MUSIC
All students at Jared Eliot Middle School take music twice a week for one semester per year. Music classes have a hands on approach, where students learn about music through playing instruments and singing. All grade levels focus on basic music reading skills, exposing students to different musical styles and studying topics relevant to today's music, with a hope that they will become educated consumers of music. Music students receive a letter grade for class. They earn weekly participation grades and complete several quizzes and playing tests throughout the semester.
Sixth Grade
In sixth grade, students begin the semester by playing classroom instruments such as boomwhackers while they develop their skills in reading music and understanding basic chord progressions. Students also practice and utilize their music reading skills on our keyboards by creating an electronic marimba ensemble. The semester concludes with ukuleles – students learn how to play simple tunes and basic chords on the ukuleles and accompany themselves singing popular songs.
Seventh Grade
Seventh graders start the year exploring rhythmic notation and percussion/drumming. They compose two percussion pieces using different kinds of percussion (hand drums, bucket drums) and electronic instruments. In seventh grade, students play the piano/keyboard, using Casio keyboards and learn how to use the technology in the keyboards to create their own arrangements of songs; this helps them to understand the huge role that music technology plays in today's popular music.
Eighth Grade
In eighth grade, students take a journey through the decades and study popular music from the 1950's to today. Using keyboard, vocal and ukulele skills developed in 6th and 7th grades, they perform selections from each decade as well as learn about the important musical contributions of each decade. Additionally, students look at the social and political trends of the decades and how they influenced music. The year ends with a "create your own playlist" project using the contemporary music that students enjoy listening to.
Chorus
Chorus is an elective at Jared Eliot which meets during the Enrichment period - sixth grade Chorus meets on Wednesdays and Fridays and seventh and eighth grade Chorus meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The chorus performs two major concerts, sings at The Veteran's Day Assembly and at the 8th Grade Awards Ceremony. They also participate in music festivals at amusement parks such as Six Flags New England and Hershey Park. Chorus is open to any student who is able and willing to make the commitment. Advanced students have the opportunity to participate in Chamber Choir and audition for the Connecticut Music Educators Association's (CMEA) Regional Middle School Music Festival. This year, select Seventh and Eighth graders will also participate in the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Fall Honors Choir.
Band
Students who began playing their instruments during their 4th grade year are invited to join the Eliot Band Program. There are three bands at Eliot: Fifth Grade Band, Concert Band (sixth graders) and Symphonic Band (seventh and eighth graders). Each band will meet separately once a week throughout the school year during the WIN Period. Along with one full band rehearsal, each band member will also receive weekly smaller group instruction (most often organized by grade level and the instrument being played).
For grade 5: Quarterly ‘standards based reporting’ will be used.
For grades 6, 7 & 8: Band is a graded class. Classwork and participation at lessons and rehearsals throughout the year will be considered.
Throughout the year, there are several performance opportunities: Veterans’ Day Assembly, Winter and Spring Concerts, Memorial Day Parade, Great East Music Festival/6 Flags Field Trip (Symphonic Band only) and Promotion.
Music
All students at Jared Eliot Middle School take a music class twice a week for one semester per year. Music classes have a "hands on" approach, where students learn about music through playing instruments and singing. All grade levels focus on basic music reading skills, exposure to different musical styles and study topics relevant to today's music, with a hope that they will become educated consumers of music. Music students receive a letter grade for class. They earn weekly participation grades and complete several quizzes and playing tests throughout the semester.
In sixth grade, students begin the semester by playing classroom instruments such as boomwhackers and hand bells while they develop their skills in reading music and understanding basic chord progressions. We also use music reading skills on our keyboards by creating an electronic marimba ensemble. This year, we are excited to introduce ukuleles into the music curriculum. Students will learn how to play simple tunes and basic chords on the ukuleles and accompany themselves singing popular songs.
Seventh graders start the year exploring rhythmic notation and percussion/drumming. They will compose two percussion pieces using different kinds of percussion (hand drums, bucket drums) and electronic instruments. In seventh grade we play the piano/keyboard, using new Casio keyboards. Students learn how to use the technology in the keyboards to create their own arrangements of songs. This helps them to understand the huge role that music technology plays in today's popular music. We will also have an opportunity to try the new ukuleles at Eliot School.
In eighth grade, students will take a journey through the decades and study popular music from the 1950's through today. Using keyboard, vocal and guitar skills developed in 6th and 7th grades, they will perform selections from each decade as well as learn about the important musical contributions of each decade.We will also integrate the new school ukuleles into their study of popular music. They will also look at the social and political trends of the decades and how they influenced music. Students end the year with a "create your own playlist" project using the contemporary music that they like to listen to.
Students also have an opportunity to participate in Band and Chorus during their Enrichment Period