-group rehearsal, deepening both musicianship and communication skills.