Unit Plan 7 (Grade 7 Band): Articulation & Style Basics

Focus: Apply articulation patterns (legato, staccato, accents, slurs) appropriate to musical style, and explain how articulation, dynamics, tempo, phrasing, and style shape musical meaning.

Grade Level: 7

Subject Area: Band (Performing • Interpretation • Style Awareness)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students explore how articulation and style change the way band music sounds and feels. They learn to recognize and perform basic articulation markings—such as legato, staccato, accent, tenuto, and slurs—and connect them to common styles like march, lyrical, and fanfare. Through echo patterns, short etudes, and excerpts from current repertoire, students practice playing the same notes in different ways, then discuss which approach best matches the style. They also listen for how instrumentation and tone color combine with articulation to create different characters and moods in band music.

Essential Questions

• How do articulation, dynamics, tempo, phrasing, and style change the meaning of a musical phrase?
• What is the difference between legato, staccato, accented, and slurred playing—and when should each be used?
• How do instrumentation and tone color work with articulation and style to create different musical characters (e.g., march, fanfare, lullaby)?
• How can I use articulation and style to make my part sound more expressive and intentional, instead of just playing the right notes?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify and define common articulation markings (legato, staccato, accent, tenuto, slur) in written band music.
2. Perform short phrases using contrasting articulations (e.g., legato vs. staccato, accented vs. smooth) at a steady tempo.
3. Explain how articulation, dynamics, tempo, phrasing, and style influence the interpretation of a phrase, using musical vocabulary.
4. Apply appropriate articulation and style to short etudes and excerpts (e.g., march-style, lyrical-style) and justify their choices.
5. Describe how instrumentation, tone color, articulation, and style work together to create meaning or character in a piece.

Standards Alignment — 7th Grade Band (custom, NAfME-style)

• BD:Pr4.7c — Explain and demonstrate how articulation, dynamics, tempo, phrasing, and style influence interpretation in band music.
  • Example: Students perform a phrase in legato vs. staccato and explain which better fits a march.
• BD:Re7.7b — Explain how instrumentation, tone color, articulation, and style contribute to meaning in band music.
  • Example: Students explain how brass and woodwind timbres create contrasting character in a piece.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name and recognize basic articulation markings in my band music.
• I can change how I play the same notes (legato, staccato, accented, etc.) and keep a steady tempo.
• I can explain how articulation and style change the character of a phrase (march-like, smooth, bold, gentle).
• I can choose articulations that match the style of a piece and explain why they make sense.
• I can describe how instrumentation and tone color, together with articulation, create different musical meanings.