Written test: A closed task used to assess content based standards in a short amount of time.

The
format may include multiple choice, fill in the blank or true/ false items.

Rationale: A written test will assess my students knowledge of content in a short amount of class time.
This will allow more time for performance and open-ended tasks that integrate the content knowledge
they will have been tested on.

Protocol: This test will cover three topics relevant to their current learning in the classroom, theory,
term identification, and composer identification. This test will include listening identification of major
and minor chords as well as visual interval identification. The students will identify intervals that they
frequently sing in their current concert repertoire. The students will identify the terms that relate to
their current literature and identify the composers of their music. The written test will be valid by
correlating with the content standards we are currently covering in class. The test will prove its
reliability by ensuring that all students achieve the same percentile range with a few exceptional
standard deviations.

Example
Listening
Identify the following chords as Major or minor upon hearing them.
______
______
______
Identify the following intervals:

C-G _______

A-D _______

D to C _______

Define the following terms:

What determines the overall quality of sound in a piece through melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic
combinations? _______________________

What is the quality of a musical note, sound, or tone that distinguishes it from other types of musical
production? _________________

Identify the composer:

Born in Germany during the Romantic era. He was a virtuoso pianist and premiered many of his own
works. Who am I? _________________

Known as the King of Swing. Performed and composed jazz, swing, and traditional pop genres. Born in
New Orleans and died in 1978. Who am I? ________________
 Self-Evaluation: A from of self-assessment used to develop a students awareness of their strengths
and weaknesses.

Rationale: Students should have allotted time in their curriculum for thought and reflection. A
students self-evaluation will enable them to evaluate their current levels of ability. Through this process
students will be given time to praise themselves for areas they have done well in and notice areas they
may need to work on.

Protocol: I plan to give students time to evaluate themselves about a month before every concert. I
plan to have the students turn these into me so I can read them and see where they think they are at.
Each evaluation sheet will have different questions pertaining to the progression within our curriculum.
The same sheet of questions will be given to the students the week following the concert to see if they
feel they have improved or regressed in the various areas. If the students feel they have changed in any
way this will prove the validity. The self-evaluation will be reliable because each student will be given
the same amount of time and questions to reflect on their current levels of ability.

Example: On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being the lowest level of understanding and 5 being the highest, rate
yourself on the following areas. Place an X in the corresponding box and then write in that same box
what you feel you excel at, or need improvement on

5 4 3 2 1
I know when I
am not singing
the correct
notes.
I feel confident
in making my
own musical
decisions.
I understand
the historical
and cultural
aspect of each
piece.
I am able to
follow along in
rehearsal and
do not become
lost or easily
confused.
I can identify
when I have
made a mistake
in rehearsal.
Singing test: An individual performance used to assess a certain skill set in a short amount of time.
The student will prepare and sing a specific passage from one of the concert pieces. Students will
demonstrate mastery of the passage through correct phrasing, rhythm, pitch, metric and dynamic
accuracy.

Rationale: This will allow the teacher to listen to the students individual comprehension of the music
based on a reference of specific criteria. The students and teachers will grow from this exercise because
the students will not be able to rely on their peers for musical cues and the teachers will get a better
idea of where each student is at in their musical understanding. Measurable objectives will be made to
ensure reliability and validity.

Protocol: Students will have a singing test towards the end of each concert unit. These tests will be
done during class time with only myself as the audience member. As the other students wait they will
have a work day for their recently assigned writing prompt or project.

Example:
Please prepare your respective part on the first page of Da Unten Im Tale on solfege. You may write the
solfege in your music in advance. You will be given the starting pitch and the pitch before the pick up to
measure 5. Please be prepared to sing along with a metronome at 75 beats per minute. Attached are
the criteria and grading scale I will be using as you sing. You will be given two tries and I will take the
better score of the two.

Rhythmic accuracy: Student performs correct rhythms, this includes correct cut offs and length of rests.

Metric accuracy: Student does not rush or lag.

Pitch accuracy: Student is confident in his/her respective part. Does not waver in intonation at the start
of each new pitch. Student executes correct leaps, and steps.

Phrasing accuracy: Student performs correct breath marks discussed in class and has correct phrase
markings written in his/her music.

Dynamic accuracy: Student executes correct dynamic markings discussed in class.

1 mistake or less 2-3 mistakes < 3 mistakes

Rhythmic 2 1 0
Metric 2 1 0
Pitch 2 1 0
Phrasing 2 1 0
Dynamic 2 1 0
Total points:
(10 possible)
Writing Prompt: A type of formative assessment used as a path to guide students in writing a full
two page paper on a composer of their choice. Students will be given a question about a specific
composer and write a one to two paragraph response.

Rational: Students will begin to sort through the vast variety of information available on the internet
about their specific composer. This will be great practice for the students to begin finding credible
sources and piecing information together on a smaller scale before they are assigned a larger writing
assignment.

Protocol: This writing prompt will be given within the first week of a new concert unit. The student will
choose from one of the three composers in their concert repertoire and research the corresponding
question. Students will be given two 25 minute sessions (one to research and one to write) over two
class periods. I think the outcome of this assignment will be reliable and valid because the students must
answer a specific question about the composer. As a result, students will not become lost in the
information.

Example: Write a one to two paragraph response over the following question.
Our newest composer, Handel was born in the Baroque era. What are some musical characteristics that
distinguish the Baroque era from other eras? Did Handel implement any of these characteristics into our
current piece?

Student Checklist: A form of student assessment where they are given a checklist to ensure they
completed all of the steps and aspect of their project prior to turning it in.

Rational: Forces students to double check their work prior to completion. Students will receive higher
grades and not miss points for incomplete work.

Protocol: Students will receive a checklist two days prior to the project being due. This will give the
students time to double check their work and then revise any mistakes.

Example
Use the following checklist to assess your rhythmic variation project due on December 3. Check yes, if
you have met the criteria, check no if you have not. After using the checklist please revise your rhythmic
variation to meet the specified criteria.

Yes No
My variation includes three different contrasting
rhythmic lines.
I use triple and duple subdivisions
My variation is at least 16 measures long
I used ABA form
Each measure has the correct amount of beats
I have included articulation for each note
I can and have played each line myself
Student Journals: Used for individual student reflection regarding a specific learning task. This task
could be a choir rehearsal, a reflection on a recent project complete, or a reflection on the process of
creating a composition.

Rational: Students are able to evaluate their own learning process and continually look back and reflect
on their learning process. Through these journals students become responsible for their own learning
process. This enables students to become better learners because in the future the students know what
they need to work on in order to achieve their desired goal.

Protocol: Students will understand what a learning journal is and what it is used for. The students will
understand a learning journal will enable them to reflect on their learning and assess their performance.
This will be done by using guided questions for self-reflection in the early stages of the journals. Time to
write in the journals will be allotted for the students right after completion of an activity

Example:
The following are guided questions provided for the students to guide their beginning journal entries.

1) What was one passage you struggled with in todays rehearsal? What made it so tricky? Rhythm,
pitches, phrasing, dynamics?
2) What can you do to improve this passage in future rehearsals? On your own?
3) What is your favorite piece thus far in preparation for our fall concert?
4) Why is it your favorite piece?

Teacher Observation: A type of observational formative assessment where a small number of

students will be observed by the teacher for the duration of a class period. The teacher will fill out a
rubric based on the students class participation, attitude, focus, and attention to instructor feedback.

Rational: A teacher must do many tasks during a choir rehearsal so it limits their ability to see how each
individual student is working. If the teacher chooses to focus on 2-3 students during a rehearsal they will
eventually understand their students better on an individual level. This will help the teacher to change
the way they run rehearsals to continually engage those students that may be losing focus or intent.

Protocol: The protocol will be up to the teachers discrepancy. The teacher will have the option of
deciding which days they would like to observe which specific students. However, the teacher will not
give the rubric to the student and instead keep it for their own records. After filling out the rubric, the
teacher should note areas the student may need some extra help in. The teacher should be able to
observe each student several times and note their development or regress.

Example
3 2 1
Class Participation Student fully Student participates in Student does not
participates in group group rehearsals but participate much in
rehearsals. Student is misses occasional re- group rehearsals and
ready to start and re- starts of specific does not start or re-
 start throughout passages throughout start passages with the
rehearsals, have their rehearsal, has their group. Student also
music ready to go, and music ready to go and does not have a pencil
a pencil in their hand. their pencil. to mark in their music.
Attitude Student is present in Student is mostly Student is easily
rehearsal, is not present in rehearsal distracted by their
distracted by their but easily distracted by peers, lags getting
peers, ready to go at their peers. Ready to ready for the start of
the start of every class go at the start of class class and shows little to
period and keeps but their energy no energy at the start
energy up for the dissipates as the class and duration of
duration of rehearsal. period goes on. rehearsal.
Attention to teacher Student does not talk Student whispers to Student continually
feedback to peers while the peers while teacher is talks to peers while
teacher is talking. talking and in turn does teacher is talking and
Immediately marks not mark teacher does not mark teacher
teacher corrections in correction in their corrections in their
their music with a music. The student music. The student
pencil. Listens to listens to the teachers only listens to the
teacher corrections corrections if not teacher on occasion
and applies the whispering with their and does not apply the
corrections to the next peers and applies the corrections to the next
run of the piece. corrections to the next run of the piece.
run of the piece.

Group Reflection: A form of small group reflection used at the closure of a group project. Students
will be given the opportunity to reflect on how their group worked together through a rubric.

Rational: A group reflection will give the student time to reflect on different aspects of working
with others. The student will reflect on the outcome of the project, the process of working with
the others in their groups and how they felt about their contribution to the overall project. This
reflection will help the students to learn how they work with others and develop skills that
come with working in groups.
Protocol: Students will individually fill out this rubric after the full completion of a group
project. Students will be given in-class time the day after the project was due to fill out this
rubric. They will then turn in the rubrics for teacher review and receive them back within the
week.
Example:

3 2 1
Working with others I worked well with I worked well with I didnt like my group
the other members most of my group and we did not work
in my group and we members but not well together.
all got along. everyone got along.
Group Contribution Everyone in our Most everyone in our One or two people
group contributed group contributed to did all the work.
equally. the project.
Tasks completed Our group was able We were not able to We only completed a
to complete all of the complete some of few tasks due to time
tasks associated with the tasks due to time constraints, problem
the project. constraints, problem solving issues, or
solving issues, or group contribution.
group contribution.
Group Success Our group was very Our group was Our group was not
successful with our successful but we pleased with our
project and we were feel that we could project because we
all satisfied with the have done better. knew we could have
outcome. done better.
Problem solving Our group was able After some struggles Our group was not
to overcome all we were able to able to overcome a
problems with ease overcome the few problems found
and cooperation. problems as a group. in our project so we
avoided that aspect.
Individual success I felt very successful I felt mostly I dont feel like I
and opinion in my group confident in my contributed very
contribution and I group contribution much to the group
enjoyed working with and I enjoyed and spent most of
my group. working with my the work time
group but I also frustrated with the
became frustrated at task at hand.
times with the task at
hand.