Unit Plan 14 (Grade 7 Band): Notation & Documentation
Grade 7 band unit on notation and music tech: students document original ideas in standard notation or digital tools, accurately showing pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation for peer performance.
Focus: Notate musical ideas using standard notation and/or digital tools, clearly documenting pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation.
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: Band (Creating • Notation & Technology • Score Literacy)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students focus on turning the musical ideas they create into clear written or digital scores. Building on earlier work with motives, melodies, and form, they learn how to accurately document pitches, rhythms, dynamics, and articulation so that another musician could read and perform their music. Through examples, guided practice, and peer review, students see how neat notation, correct symbols, and thoughtful markings help communicate their expressive intent. By the end of the week, each student will fully notate a short composition (or section) using either paper notation or a music notation app, then share it with peers for performance and feedback.
Essential Questions
- Why is clear notation important when sharing musical ideas with other musicians?
- How do pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation markings work together to show what the composer wants?
- What are the advantages and limitations of using standard notation vs. digital tools to document music?
- How does notating my own piece change the way I think about reading and performing written band music?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Read and use basic notation symbols (clefs, key signatures, time signatures, bar lines, note/rest values, dynamics, articulations) to document a short piece.
- Accurately notate pitches and rhythms for a short melody or call-and-response phrase in a given key and meter.
- Add appropriate dynamics (e.g., p, mf, f) and articulation markings (e.g., slurs, staccato, accents) that match their expressive intent.
- Use standard notation and/or music software to create a neat, readable score or part for their composition.
- Share their notated music with peers, have it performed, and explain how their notation communicates their musical ideas.
Standards Alignment — 7th Grade Band (custom, NAfME-style)
- BD:Cr2.7b — Use standard notation and/or music technology to document compositions, including pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation.
- Example: Students notate a melody and add dynamics and articulation marks.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can correctly write pitches and rhythms in the given key and time signature.
- I can add dynamics and articulation marks that match how I want my music to sound.
- I can create a clean, readable score on paper or in a notation program.
- I can have another musician read my notation and perform something close to what I imagined.
- I can explain how my notation choices (symbols, markings, layout) help communicate my musical ideas.