High School

Music Appreciation

High School Music Appreciation

Best suited for 9th-12th Graders

Guided Listening Units

Students will listen to music from a variety of genres and time periods. Along the way they will explore instrument families, composers, and musical notation. Students with or without musical knowledge will benefit from this class. All units will be presented via a slideshow with follow-along worksheets. Students will have work to complete at home. All presentations will be available via Google Classroom or printed at request. At the end of the school term, students will have a new appreciation for the music around them and a 0.5 CP Fine Arts Credit. Members of SCAIHS are eligible for 0.5 CP Fine Arts Credit. Honors Credit can also be requested and awarded with additional assignments

Schedule & Supplies

Classes run August to May on Tuesdays for 50 minutes. Approximately 33 class meetings.

Location: Grace Presbyterian Church, 49 Varden Dr, Aiken

Cost: $30 one-time material fee, $20 a month (payments begins in September, no May fee)

Supplies needed: 2 inch binder, pencil pouch, 2 pencils, color pencils, loose leaf paper

Curriculum included in materials fee:

2025-2027

Curriculum C & D

Music and Culture in the US 1900-2020

2024-25 Curriculum B

Music in Film

2023-2024 Curriculum A

Music Theory

Music Appreciation I

Instrumental Families

Reviews:

"I have loved this class!" - Marie P.

"Thank you for teaching me about music. I have enjoyed it a lot!" - Michael P.

"Thank you so much for teaching us and all the effort you put into making lesson plans [to] teach us new concepts!" - Ada P.

"I have loved this year's music class! We have all learned a lot! You have managed to make class fun by incorporating different forms of music in films... You have increased my knowledge in music drastically!" - Stephen P

"[My son] took Music Appreciation at Aiken Tech and mentioned that much of the beginning felt like review because he had already learned several concepts in your class. I think that really shows how well your class prepares your students if they end up taking Music Appreciation in college as part of their general education requirements for a bachelor's degree." - Amy H

Important Links

Class Payment via Paypal

Shortcut to Google Classroom

FAQ's Answered:

There is no singing required
No prior musical knowledge is needed
Musicians will have a deeper understanding of materials
Great supplement to instrumental lessons
Homework assignments & grade reports will be given to student seeking credit
CP or Honors Fine Arts/Elective Credit
SCAIHS approved

Support our classroom!

Supplies & Prizes

Amazon

Rhythm Instruments

Paypal Link to Sponsor Rhythm Instruments

Additional Curriculum

Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card

Assignments:

(this information will be updated by the end of the day on Wednesdays)

November 18

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Discussed completed project "Singing in the Rain"
- Music of 1920s
  - - The Great Depression
    - Cole Porter
    - Presidents of the 1930s
    - How People Listened to Music

Assignments due December 2

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Minnie the Moocher"
- Complete notes - My notes on Cole Porter
- Journal entry - None
- Worksheet - The 1920s, What I've Learned
- Project due - TBA
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom
November 25 - Happy Thanksgiving - No School
December Payment Due
December 9 - Wear your favorite Christmas clothes and accessories

November 11

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1920s
  - 1920-1930 Unit
    - "Mack the Knife"
    - Maurice Ravel: "Bolero"
    - Bix Beiderbecke
    - What Was Going on in the US
    - Fashion
    - Inventions & Firsts

Assignments due November 18

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - ""Ain't Misbehavin'"
- Complete notes - My notes on Bix Beiderbecke & 1920-1930
- Journal entry - None
- Worksheet - none
- Project due Nov. 18 - "Singin' in the Rain"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom
November 25 - Happy Thanksgiving - No School
December 9 - Wear your favorite Christmas clothes and accessories

November 4

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1920s
  - 1920-1930 Unit
    - Prohibition
    - Al Capone
    - Fats Waller
    - Jazz in NYC
    - Louis Armstrong

Assignments due November 11

November 11 - Veterans’ Day - Thank our Veterans by wearing military or patriotic outfit
November payment due

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Bolero"
- Complete notes - My notes on Fats Waller & Louis Armstrong
- Journal entry - None
- Worksheet - none
- Project due Nov. 18 - "Singin' in the Rain"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

October 28

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1920s
  - 1920-1930 Unit
    - Bessie Smith
    - The Charleston
    - George Gershwin
    - The Presidents

Assignments due November 4

November 11 - Veterans’ Day - Thank our Veterans by wearing military or patriotic outfit
November payment due

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Someone to Watch Over Me"
- Complete notes - My notes on Bessie Smith and George Gershwin
- Journal entry 7 - Write a review on Rhapsody in Blue (5 sentence minimum)
- Worksheet - none
- Project due Nov. 18 - "Singin' in the Rain"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

October 21

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1920s
  - Project Presentations
  - 1920-1930 Unit
    - The Roaring 20's / The Jazz Age
    - First Radio Station
    - The Blues
    - Bessie Smith

Assignments due October 28

October 28 - Who Are You? - Wear a costume and let your friends guess who you represent (no full face coverings please)
October payment due

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Mean Old Bed Bug Blues"
- Complete notes - My notes on The Blues and Bessie Smith
- Journal entry 6 - How does Blues music make you feel? (5 sentence minimum)
- Worksheet - none
- Project due Nov. 18 - "Singin' in the Rain"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

October 14

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1910s
  - Project Presentations
  - 1910-1920 Unit
    - World War I Ends
    - Listening to music
    - What was going on in the US
    - Fashion
    - Inventions and other firsts

Assignments due October 21

October 28 - Who Are You? - Wear a costume and let your friends guess who you represent (no full face coverings please)
October payment due

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Rhapsody in Blue"
- Complete notes - My notes on 1910-1920
- Journal entry - none
- Worksheet - The 1910s: What I've Learned
- Project due Nov. 18 - "Singin' in the Rain"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

October 7

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1910s
  - 1910-1920 Unit
    - Danny Boy
    - The Planets
    - 1st Female in Congress
    - World War I Begins
    - Dixieland Jazz

Assignments due October 14

Next Spirit Day: October 14 - Farm Day - Wear a costume or shirt that represents your favorite farm person or animal
October payment due

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Crazy Blues"
- Complete notes - Danny Boy, Planets
- Journal entry 5 -What was your favorite piece of music that we listened to during this unit? Why? (5+ sentences)
- Worksheet - The 1910s Notes
- Project due Oct .14 - "Genres in Music" or "White Christmas"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

September 30

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1910s
  - 1910-1920 Unit
    - Irving Berlin
    - Igor Stravinsky
    - W.C. Handy
    - Thomas Edison
    - Amendments to the Constitution

Assignments due October 7

Next Spirit Day: October 14 - Farm Day - Wear a costume or shirt that represents your favorite farm animal
October payment due

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "St.Louis Blues"
- Complete notes - Berlin, Stravinsky, & Handy
- Journal entry - None
- Worksheet - The 1910s Notes
- Project due Oct.14 - "Genres in Music" or "White Christmas"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

September 23

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1910s
  - Student Project Presentations: "Mixtape of Your Life"
  - Genre Project or White Christmas Project assigned for October 14
  - 1910-1920 Unit
    - Immigration
    - Irving Berlin

Next Spirit Day: September 30 - Super Hero Day - Represent your favorite super hero with a shirt or costume
September payment due

Assignments due September 30

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - "Jupiter" from the Planets
- Complete notes - Irving Berlin
- Journal entry #4 - What did you find interesting about your classmates Mixtape projects?
- Worksheet - The 1910s Notes
- Project due Oct.14 - "Genres in Music" or "White Christmas"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

September 16

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1900s
  - Student Project Presentations: "Mixtape of Your Life"

Next Spirit Day: September 30 - Super Hero Day - Represent your favorite super hero with a shirt or costume
September payment due

Assignments due September 23

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - none
- Complete notes - none
- Journal entry #3 - What did you learn from the process of preparing your presentation?
- Worksheet - The 1900s, What I've Learned
- Project due Oct.14 - "Genres in Music" or "White Christmas"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

September 9

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1900s
  - Gustav Mahler
  - Giacomo Puccini
  - Fashion
  - Inventions & Firsts
Next Spirit Day: September 16 - Sports Day - Wear your favorite sports team gear
September payment due

Assignments due September 16

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - Slide 33 "Danny Boy"
- Complete notes - Slides 33-end
- Journal entry - None
- Worksheet - The 1900s, What I've Learned"
- Project - Complete slideshow for "Mixtape of Your Life" & prepare to present
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

September 2

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1900s
  - Ford Motor Company
  - Creation of NAACP
  - "Silent" Movies
  - Albert Einstein
  - Buddy Bolden
Next Spirit Day: September 16 - Sports Day - Wear your favorite sports team gear
September payment due

Assignments due September 9

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - Slide 23 "You're A Grand Old Flag"
- Complete notes - Slides 24-33
- Finish watching Wizard of Oz
- Journal entry - None
- Project - Complete worksheets for "Mixtape of Your Life"
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

August 26

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- Music of 1900s
  - How did people listen to music?
  - What was going on in the US
  - George Cohan
  - John Philip Sousa "The March King"
Next Spirit Day: September 2 - Cartoon Day - Represent your favorite cartoon character with a shirt or costume
September Payment Due

Assignments due September 2

Assignment -
- Daily listening log - Slide 8 "The Entertainer"
- Complete notes - Slides 9-22
- Journal entry #2 - How do you think the invention of the phonograph affected musicians during the 1900s?
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

August 19

FYI Topics discussed this week:
- - Classroom Rules & Syllabus
  - Music of 1900s - Ragtime
Next Spirit Day: September 2 - Cartoon Day - Represent your favorite cartoon character with a shirt or costume

Assignments due August 26

Assignment - Complete notes and worksheet on Ragtime
Journal entry #1 - "What do you want to learn about in music this year?" 5 sentence paragraph minimum
Slideshow is available in Google Classroom

Assignments due August 19

Next Spirit Day: August 19: Hawaiian Day - Wear a Hawaiian or floral shirt
Return signed parent letter
Register for google classroom
Get supplies and binder ready for class

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