Unit 2 — Performing
Description
Students develop the ability to sing and play songs using proper technique and visual cues from conductors. Key performance concepts include following conducting gestures, demonstrating correct breathing and posture, producing quality sound with accurate intonation, conveying musicality and expression, using clear diction and articulation, understanding concert etiquette, and developing stage presence. A diverse repertoire of music is selected with emphasis on discussing the backgrounds of composers, musicians, and performers. Instruction incorporates a wide variety of social contexts and issues such as spirituals and protest songs. Students learn to select repertoire based on personal interest and technical skill, rehearse to refine accuracy and expressiveness, and present performances that demonstrate understanding of the music and appropriate interpretation of the creator's intent.
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 how selection of music to perform is influenced by personal interest, knowledge, context, and technical skill.
- Demonstrate understanding of music structure and expanded concepts such as rhythm, pitch, form, and harmony.
- Analyze selected music by reading and performing using standard notation.
- Explain how context informs performances.
- Convey creator's intent through interpretive decisions regarding dynamics, tempo, timbre, articulation, and style.
- Apply teacher-provided and established criteria to evaluate accuracy and expressiveness in ensemble and personal performance.
- Rehearse to refine technical accuracy and expressive qualities.
- Perform music with expression, technical accuracy, and appropriate interpretation.
- Demonstrate performance decorum and audience etiquette.
Supplemental Resources
- Printed lyric sheets for student reference
- Graphic organizers for analyzing musical structure
- Dry-erase surfaces for noting conducting patterns
- Highlighters for marking expressive markings in sheet music
Music - Performing
Students apply mathematical thinking when composing rhythmic patterns, understanding note values, and analyzing musical structure and form.
Students investigate sound waves and acoustics when studying music, exploring how vibrations create sound and how energy transfers through musical performance.
Students develop posture, breathing control, and fine motor skills during singing and instrumental performance while learning about proper body mechanics and vocal health.
Students explore cultural contexts, historical periods, and diverse perspectives of composers and musicians from various backgrounds and traditions when studying and performing music.
Students analyze lyrics, discuss musical intent and meaning, write explanations for musical choices, and engage in discussions about composers and musical works.
Students perform songs and study musical traditions from various cultures and languages, expanding their understanding of diverse global musical practices.
Formative Assessments
- Group work during ensemble rehearsals
- Teacher observation of individual and group performances
- Discussion about repertoire selection and performance context
- Question and answer about musical structure and expressive elements
- Skill testing on conducting cue responses and intonation
Summative Assessment
Performances in concerts demonstrating appropriate technique, expression, and interpretation; M.E.L. (Multiple Expression Levels) assessments using robot framework from eyes through full body engagement
Benchmark Assessment
A short performance task in which students sing or play a brief melodic phrase from Unit 2 repertoire while demonstrating correct posture, breathing, and intonation, followed by a brief explanation of why they selected that piece and how it connects to a composer or musical style studied in the unit.
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through simplified notation, reduced repertoire selections, or one-on-one performance with the teacher instead of full ensemble participation. Visual supports such as hand signals, colored notation markers, or movement cues may be provided to support following conducting gestures and maintaining proper technique.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students with IEPs may benefit from visual conducting cues paired with simplified verbal prompts to support their ability to follow ensemble direction during rehearsals and performances. Providing a visual reference chart of expressive elements such as dynamics, tempo, and articulation can help students connect musical vocabulary to physical performance actions. Output modes for demonstrating understanding should be flexible — students may respond through movement, gesture, or recorded performance rather than written explanation alone. Frequent check-ins during rehearsal allow teachers to monitor progress and adjust scaffolding as students work toward refining technical accuracy and expressive performance.
Section 504
Students with 504 plans should be offered preferential positioning within the ensemble to support focus on conducting gestures and auditory modeling. Extended time during skill checks related to intonation or cue response allows these students to demonstrate what they know without the pressure of pacing constraints. Minimizing environmental distractions during rehearsal and performance preparation supports sustained attention to the expressive and technical demands of the repertoire.
ELL / MLL
Multilingual learners benefit from visual supports that connect musical vocabulary — such as terms for dynamics, tempo, and articulation — to images or physical demonstrations rather than text-based definitions alone. When exploring the cultural and historical backgrounds of composers and repertoire including spirituals and protest songs, connecting content to students' own musical and cultural traditions can deepen engagement and comprehension. Clear, simple directions with demonstrated modeling of expected performance behaviors, such as posture, breathing, and conductor-following, help MLL students access the performance expectations with greater confidence.
At Risk (RTI)
Students who need additional support should be given entry points that build on familiar musical experiences, such as connecting new repertoire to songs or styles they already know, to reduce the distance between prior knowledge and new learning. Breaking down rehearsal goals into smaller, manageable focus areas — such as working on posture and breathing before adding expressive dynamics — helps these students experience success and build momentum. Positive reinforcement tied to observable growth in technique or expression, rather than comparison to a fixed standard, supports engagement and motivation throughout the performance unit.
Gifted & Talented
Advanced students can be challenged to go deeper into the interpretive dimensions of performing by researching the historical and social context of selected repertoire — such as the traditions behind spirituals or protest songs — and using that research to justify and articulate specific expressive choices in their performance. These students may take on leadership roles within ensemble rehearsals, such as modeling conducting cue responses or guiding peer reflection using established performance criteria. Encouraging gifted students to independently select and prepare an additional piece that reflects their personal interests and technical range invites self-directed musicianship and a more sophisticated understanding of how a performer conveys a creator's intent.