Waltham Public Schools

Unit 1 

Intro To 

Music

2 Weeks

Students will discuss the 

different ways sound is 

Musicians’ creative choices are 

produced, by listening to and 

influenced by their expertise, 

experimenting with different 

context, and expressive intent 

sound sources utilizing 

traditional and non-traditional 

instruments.

Mass Arts Frameworks - 

1. Generate and 

conceptualize artistic 

ideas and work. 

2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Unit 2 

Rhythms & Beats 

Unit 3 

Melodies and 

Notation 

Unit 4 

Piano 

Performa nce & 

Compositi on

4 Weeks 

4 Weeks 

6 Weeks

Students will discover the 

How do individuals choose 

importance of rhythm through 

music to experience? 

classroom discussions and 

performances of student 

compositions. 

Students will learn about 

Through their use of elements 

melodies through the use of 

and structures of music, creators 

music notation and composing 

and performers provide clues to 

original music with keyboards 

their expressive intent. 

and classroom technology. 

Performers’ interest in and 

Students will learn basic piano 

knowledge of musical works, 

technique and apply knowledge 

understanding of their own 

gained from previous classroom

technical skill, and the context 

units to their performances and 

for a performance influence the 

original compositions.

selection of repertoire. 

3. Playing Instruments 

4. Improvisation and 

Composition 

5. Critical Response 

2. Reading and Notation 

3. Playing Instruments 

4. Improvising and Composition 5. Critical Response 

2. Reading and Notation 

3. Playing Instruments 

4. Improvising and Composition  

5. Critical Response

Unit 1 

Music 

Concepts 

Review

6 Weeks

Students will review, then create 

How do musicians 

and perform music showcasing 

make creative 

ideas learned from 6th grade 

decisions? 

coursework. Classwork will focus 

on composing and creating new 

music using various music 

applications.

2. Reading & Notation 

4. Improvisation & 

Composition 

5. Critical Response

Unit 2 

Piano

8 Weeks

How do musicians 

Students will learn the basic 

make meaningful 

technique of playing piano with left 

connections to 

and right hands, incorporating 

creating, 

chords and chord progressions with 

performing, and 

melodies.

responding? 

2. Reading & Notation 

3. Playing Instruments 

4. Improvisation and 

Composition

Unit 3 

Music & 

Society

6 Weeks

How do the other 

arts, other 

disciplines, 

Students will discover how music 

contexts, and daily 

styles have influenced American 

life inform creating, 

culture, and have been influenced 

performing, and 

by American culture.

responding to 

music? 

4.Improvisation & 

Composition 

5. Critical Response 

6. Purpose & Meaning in the Arts 

8. Concepts of Style 

10. Interdisciplinary 

Connections

Unit 

Timefra 

me

Big Ideas 

(Statements or Essential Questions)

Major Learning Experiences from 

Standards (Including WIDA 

Unit 

Standards)

Review of 6th & 7th grade 

concepts, & 

compositi on

6 

Weeks

2. Reading & Notation 

3. Playing Instrument 

Students will review, then create 

and perform music showcasing 

4. Improvisation & 

ideas learned from 6th and 7th 

Composition 

grade coursework. 

5. Critical Response

Guitars 

Music 

and 

Society

8 weeks 6 weeks

2. Reading & Notation 

Students will learn the basic of 

3. Playing Instrument 

guitar performance including open 

position chords and single string 

4. Improvisation & 

melodies, and use these to play 

Composition 

assigned songs. 

5. Critical Response 

3. Playing Instrument 

4. Improvisation & 

Students discover how music is 

Composition 

used to influence movies, and 

5. Critical Response 

create soundtracks to accompany 

short video clips using classroom 

6. Purposes and Meanings 

technologies. 

in the Arts (Music/ 

Theatre/Film)