7th Grade General Music Curriculum

Course Duration: 45 Class Periods (1 Quarter)
Grade Level: 7
Instructor: Mr. John P. Shoener
Format: General music (non-performance-based), designed for all learners
Standards Alignment: National Core Arts Standards – Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting

Course Overview

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of music in an engaging, hands-on, and exploratory way. Students will develop music literacy, explore a wide variety of instruments, learn about music-related careers, compose original music using traditional and nontraditional tools, and apply music technology—including AI composition tools—to create their own digital projects.

Unit 1: Music Literacy & Notation (Days 1–9)

Focus: Reading and understanding the symbols of music
Objectives:

• Identify notes on the treble and bass clefs

• Understand rhythm, time signatures, and barlines

• Apply notation to piano keyboard layout

• Demonstrate basic reading and rhythmic counting skills

Assessments: Notation quiz, clapping games, and keyboard labeling exercises

Unit 2: Instruments of the Band and Orchestra (Days 10–18)

Focus: Instrument families and timbre recognition
Objectives:

• Identify instruments in the brass, woodwind, string, and percussion families

• Describe how instruments produce sound

• Discover lesser-known and historical instruments

• Recognize instruments by sight and sound

Assessments: Instrument family quiz, interactive games, and listening ID activities

Unit 3: Careers in Music (Days 19–27)

Focus: Exploring music industry professions
Objectives:

• Identify a wide range of music-related careers (performance, education, production, etc.)

• Analyze the societal impact of music education

• Write and reflect on a selected music career

• Engage with film to understand real-world music career challenges

Featured Media:

• Mr. Holland’s Opus (viewed over 3 days with guided discussion)

Assessments: 3-paragraph career reflection essay + written class reflection

Unit 4: STOMP & Bucket Drumming Composition (Days 28–35)

Focus: Rhythm, creativity, and ensemble collaboration
Objectives:

• Perform rhythmic patterns using buckets and classroom percussion

• Compose original music using found objects

• Collaborate in small groups to build and rehearse performance pieces

• Reflect on performance effectiveness

Assessments: Group performance + self and peer evaluations

Unit 5: Music & Technology (Days 36–45)

Focus: Digital music creation using traditional and AI tools
Objectives:

• Use Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) to create music

• Explore the ethical and creative implications of AI in music

• Generate original songs with loops, samples, and AI-generated content

• Present and explain the creative process of their final piece

Tools May Include:

• Soundtrap, BandLab, Chrome Music Lab, Splash, and other school-appropriate AI tools

Assessments: Digital composition project + short creative reflection

Course Summary & Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will:

• Understand basic music theory and notation

• Recognize instrument families and their sounds

• Gain awareness of careers and technologies in the music field

• Demonstrate creative expression through rhythm and composition

• Understand how modern tools, including AI, are shaping the music landscape