The Neurospicy Music Teacher

While are still able to fly our flags for now… here is a store that supports the vicious compliance our premiere says she fears

With back to school starting soon! We have a bunch of bright rainbow stuff that’s not a flag ;) to flex at school! 🏳️‍🌈✏️📓

🏳️‍⚧️We also have our flags on sale! Buy one get one free!!🏳️‍🌈

✨ ✨

Be the kindness you want to see in the world.

Vocalist submissions. Visit RoyalCaribbenProductions.com for submission details.

As the new school year begins, there’s uncertainty about how Bill 25 will affect teachers and classrooms.

Don’t change your teaching based on speculation.

Although the legislation is expected to come into effect this fall, key regulations and Ministerial Orders are still being developed. Your school board must provide guidance.

Until then, continue your work professionally and use your judgment.

Teachers shouldn’t have to interpret a complex new law alone or manage its implementation.

I’ll share updates as they become available.

Colour me intrigued

𝗔 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮’𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴

To help grow Alberta's music industry, attract investment and support local artists, Alberta’s government is welcoming its first music commissioner.

• Aug 24, 2026

Alberta's government is proud to welcome Jennifer Venance as the province's inaugural music commissioner. Her appointment marks an important step in implementing the Alberta Music Action Plan, which seeks to grow Alberta's music industry.

The music commissioner will serve as a central point of contact between our government and the music sector, strengthen Alberta's musical ecosystem and create new opportunities for musicians across the province. The commissioner will also help connect industry leaders, support business development and champion initiatives that create new opportunities for Alberta entrepreneurs and music businesses.

The Alberta Music Action Plan, which launched in April, recognizes music as both a source of economic growth and cultural pride. The new music commissioner will build on that momentum by advancing strategic partnerships, promoting Alberta talent and helping the sector reach new audiences and markets at home and around the world.

Jennifer Venance brings with her a proven record of leadership in government, arts education and community engagement. Most recently, she served as director of K-12 curriculum and French education with Alberta Education and Childcare. Her more than 20 years as a musician and music educator have also given her firsthand knowledge of the industry as well as the talent, entrepreneurship and innovation that continue to drive Alberta’s music industry forward.

Building on the proven success of Alberta’s Film Commission, the Music Commission will apply a similar model to help grow Alberta’s music sector. By connecting artists, businesses and industry leaders, the commission will help create the conditions for continued growth while strengthening Alberta’s position as a destination for music creation, performance and investment.

Through the Alberta Music Commission, artists, producers, venues, festivals and music retailers will have a dedicated champion focused on growing the sector, strengthening industry partnerships and expanding Alberta's presence in the industry. With a keen advocate at the table, Alberta's music sector will be better positioned to tackle challenges, seize opportunities and continue to grow for years to come.

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀

• The Alberta Music Action Plan was launched on April 30 as the first music strategy of its kind in Canada.

• Alberta’s music sector supports more than 23,000 jobs and generates almost $5 billion in economic output annually, contributing about $2.5 billion to Alberta’s GDP.

• The action plan was developed through research and engagement with Alberta’s music industry, including ecosystem studies and roundtable discussions with sector representatives from across the province.

• The Alberta Music Commission will work to showcase Alberta talent, celebrate industry achievements, advocate for the sector and attract new opportunities to the province.

Teacher discount alert

Interested in the whole curriculum companion bundle?

CURRICULUM COMPANION, ONE-SHEET OVERVIEWS & ASSESSMENT PACKETS BUNDLE
Instrumental Music Grades 7–9 | Alberta Program of Studies

Take the guesswork out of interpreting, planning, teaching, and assessing the Alberta Instrumental Music 7–9 Program of Studies.

This comprehensive bundle brings together three connected resources designed to help instrumental music educators move from curriculum outcomes to practical classroom instruction—without spending hours trying to decipher curriculum language or assess every outcome individually.

Created by an Alberta band teacher with 25 years of classroom experience, these resources are practical, flexible, and grounded in the realities of teaching large groups of developing musicians.

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Curriculum Companion to the Instrumental Music 7–9 Alberta Program of Studies
This comprehensive guide breaks the program of studies into clear, teacher-friendly language and connects curriculum outcomes to the skills students are actually developing in the band room.

The Companion includes support for:
• Long-range and year-at-a-glance planning
• Instrumental technique and tone development
• Music literacy and rhythm reading
• Scales and technical patterns
• Articulation, dynamics, expression, and musical interpretation
• Rehearsal planning and ensemble development
• Repertoire selection
• Assessment and reporting
• Inclusive and responsive instrumental music instruction
• Progression across Grades 7, 8, and 9

The Curriculum Companion is designed to support—not replace—your professional judgment. Use it as a planning reference, a curriculum interpretation tool, or a starting point for building a program that fits your students, instrumentation, timetable, and teaching context.

Suggested Scope and Sequence at-a-Glance One-Sheet Overviews
These concise reference pages make it easy to see the progression of an instrumental music program from Grade 7 through Music 30.

The seven-page package includes:
• A branded title and reference page
• Grade 7 overview
• Grade 8 overview
• Grade 9 overview
• Music 10 overview
• Music 20 overview
• Music 30 overview

Each one-sheet brings together the program snapshot, core instructional focuses, suggested scope and sequence, assessment priorities, repertoire considerations, and detailed content for that level.

The Grade 7–9 scale sequence is aligned with the Curriculum Companion:
• Grade 7: Concert B-flat major
• Grade 8: Concert B-flat, F, and A-flat major
• Grade 9: Concert B-flat, E-flat, F, and A-flat major

These pages are ideal for quick planning, program review, conversations with administrators, course outlines, substitute information, and keeping the big picture visible throughout the year.

Grades 7–9 Individual Assessment Resource Packets
The bundle also includes a complete individual assessment packet for each grade:
• Grade 7 Individual Assessment Resource Packet
• Grade 8 Individual Assessment Resource Packet
• Grade 9 Individual Assessment Resource Packet

The packets provide practical assessment records for tracking student growth in areas such as:
• Instrumental technique
• Tone and characteristic sound
• Music literacy
• Rhythm reading
• Scales and technical development
• Articulation
• Dynamics and expression
• Sight-reading
• Ensemble skills and participation
• Practice, reflection, and self-correction

The assessment records use clear criteria and student-friendly language. Reporting-period feedback pages are grouped at the end of each packet, allowing teachers to use only the pages that work for their programs.
The packets are intended to provide meaningful snapshots of student learning—not create pressure to formally assess every outcome. Print one booklet for each student, select individual pages as needed, or adapt your assessment schedule to suit your teaching context.

DESIGNED TO WORK TOGETHER - These are not three unrelated products.

The Curriculum Companion explains the outcomes and instructional progression. The one-sheet overviews place the complete sequence at your fingertips. The assessment packets help you document student growth in practical, understandable terms.

Together, they create a connected system for:
PLAN → TEACH → ASSESS → COMMUNICATE

Use the complete system or select only the pieces that support your current needs. There is no expectation that every suggested skill, task, or assessment must be completed in a single year.

WHO IS THIS BUNDLE FOR?

This bundle may be especially helpful for:
• Alberta instrumental music and band teachers
• Teachers new to the Alberta Program of Studies
• Beginning band directors
• Teachers moving into a new grade or school
• Educators building or revising a Grade 7–9 band program
• Teachers looking for clearer outcome-based assessment tools
• Music specialists who want a practical long-range planning system
• Administrators supporting instrumental music programming

FIRST-EDITION UPDATE POLICY
This product is the first edition of the Curriculum Companion and its supporting resources.
Your purchase includes access to future editions, corrections, and revisions released through this TPT listing. If updates are made, you will be able to download the revised files from your TPT account without purchasing the bundle again.
As curriculum documents, classroom practices, and these resources continue to evolve, minor wording, formatting, sequencing, or content adjustments may be made.
Please follow Neurospicy Music Teacher on TPT and check your purchases periodically for updated editions.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• This is a digital resource. No physical product will be shipped.
• This resource was independently created and is not published, endorsed, or approved by Alberta Education.
• The materials are designed to support professional planning and judgment.
• Please consult the official Alberta Program of Studies when making formal curriculum decisions.
• Your purchase is for use by one educator unless additional licences are purchased.
• Files may not be shared, posted publicly, distributed to colleagues, or uploaded to shared drives accessible to unlicensed users.

Created by Sarah Batchelor
Neurospicy Music Teacher
Creating music classrooms where every brain belongs.

Instrumental Music 7-9 Curriculum Companion Bundle CURRICULUM COMPANION, ONE-SHEET OVERVIEWS & ASSESSMENT PACKETS BUNDLEInstrumental Music Grades 7-9 | Alberta Program of StudiesTake the guesswork out of interpreting, planning, teaching, and assessing the Alberta Instrumental Music 7-9 Program of Studies.This comprehensive bundle brings together...

If you are curious as to what is included in the curriculum companion, or maybe you just like a one page overview - well then these are now available in my TPT store

Alberta Instrumental Music Curriculum Companion – One Page Overviews

These one-page overviews were created to make the Alberta Instrumental Music curriculum easier to see, understand, and actually use in day-to-day planning.

As a band teacher, I found that the Program of Studies gave me the outcomes I needed to teach, but not always the kind of quick, practical roadmap I wanted when I was planning a year, choosing repertoire, preparing assessments, or simply asking, “What should students realistically be working toward at this level?”

These pages are designed as a companion to my full Curriculum Companion to the Alberta Instrumental Music Program of Studies. The complete Curriculum Companion goes into much greater detail, with expanded explanations, suggested progressions, instrument-specific considerations, assessment ideas, teaching strategies, and practical guidance for implementing the curriculum.

These one-page overviews are meant to be the starting point — a quick way to see the big picture before digging into the more detailed information in the full book.

Each page includes:

a brief Program of Studies snapshot
the core focus for that grade or course
a suggested progression for setup, tone, literacy, pitch/range, rhythm, expression, listening, and ensemble skills
an assessment and repertoire focus
an at-a-glance chart of suggested content for tone, range and scales, rhythm, articulation, dynamics, literacy, vocabulary, ear training, practice skills, and ensemble skills
The set includes overviews for Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Music 10, Music 20, and Music 30.

These are not intended to replace the Alberta Program of Studies or prescribe one “correct” way to teach band. Instead, they provide a practical interpretation and suggested sequence that can be adapted to your students, instrumentation, rehearsal schedule, repertoire, and program.

Print them for your planning binder, keep them beside your desk, use them for long-range planning, or refer to them when deciding what skills to emphasize next.

Think of these as the road map on one page. When you need the reasoning, the instrument-specific details, the teaching ideas, and the deeper “how do I actually do this?” information, that’s where the full Curriculum Companion comes in.

The goal is simple: less time digging through curriculum documents and more clarity about where your students are, where they are heading, and what might logically come next.

Alberta Instrumental Music Curriculum Companion One Page Overviews Alberta Instrumental Music Curriculum Companion - One Page OverviewsThese one-page overviews were created to make the Alberta Instrumental Music curriculum easier to see, understand, and actually use in day-to-day planning.As a band teacher, I found that the Program of Studies gave me the outcomes I...

As promised - The first edition of the Curriculum Companion to the Instrumental Music 7–9 Alberta Program of Studies is available for purchase and download on TPT.

What should Instrumental Music 7, 8, and 9 students actually know and be able to do before they reach Music 10?

Alberta’s Instrumental Music 7–9 Program of Studies establishes broad learning outcomes but does not provide a detailed grade-by-grade sequence. This Curriculum Companion turns those broad expectations into a practical, developmental pathway that band directors can use for long-range planning, instruction, assessment, and professional decision-making.

Created by an Alberta music educator with more than 25 years of classroom experience, this 221-page resource is designed to help you build a clear and sequential instrumental music program without having to create the entire framework from scratch.

This is not a method book, scripted curriculum, or rigid pacing guide. It is a flexible professional resource that helps answer questions such as:

* What skills should be introduced at each grade level?
* What might student readiness look and sound like?
* Which ranges, scales, rhythms, articulations, and musical concepts are developmentally appropriate?
* How can students progress toward Music 10 expectations?
* What should teachers formally assess?
* How can expectations be adapted for different instruments, programs, and learners?

**The Curriculum Companion includes 16 chapters:**

1. Performance Range
2. Tone Production
3. Posture and Instrument Position
4. Breathing and Air Support
5. Embouchure
6. Hand Position and Technique
7. Scales and Technical Patterns
8. Rhythm
9. Articulation
10. Dynamics and Expression
11. Music Literacy and Navigation
12. Musical Vocabulary
13. Ear Training
14. Practice Skills
15. Ensemble Skills
16. Assessment

Throughout the resource, you will find:

* Suggested grade-level progressions
* Observable student benchmarks
* Instrument-specific considerations
* Grade-appropriate performance ranges
* Recommended scale and technical-pattern sequences
* Rhythm, articulation, dynamics, and music-literacy expectations
* Practice and ensemble-skill development
* Practical director notes
* Inclusive classroom considerations
* Common challenges and possible adjustments
* Assessment guidance
* Grade 7, 8, and 9 assessment maps
* Connections to the Alberta Instrumental Music Program of Studies

The progressions are recommendations, not prescribed Alberta requirements. They are intended to support teacher professional judgement and can be adjusted for differences in scheduling, staffing, repertoire, instrumentation, student experience, and program structure.

**First Edition and Future Updates**

This is the first edition of the *Curriculum Companion to the Instrumental Music 7–9 Alberta Program of Studies*. It will continue to evolve as it is used, reviewed, and refined.

Purchasing this edition through this TPT listing provides access to future corrections, revisions, and updated editions released through this same listing at no additional cost.

**Companion Resources Sold Separately**

The following companion resources are not included in this standalone edition:

* Grade 7–9 One-Sheet Scope and Sequence Overviews
* Grade 7–9 Individual Assessment Resource Packet Bundle

The one-sheeters provide quick-reference summaries of grade-level expectations. The individual assessment packets provide printable student booklets, rubrics, tracking records, range and scale keys, feedback pages, and year-end summaries.

A future bundle will combine the complete Curriculum Companion, one-sheet overviews, and Grade 7–9 assessment packets. If you would like all three resources, you may prefer to wait for the bundled edition.

**Who is this resource for?**

This companion is designed for:

* Alberta Instrumental Music 7–9 teachers
* Beginning and developing band directors
* Teachers building or revising a scope and sequence
* Music departments working toward consistent grade-level expectations
* Educators mentoring new band teachers
* Directors looking for practical assessment and planning guidance

Although it is based on the Alberta Instrumental Music 7–9 Program of Studies, many of its progressions, benchmarks, ranges, assessment ideas, and planning tools can be adapted for middle-school instrumental music programs in other locations.

This publication is an independent curriculum companion created to support educators. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or published by Alberta Education.

Curriculum Companion to the Instrumental Music 7–9 Alberta Program of Studies Curriculum Companion to the Instrumental Music 7-9 Alberta Program of Studies - First EditionWhat should Instrumental Music 7, 8, and 9 students actually know and be able to do before they reach Music 10?Alberta's Instrumental Music 7-9 Program of Studies establishes broad learning outcomes but does...