5-12 Vocal Music Curriculum
The Waukee Vocal Music Department offers a curriculum anchored in the National Core Arts Standards, which emphasizes developing skills through collaborative performance, creativity, and critical thinking. These standards encourage students in 5th through 12th grades to engage in singing, music creation, and analysis, fostering both individual expression and ensemble cohesion. Additionally, the curriculum promotes an understanding of diverse musical genres and traditions, ensuring students appreciate the cultural significance of their musical contributions.
Elementary Vocal Music
Choir is an elective experience beginning in 5th grade. Beginning choir instruction builds on foundational vocal skills, two-part music, and the joy of collaborative singing first introduced in the General Music classroom. Students will have the chance to share their musical growth with family and caregivers in a concert setting.
Middle School Vocal Music (Grades 6-8)
Students in middle school vocal music will participate in a choral ensemble to develop technical accuracy and expression. Additionally, they will nurture their sight-reading skills, compose and notate short passages of original music, and evaluate performances. Students will have the opportunity to sing a variety of choral literature for both the classroom and concert settings.
High School Vocal Music (Grades 9-12)
Ninth-grade musicians participate in a concert choir that expands on skills from their 5th-8th grade experiences. The high school vocal music program offers diverse courses catering to various skill levels and vocal ranges. A Cappella (WHS) and Northwest Singers (NWHS) are elite, auditioned ensembles for students in grades 10-12. The high schools also offer clef-specific and mixed voice choirs emphasizing foundational singing techniques, music literacy, and a deeper appreciation for choral literature.
Related Activity Offerings
Curricular choir students are welcome to audition for regional and state honor choirs including the All-District 5th Grade Honor Choir, OPUS Honor Choir, and the All-State Music Festival. Directors may also select students to participate in additional honor ensembles.
Show choir is offered at the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th-12th grade levels. All interested 7th-grade students are accepted, and a participation cap begins in 8th grade. Musicians in 9th grade and above may also choose to audition for a select vocal jazz ensemble and Iowa All-State Jazz Choir. All co-curricular music ensembles rehearse outside of the school day. Student vocalists may also be interested in auditioning for the combined 7th and 8th-grade musical, the 9th-12th high school spring musical, the high school Thespian musical theatre cabaret, and Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) speech team musical theatre categories.
