MUSIC 512 Course Design Project

Your administrator has informed you that your load is not full enough to warrant a full-time
position. Therefore, you are asked to design a course that will meet the fine arts needs of all the
students in the school and will be required by all students to take at least once to receive their
fine arts credit. Your mission is to design a course that is approachable and interesting for
secondary general music students. For acceptance the school board requires you to submit a
course prospectus including Title, Course Objectives, Course Calendar, and other pertinent
information pertaining to the class. You will have to present one lesson from your upcoming
course to the school board for approval. Following approval, you will teach the same lesson to a
group of middle school children for field-testing. Reflections along the way will be required to
refine the overall product.

Requirements

Title: Music Criticism

Meeting time: M,W, and every other Friday for one hour as part of a fine arts block.

Instructors names: Miss Moore, Miss Rosa, Miss Klinge, Mr. Prall

Purpose: Analyze, respond to, and develop music criticisms

Course overview: Students will be actively engaged in the process of learning how to
criticize music. We will gain a better understanding of what criticism is and how to use it.
Students will also learn effective communication skills through debates, essays, and
open forums.

Text: Weekly articles from various magazines, blogs, etc.

Objectives: Students are able to defend their opinions/criticisms using academic

language.

Expectations: Students will respect opposing views in the classroom and actively engage
in listening/responding to music of all genres, students will properly use musical,
academic language when presenting their criticisms, students will participate to the best
of their ability in class debates/ discussions,

Assignments:
• Weekly articles to respond/reflect on
• Essays
• Debate
• Everyday journaling
• Watch/listen to performances –What went well? What needs improvement?
Proposed Course Calendar: This section will be based on the number of units you propose to
present, the order of presentation, and dates of the presentations.

Unit 1: Introduction/Pop criticism

Week 1 - What is music criticism?
Week 2 - Crash course on pop music criticism
Week 3 - Pop song criticism assignment
Week 4 - Foundations of debate
Week 5 - Debate 1 (pop music)
Unit 2: Classical criticism
Week 6 - Classical music history/composers
Week 7 - Crash course on Classical music criticism
Week 8 - Tonal vs. atonal criticisms
Week 9 - Criticism of a classical piece
Week 10 - Debate 2 (classical)
Unit 3: Musical theater criticism/Final
Week 11 - Musical theater history/composers
Week 12 - Musical theater criticism
Week 13 - Putting music to staged productions
Week 14 - Criticism of a musical/opera
Week 15 - Debate 3 (school musical)
Week 16 - Final projects (album criticism)

Anticipated lessons: This part is the portion that you will teach for your peers and the middle
school students. The premise of the lesson must be multicultural.

Materials of Instruction:
1. Songs used in debate:
o In My Feelings by Drake
o No Tears Left to Cry by Ariana Grande

Lesson Sequence:

Entry Activity/Transition: After introducing selves, teachers will begin by asking students what
their favorite songs are and why they like them.

Activity #1 Objective: Students explain what their favorite songs are and why in musical terms.

1. T: Asks students to explain in musical terms why they like their favorite songs.
2. S: Explains what they like, using musical terms
3. T: Takes down the terms used by S, then fills in gaps that students leave out with
eventual goal of ending up with mood, rhythm, flow, melody, harmony, background, lyrics.
Assessment: Are students able to use musical terminology to explain why they like their songs?

Transition/Closure: Introduce scenario: votes were taken on what should be the first song in
space and it is down to two. Class is to be split into groups to defend one song or the other.

Activity #2 Objective: Students are able to defend their song in musical terms

1. Students are split into small groups of 4 with roles assigned to each member (speaker,
secretary, question maker, task master)
2. S: Discuss in small groups what makes their song the better song.
3. T: Explains debate order to class:
a. Side 1 makes their opening statement
b. Side 2 asks questions to clarify Side 1’s standpoint
c. Side 2 gives opening statement
d. Side 1 asks clarifying questions
e. Side 1 gives their closing argument, defending their song while also including why it is
superior than the opposing side
f. Side 2 gives their closing argument
4. T: Move small groups to large groups and begin formation of opening statements. Each
small group contributes what they developed into a single group statement.
5. S1: Speakers give opening statement
6. S2: After a short brainstorming time, Question makers ask S1 to clarify standpoint
7. S2: Gives opening statement
8. S1: Asks clarifying questions
9. S1: Gives closing statement
10. S2: Gives closing statement

Assessment: Were the students able to defend their song using musical terminology, while
adhering to the rules of debate?

Closure: Ask class if music is a resource worth taking to space. Then reveal winner of debate