High School Music Curriculum for Long-Term Subs and Leave Cover
This is a ready-to-teach grades 9–12 music curriculum for anyone covering a high school music teacher's leave, from a few weeks to a full semester. You get listening and analysis lessons, theory up to harmonic progressions, and tasks that apply theory to performance and composition, with answer keys so you can teach older, sharper students with confidence even outside your own specialty.
View the HS music curriculum →Music Complete – High School is a digital grades 9–12 music curriculum from $149.90 with 50+ resources. For a long-term substitute it supplies sequenced lessons in listening and analysis, theory from rhythm and notation up to chords and harmonic progressions, and applied composition and performance tasks. Answer keys support accurate grading. It is no-prep and instantly downloadable; recordings and instruments are not part of the package.
The curriculum
Music Complete – High School, Grades 9–12
Start with the full curriculum. The other resources below are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Music Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for High School Music (Grades 9–12)
High School Music Complete Bundle | 15 Ready-to-Teach Units | Grades 9–12
Music History & Style Periods Bundle | Baroque, Classical, Romantic & Impressionism | 4 Complete Units | Grades 9–12
Music Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Middle School Music (Grades 6–8)
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Covering high school music when students know their stuff
High school music students notice quickly when a sub is improvising. Some have played in ensembles since sixth grade, a few study privately, and they will ask about a chord progression or a meter change just to see what happens. Meanwhile the roster may include seniors filling an arts credit who have never read a score. A long-term sub has to serve both groups for weeks, often with a plan folder that runs out after the first few days. Grade spread adds to it: a music elective can mix ninth through twelfth graders, so the material must stretch from basic terminology to harmonic analysis without splitting into four separate courses. Then there is credibility on paper. When the regular teacher returns, they will look at what was covered and how it was graded, and a semester of loosely connected listening logs is hard to defend. What a sub needs is content with actual theory and analysis in it, an order to teach it in, and keys that let you check work on texture, form or intervals without second-guessing yourself in front of a strong student.
Why it fits
Where it helps a sub most
These parts of the curriculum matter most when you are new to the room and need instruction that holds up under scrutiny.
- Answer keys for scales, intervals and chords let you grade advanced students accurately.
- Listening lessons on form, motifs, harmony and texture give experienced players something real to analyze.
- Analytical depth increases across grades 9–12, which suits mixed-grade elective sections.
- Tasks apply theory to performance and composition, so students use what they learn rather than just filling sheets.
- Program vs absolute music and film music lessons pull in students who signed up only for the credit.
- Units work on their own, so you can drop into the sequence where the regular teacher stopped.
Getting started
Getting through the first ten school days
A suggested order for the start of a high school music leave. The curriculum does not prescribe this calendar; it is one workable approach.
- Find out where theory stoppedAsk students to complete a short theory review on rhythm, scales and intervals. Their answers show the real starting point faster than the absent teacher's plan book, and the key makes marking quick.
- Lead with analysis, not lectureUse a listening lesson on form and motifs early. Students who already play bring expertise to the discussion, and you are positioned as the person running a structured analysis rather than the one being tested.
- Pick up the theory sequenceMove into the unit that matches the review results, whether that is meter and notation or chords and harmonic progressions. Teach from the slides and keep the answer key next to you.
- Assign an applied composition taskHave students use a progression or a motif in a short piece of their own. Strong players get room to stretch, and beginners have a clear structure to follow.
- Report back to the departmentBy the end of week two, send the department chair a brief note on which units you covered and how you are grading. It protects you and keeps the returning teacher informed.
Which version
Which version fits a high school leave
The standard version at $149.90 has the 50+ resources for grades 9–12 and is enough for most leaves. The $189.90 version adds the Teach-Life-Balance course, a separate set of planners and templates for organizing your own workload; it adds no music lessons. If the absent teacher also had a middle school general music section, Music Complete – Middle School pairs naturally with this one, and the code TEACHMORE15 takes 15% off when you buy both. For an elective that wants more listening depth, the Music History & Style Periods Bundle is listed alongside.
Honest limits
Limits to know before a long leave
You will not find recordings, ensemble scores or video in the package; listening lessons rely on clips you bring. It is a classroom music curriculum, so it does not plan band, choir or orchestra rehearsals or an upcoming concert. Check the content against your state's high school arts requirements and your school's course description. Passing the files to other teachers in the department calls for a short message to Teach Lessons beforehand. If it is not what you need, the 7-day policy lets you trade it for store credit of the same value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does it meet state high school fine arts standards?
We do not claim that it is approved, adopted or aligned to any state standards or the National Core Arts Standards. It is written for U.S. high school music classrooms and covers listening, analysis, theory and applied composition and performance. Check it against your state's requirements and the course description for the class you are covering, especially if it counts toward a graduation credit.
Is the theory too advanced for a non-musician sub?
Some lessons, such as harmonic progressions, assume the teacher can follow the content. The slides and answer keys carry much of the load, but preview a theory lesson the night before if notation is not your background. Listening and analysis lessons are easier to run cold because they rely more on discussion and vocabulary than on technical explanation.
Can this replace the ensemble rehearsals?
No. It is built for general and elective music classes, not for running band, choir or orchestra. If your leave includes performing ensembles, it can supply theory and listening lessons for days when rehearsal is not possible, but repertoire choices and concert preparation still need their own plan from the school.
How long will 50+ resources last?
That depends on how many sections you see and how long each activity runs, so there is no fixed answer. One way to stretch it over a semester is to pair each theory lesson with a listening lesson and a short applied task. If you want more material, the High School Music Complete Bundle with 15 units is also available in the store.
My students are at very different levels. Does it help?
Yes, within limits. The content grows in analytical depth across grades 9–12, so newer students can work on meter and notation while experienced players take on chord analysis or composition. Activities can run as full units or short lessons, which lets you split a period between two levels when needed.
What exactly do I receive after paying?
A download link comes by email right away, and the same files stay available in your customer account under Orders. You get worksheets, slides, activities and answer keys that work in print or on a screen. Nothing ships, so you can teach from it the same day you are assigned to the position.
Give a high school music class a real semester
Check the product page for the full list of what the grades 9–12 curriculum includes.
View the HS music curriculum →