Rhythmic Literacy

Student Teaching LAMP Project Spring 2015________________________________________________________________

Greenfield-Central High School

Intermediate Concert Band

Student Teacher: Kimberly ThompsonCooperating Teacher: Chris Wing

University Supervisor: Michael Lund-Ziegler

Unit Schedule: 3/20; 4/7—4/24

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title of Section Page #

Project Purpose __________________________________________________ 3

National Standards ______________________________________________ 4

Unit Objectives __________________________________________________ 5

Vocabulary List __________________________________________________ 6

Outline ___________________________________________________________ 7

Lesson Plans _____________________________________________________ 8

Supplemental Items _____________________________________________ 21

Methods of Display ______________________________________________ 23

Rubrics____________________________________________________________ 24

Technology _______________________________________________________ 26

Accommodations/Differentiation ______________________________ 26

Pre- and Post-Test _______________________________________________ 27

Comparison Charts ______________________________________________ 39

Unit Narrative ____________________________________________________ 43

Assessment Narrative ___________________________________________ 44

Instructional Narrative __________________________________________ 44

Results ____________________________________________________________ 46

Conclusions/Final Statement _____________________________________ 48

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PROJECT PURPOSE

This project was created in order to demonstrate effectiveness in planning and leading a ten-day unit plan to take place as part of daily warm-up procedures for an ensemble class. The unit was also a study in my effectiveness as a teacher in how well I could construct a unit to deliver the information to guide students’ growth. The project began with students taking a unit pre-test in order to measure their prior knowledge with the content. After the ten-day instructional unit, students also completed a post-test to determine their growth and understanding of the concepts we covered within the instructional unit. The level of prior knowledge compared to level of scores at the end gave insight to the amount of progress students made in this particular content area based on the growth in their scores. This growth in scores also helped determine my success in teaching the unit. A playing portion of the unit was also used to observe students’ skill levels. The primary goal of this project was to build a unit that would take an element of music in which students were having difficulty—rhythmic literacy—and challenge them in order to improve their knowledge and skills in that area. As a part of this study, the rhythmic elements were transferred and applied directly to material in the students’ concert repertoire. The National Standards for Music Education were addressed during this project to guide assessment.

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NATIONAL STANDARDS

Primary Standards:

o Content Standard: 5. Reading and notating music.

o Achievement Standard: 5a. Students who participate in a choral or instrumental ensemble or class sight-read, accurately and expressively, music with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6.

o Content Standard: 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

o Achievement Standard: 6b. Students demonstrate extensive knowledge of the technical vocabulary of music.

Secondary Standards:

o Content Standard: 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

o Achievement Standard: 2a. Students perform with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 4, on a scale of 1 to 6.

o Content Standard: 7. Evaluating music and music performances.

o Achievement Standard: 7b. Students evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it to similar or exemplary models.

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UNIT OBJECTIVES

This unit will instruct students to be able to accurately execute the following skills:

1. Provide the correct counting structure for a given rhythm (National Standards 5, 6).

Students will study rhythms with varying duration, utilizing the subdivision of the Rhythm Tree to determine correct counts.

2. Count, clap, and perform rhythms alone (on a single pitch) with accuracy (National Standard 2, 5, 6).

Students will figure out the counting structure for a given rhythm, practice counting, and perform the rhythms on their instruments with accuracy.

3. Identify the time signature and meter grouping of a given rhythm (National Standard 5, 6).

Students will analyze examples of rhythm without the given time signature and identify possibilities based on the counting structure and groupings of notes.

4. Define basic terms dealing with rhythm and give a musical example (National Standard 5, 6).

Students will recall prior knowledge and previously studied concepts throughout the unit to define familiar terms, as well as activate new knowledge in apply completely new terms and definitions.

5. Recognize rhythm patterns in their repertoire and apply practice and concepts from the unit (National Standard 5, 6, 7).

Students will study patterns that can be played together, identify concepts and counting for each, and find examples of their application in the repertoire. They will transfer the details from this study to the performance of the repertoire examples and reflect on their accuracy.

6. Describe the relationship between rhythms, comparing similarities to better understand the increasing difficulty of rhythm study (National Standard 5, 6).

Students will study rhythms of increasing difficulty, understanding the division and count structure. They will identify commonalities that will help them better understand the relationships and scaffolding as more elements are added to the rhythms.

7. Realize how rhythms can be overlapped and grouped together to better understand how rhythms are divided or grouped (National Standard 5, 6, 7).

Students will recognize rhythms that line up to emphasize important concepts and rhythm structure.

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VOCABULARY LIST

Time Signature: a symbol that indicates how many beats are in the measure

Simple Meter: a meter with a duple division of beats

Compound Meter: a meter with a triple division of beats

Tempo: the speed of the music (how fast or slow)

Pulse: the “beat of the music; a series of regular beats

Rhythm: a regular pattern of sounds; element of music referring to the grouping of notes

Note Value/Duration: the relative length of a note/length of time

Syncopation: the placement of rhythmic accents on unexpected parts of the beat or upbeats (rather than strictly always on the beat)

Dot: a symbol that increases the duration of a note by half its original value

Subdivision: the separation of a beat into its smaller note values

Anacrusis: a note that precedes the first measure (pick up note)

Tie: a line connecting notes of the same pitch, combining their value/duration

Rhythm Tree: a diagram that shows how note values relate to each other/shows the subdivision individual note values

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UNIT OUTLINE

Pre-Test Day/Performance Assessment: 3/20/15

Day 1: 4/7/15—Intro and Basics

Day 2: 4/9/15—Comparing Pulse and Tempo

Day 3: 4/13/15—Meter and Grouping

Day 4: 4/15/15—Dot and Tie Durations

Day 5: 4/17/15—Syncopated Rhythms

Day 6: 4/20/15—Anacrusis Notes

Day 7: 4/22/15—Review Terms and Concepts/Cumulative Practice

Post-Test Day/Performance Assessment: 4/24/15

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LESSON PLANSLAMP LP: prep/intro3/20/15

Goals/Concepts: Explain purpose of LAMP project Administer Pre-Test and Performance Assessment

Procedures: 1. Students will listen to a preview of a future unit on rhythm to take place after

Spring Break. As part of my student teaching, I am required to plan a topic unit that incorporates something we can measure our growth and make lots of improvements. I have decided to focus on rhythm for our instructional unit. Since we will still be preparing for contest in the coming weeks, I will add these activities to our daily warm-up time. We will learn a few new terms about rhythm, but the terms will mostly be very familiar to you. You will have a basic idea of what the words mean, but you may never have been exposed to a formal definition. We are also going to look at the application of the terms and use the concepts to compare the rhythms that are directly used in our repertoire.

2. Students will listen to the explanation of the pre-test while the teacher distributes copies. In order to see how much we learn over the course of this unit and measure our growth, we need to first understand what level we are starting at right now. I am going to give you a “pre-test” to see what you already know. Don’t spend too much time stressing about it; I am not trying to trick anyone. Please do your best to answer each question, and don’t worry about it affecting your grade. This is simply for me to figure out what areas of rhythm are strengths for the class and what areas we will need to spend more time explaining. At the end of the unit, you will receive the exact same assessment again. The point is that as we continue through the unit, we will expand our knowledge and be able to significantly improve our scores at the end of the post-test.

3. As part of both the midterm exam and the “performance portion” of the LAMP project, students will be given individual playing test on scale, but use various rhythms to be included in the unit.

Check for Understanding: The pre-test itself is the most formal of the assessments for this unit, measuring students’ knowledge and current level of understanding about the topics that lie ahead. The playing test with scales will help the instructor determine the students’ ability to count and play rhythms correctly. These results will be carefully analyzed and compared to that of the post-test after the conclusion of the instructional unit.

Resources:

(see pre-test assessment)

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LAMP LP 1Intro/Basics4/7/15

Goals/Concepts: Explain purpose of rhythm unit/daily procedures Introduce the “Rhythm Tree” to understand how beats can be divided

Terms: o RHYTHM—a pattern of sounds/grouping of note valueso TIME SIGNATURE—tells how many notes per measure/what gets the beato SUBDIVISION—break a rhythm or beat into its smallest note value

Procedures: 4. Students will begin with hearing an explanation of the rhythm unit: Each day

a section of our warm up time will be spent studying rhythms in different ways and learning terms associated with them. The pre-test you took before break is an overview of the material we will be covering, and we will also take a post-test once we have completed the unit to measure our progress.

5. Students will review/learn the term “rhythm” and give a definition: Rhythm is going to be our main focus during this unit. Can you define it? Yes, you’ve all heard rhythm before and you know “what” it is, but can you explain it to me or give me a definition? Rhythm can be described as a pattern of sounds/beats, or the way note values are grouped. We are going to be recognizing and isolating many of the patterns from our concert band music so we can apply the concepts from warm up directly to our repertoire.

6. Students will talk about subdividing as it applies to how they will study rhythm: If we wanted to break a rhythm or a beat into its smallest note values, we would be subdividing. You may have seen something like this “rhythm tree” before to show subdivisions visually. We’re going to quickly go through and fill on these note values to understand how to divide notes. (Project the blank version of the “Rhythm Tree” on the board for students to fill in with dry erase markers)

7. Students will play through rhythm example #1 and practice counting. Since we will be using rhythms mostly through playing our music, let’s actually get to the physical playing aspect. Look at rhythm #1 on the screen. How would we count this (write in the counts underneath)? Let’s clap and count this rhythm. How does this rhythm demonstrate subdividing (the eighth notes are the subdivision of the quarter note)? Let’s play the rhythm on a concert B-flat.

8. Students will count and play rhythm #2. Look at rhythm #2. What are the counts for this example (write counts)? Please clap and count the pattern. Now play it on the first five notes of the B-flat scale (teacher demo first). How does this rhythm relate to rhythm #1 (they are mirror images)?

9. Students will review today’s terms and continue their warm up with chorales, and then move on to their concert music rehearsal. What were the

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concepts we covered today (rhythm, time signature, subdivision)? Please give me the definitions for these terms.

Check for Understanding: Students will be assessed informally throughout this lesson through verbal questioning and responses. The “formal” evaluation will be conducted through the students’ ability to write in the correct counts for a rhythm, as well as the activity of writing the subdivisions that follow the Rhythm Tree to demonstrate their understanding. Students were also asked to recall today’s terms at the end of the warm up and provide correct definitions as part of a review.

Resources:

Rhythms:

#1:

#2:

Rhythm Tree:

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LAMP LP 24/9/15

Goals/Concepts: Introduce terms and definitions Describe comparisons of terms to understand elements of rhythm Play rhythm examples at both fast and slow tempos Relate rhythms to repertoire Review previous terms

Terms: o PULSE— the “beat of the music; a series of regular beatso TEMPO—the speed of the music (how fast or slow)

Procedures: 1. Students will count rhythm #1, and then talk about terms that can apply to it.

Let’s begin by counting rhythm #1. Who can provide the counts for us? Play this rhythm on F concert. Now let’s talk about our terms for today and go back to apply them to this rhythm. We talk a lot about pulse and tempo. What is the difference between these two terms? Tempo is the speed/fast or slow, and pulse is the internal beat. Play rhythm#1 again, but at a slow tempo. Now at a faster tempo. Let’s repeat this measure, following me for changing tempos each time (start slow, fast, fast, slower). If I am going to change the tempo each time, what am I changing?

2. Students will look at two examples on the board to compare tempo and pulse. Look at example #2. What are the counts for this example? Would this be an example of a pulse? Why do you agree or disagree? Now look at example #3. This is an example of the smaller beats divided from example #2. What term from Tuesday does this demonstrate (subdivision)?

3. Students will move on to the rest of their warm up and look for places in their repertoire that have rhythm #1. “Into the Clouds” m. 2 of melody, etc.

Check for Understanding: Students will be assessed based on their engagement in the rhythm study, participating in answering questions and recalling definitions, as well as execution of rhythm examples. They will be addressing higher-order thinking skills by being asked to compare two definitions/terms to better understand their meaning. They will also be asked to apply that knowledge to rhythm examples to identify which is an example of which term, as well as justify their reasoning.

Resources: Rhythms:

#1: #2: #3:

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LAMP LP 34/13/15

Goals/Concepts: Introduce terms and definitions Applying new terms to rhythms and examples to connect the meaning Comparing and identifying time signatures/rhythms as either simple or

compound

Terms: o SIMPLE METER—duple division of the beato COMPOUND METER—triple division of the beato DURATION—length of a note value

Procedures: 10. Students will learn two new terms and begin looking at examples of simple

meter. We’ve talked about what a time signature is, now let’s look at some different ways to categorize them. We can have either simple or compound meters. If the meter is simple, that means the beat is divided into two parts. For example, look at this example of quarter notes in 4/4. Each of these quarter notes can be divided into two equal parts. Think about subdivision: what would these two divisions of the beat be? 2 Quarter Notes. Since the quarter note gets the beat in 4/4 and a quarter note is divided evenly into two parts, it is in simple meter. Other examples of simple meter would be 2/4, 3/4, 6/4, etc.

11. Students will now look at examples and learn about compound meter. We’ve just learned that simple meter can be divided into two parts, and compound meter is similar but divides into three equal parts. For example, look at this measure of 6/8. Each of these of these dotted quarter notes divides equally into three beats. What are they? 3 Eighth Notes. Since this divides into three, it is compound. Other examples of compound meter would be 3/8, 9/8, 12/8, etc.

12. Students will review the two terms and look at how that compares examples. Meter that is simple divides into how many beats? 2. Conversely, compound meter divides into how many beats? 3. Let’s figure out the meter of these rhythm examples. Look at examples 1-4 (simple 4/4, compound 6/8, compound 6/8, simple 3/4).

13. Students will look at rhythm examples A and B to compare duration and apply meter terms. Looking at these two examples, what is the only difference between them? Note lengths/duration: attacks are the same. What would be a likely meter for this example? 3/4. In 3/4, how would we count this rhythm (write in counts underneath)? Let’s count and clap these rhythms (should sound the same when clapping).

14. Students will look at more examples from the repertoire to apply meter terms and them in their music. In rhythm C, how are the beats divided/what meter would we call this (duple/simple)? How many beats are in the entire measure (3)? So then what is the time signature (3/4)? In rhythm D, what is

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the time signature (4/4)? How did you know that (counted 4 beats, divides into 2 eighth notes/duple)?

15. Students will recognize where each of these rhythms are in their music and apply their counting precision to execute each rhythm correctly.

A/B: Into the Clouds bass voices in beginning, C: moving line in slow section of Jackson Lake Overture, D: measure 109 of Jackson Lake Overture.

Check for Understanding: Students will be observed based on their ability to distinguish between simple and compound meter examples and aurally answer questions about the characteristics of both (duple/triple, divisions, beats, etc.). They will be asked to defend their responses by recalling definitions and characteristics of the terms as their reasoning. They will also be asked to find the examples in their music.

Resources: Rhythms:

#1: #2: #3: #4:

A. B.

C. D.

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LAMP LP 44/15/15

Goals/Concepts: Introduce new terms and definitions Compare visual examples of terms to explain application to music Relating rhythm examples to counts and math problems

Terms: o DOT— a symbol that increases the duration of a note by half its original valueo TIE—a line that connects notes of the same pitch, combining their values

Procedures: 16. Students will be introduced to definitions of terms and compare them with

rhythm examples. Look at this dotted half note. We know that this gets three beats, but how do you know that? When we add a dot to a note value, it adds half of the original note’s duration. In this example, half the value of the half note is one beat, so adding one beat to a half note would mean this gets three beats. What about a dotted quarter note? Now look at this half note tied to a quarter note. A tie combines the values of two notes of the same pitch, combining their note values.

17. Students will play through rhythmic examples of these terms. 18. Students will look at “math problems” with dotted and tied rhythms, count,

and play each example. Let’s look at these examples of math problems. How would we count each example? What are the values that each dot adds to these rhythms? How many total counts do the tied notes receive?

19. Students will count through and play rhythm examples that are from their music. Identify the duration of the ties and dots in our repertoire. What are the counts for each rhythm?

20. Students will compare two beats of Rhythm #2. The first half of this measure has a dotted quarter note, and the second half has an eighth note tied to a quarter. What is the difference between these? The beats/duration are the same for each, they are just written differently.

21. Students will study Rhythm #3, recalling previous terms. Look at this example. How is it comparable to Rhythm #2? The dotted/tied patterns are the same as #2. What are the counts for this rhythm? Let’s play it on a concert F. Students will play through examples and begin to find their application within the repertoire.

Check for Understanding: Students will be assessed according to observable characteristics of participation in review of previous terms, offering knowledge of new terms, and working through and counting new rhythm examples as a class. Individuals will be asked to demonstrate the examples, either by counting, clapping, or playing, as a model and

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an individual check for understanding. Students will also be asked to recall prior knowledge of other terms and relate them to new examples.

Resources: Rhythms:

a. (TIE) b. (DOT)

(compare)

#1:

#2:

#3:

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LAMP LP 54/17/15

Goals/Concepts: Introduce new terms and definitions Practicing different placements of beats and starting points Comparing and identifying changes between rhythms that add use of the new

concepts Reviewing previous concepts/terms Playing and counting two different rhythms simultaneously to see where

accents line up

Terms: o SYNCOPATION—placement of rhythmic accents/stress on unexpected parts

of the beat; not always “on” the beat

Procedures: 22. Students will listen to an overview of the lesson and definitions of new terms.

Today we will talk about and look at examples where we enter on and off the regular beat. Whenever we have a rhythm that enters “off” the beat (on the and/subdivision), it is called syncopation. You’ve all heard this term before and used in regularly in music, but we don’t always identify what it means. Syncopation is the placement of rhythmic accent or stress on an unexpected part of the beat, or not always directly “on” a beat. Let’s look at an example from our music, Rhythm #1.

23. Students will study and count a rhythm from their repertoire that includes syncopation. Looking at this example and recalling what we know about time signatures, what time signature would this example be in? 3/4. How would we count this example? Applying the definition we have just learned, what notes or beats from this example would be considered syncopated?

24. Students will look at another example of syncopation and practice counting while not sacrificing tempo. Look at Rhythm #2 on the board. Let’s count carefully and write the counts underneath. Of these two measures, one includes syncopation and one does not. See if you figure out where the syncopation occurs. Why do you think this is an example of syncopation? There are rhythmic accents that occur on the “ands” of the beat. Is the second measure syncopated, why or why not? The rhythmic stress occurs on the beat. Clap and count this example.

Check for Understanding:

Students will have the opportunity to compare and describe rhythmic examples to demonstrate their understanding. They will be asked to use their critical thinking skills to determine probable key signatures and identify differences between syncopated and non-syncopated examples. The assessments will be done informally

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to include observation of students’ accuracy in counting and performing rhythms, as well as individual checks based on the observation.

Resources: Rhythms:

#1:

#2:

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LAMP LP 64/20/15

Goals/Concepts: Review previous terms and introduce new ones Compare rhythmic examples and apply concepts Combining rhythms and observing how they fit together

Terms: o ANACRUSIS—another term for a pick-up note; a note that precedes the first

part of the measure

Procedures: 25. Students will talk about a somewhat familiar definition to an unfamiliar term.

If we have a piece of music in 4/4 and there is a note occurring before the first measure on beat 4, what do we call that? A pick-up note. There is another term for this, and that is an anacrusis (a note that precedes the first measure). We can also see this in the middle of a piece, as in the pick-up/anacrusis to the next idea.

26. Students will look at Rhythm 1 and 1a to compare counting and identify what term was added. Look at Rhythm #1 on the board. Who can tell me the counts for this example? Let’s clap and count this rhythm together. Now look at Rhythm 1a. What did I add or change from the first rhythm? Added a note/anacrusis. What beat did I add the anacrusis, since we already know the counts for the basic rhythm from #1? Let’s now clap and count the measure, adding the anacrusis.

27. Students will count and play two examples, Rhythms 2 and 2a. They will first study them separately, and then play them together to observe similarities. Let’s count Rhythm #2 together. What is considered syncopation here? Let’s play this, looping it with a repeat sign, on the first five notes of the concert E-flat Major scale. Now count Rhythm 2a. Are there any counts that are the same for both examples? Students will circle on the white board the beats that line up for both parts when stacked above one another. Now I want the woodwinds to play #2 while the brass play 2a. Pay attention to when your notes line up with the opposite part and when they are different. Now let’s switch parts and try the same thing. These rhythms occur in our music, so look for them as we rehearse and tell us when you recognize them.

28. Students will repeat the same counting/comparing exercise for one more set of rhythms and apply them to their repertoire. In #3 and 3a, where do the two parts align? Let’s count each carefully and put them together just as we did for the last examples. Students will count each separately, then split the parts to count together and switch. There are many instances where our parts line up on specific beats like this, and identifying those points will help our tempo and consistency throughout those sections.

Check for Understanding:

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Informal assessments will be conducted through students performing each rhythm and observing their accuracy. The instructor will ask students to provide counts and demonstrate the rhythms for the class to check their understanding. Students will also be asked to use their critical thinking skills to compare elements of rhythm, recall prior information and terms as they apply to the rhythm study, and recognize how rhythms work together to line up accents.

Resources:

Rhythms:

#1:

#1a:

#2:

#2a:

#3:

#3a:

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LAMP LP 7: review4/22/15

Goals/Concepts: Review all terms and rhythmic concepts Administer Post-Test and Performance Assessment

Terms: o TIME SIGNATUREo SIMPLE/COMPOUND METERo TEMPO/PULSEo RHYTHMo NOTE VALUE/DURATIONo SYNCOPATIONo DOT/TIEo SUBDIVISIONo ANACRUSIS

Procedures: 29. Student will participate to a review of terms from the entire rhythm unit.

They will offer definitions or identify terms when an example is given. This will be a quick overview, as they are about to take the test.

30. Students will perform several examples of rhythm patterns. Rather than writing or projecting rhythm patterns on the board, the teacher will model a pattern, and the students will echo the pattern. This will engage their listening skills and comprehension to accurately repeat each rhythm pattern that is demonstrated.

31. Students will transition to other activities, including warm up routines, scale exercises, and chorales to warm up.

32. Students will be given an individual performance assessment by playing a scale, arpeggio, or five-note pattern using a given rhythm pattern to check their understanding of how to perform the rhythms they have studied.

33. After the performance assessment, students will put their instruments away and be given the written post-test.

Check for Understanding: The post-test serves as the cumulative and formal assessments for this unit, which will determine student progress and knowledge throughout the instructional unit. The performance aspect will help determine their level of competency to apply the skills and concepts to future repertoire. The results of the post-test will be analyzed and compared to the original pre-test scores to determine how much the students have learned and improved based on their beginning level of understanding before this instructional unit. Resources:(see post-test assessment)

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SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALSRhythm Patterns

The main patterns for this instructional unit include, but are not limited to, the following examples and combinations:

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METHODS FOR DISPLAY

Presenting Materials in Daily Class:

For this unit, I utilized a few different methods of visual aids to display examples. Most of the time I would write rhythm patterns on the board, as well as either filling in the counts myself with students orally counting, or would request students to volunteer to provide the counts underneath each rhythm. This allowed students to break patterns down to count and subdivide with better accuracy. I also used the computer projector to show some of the rhythm patterns. With these examples, students could see multiple examples at once, and it was time efficient for me not having to write all of them out on the board before each class. The screen also allowed me to project a blank version on the rhythm tree, and students would use the white board to interactively “solve” and complete the chart. The students’ repertoire was a concrete method to have the rhythms in front of each individual as well.

Student Assessment Tools:

I used the pre-test and post-test to formally assess student learning throughout this unit. Each component also included a performance assessment where students played rhythms. During class, I used informal observation to gauge level of engagement and understanding based on success in daily lesson. Questioning, verbal responses about counting, and terms also helped guide instruction to check for understanding in an inclusive, efficient manner. Each lesson was adjusted to meet further instruction of previous concepts, and I included review with each lesson.

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RUBRICS

Student Assessment Description: (NS 2)

For the formal pre-test and post-test of this unit, I used the following Performance-Based Rubric to measure students’ ability to apply our concepts to practical playing usage. I also used this rubric during instruction to do periodic rankings of the students’ progress, either as a section, ensemble, or individuals.

1. Needs Improvement

2. Basic Understanding

3. Proficient Level

Activity Participation:

Students show little effort is given/poor participation level

Students show adequate effort and participation

Students are attentive and actively participate

Performance Accuracy:

Students cannot count or perform assigned rhythms, given multiple attempts

Students can count and perform assigned rhythms at an acceptable level within 1-2 attempts

Students can accurately count and perform all assigned rhythms on the 1st attempt

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Project Rubric:

At the conclusion of the project, I provided students with the following rubric to evaluate the success of the project and instructor to contribute to my feedback and self-reflection. This engaged their critical thinking with reflective higher order questioning, and the questions included access to the affective domain.

Rate the following statements using this point scale:1—Strongly Disagree 2—Disagree 3—Neutral 4—Agree 5—Strongly Agree

I was confident in my rhythmic literacy before this unit: 1 2 3 4 5

I am confident in my rhythmic literacy after the completion of this unit: 1 2 3 4 5

I found this material to be interesting and engaging : 1 2 3 4 5

The methods of instruction were applicable/effective 1 2 3 4 5

I was made aware of the purpose, objectives, and 1 2 3 4 5application of this project:

The teacher was overall effective in her instruction: 1 2 3 4 5

I feel this unit included concepts and information relevant to my musicianship 1 2 3 4 5

Any additional comments/feedback about this unit or for the instructor:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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TECHNOLOGY

This class was a primarily performance-based ensemble, so the majority of instruction and procedure was actively playing instruments. However, I did find ways to incorporate technology. The first and most often occurrence used the metronome. For our daily rhythm study, I needed a way to keep a steady tempo while students counted and performed several rhythmic examples. I could play the sound of the metronome over the speaker system in the classroom to make it audible for the entire class. I also incorporated technology by displaying rhythms on the screen rather than always hand-written on the white board. I used this same method to project a blank rhythm chart for students to complete on the white board.

ACCOMMODATION/DIFFERENTIATION

As far as documented learning needs, I did not have to include IEP plans as part of my instruction. The students in this class were of all different ability and experience levels, so I used this to guide my differentiation. By using both written patterns on the board and projected examples with the computer allowed me to provide multiple presentation methods that reached different needs. The computer examples were projected as larger images, and I could quickly make an alteration to the rhythms to either simplify them or show a basic subdivision for further explanation/assistance. I included multiple means of presentation with the information to address different learning styles, including visual learners, aural learners, and hands-on learners. Rhythms were presented on the board or projector, the counts were written, verbal instructions were given, students echoed rhythms solely by listening with no visual, and students actively participated in the process by counting, clapping, performing, listening, and analyzing.

Some of the accommodations I made throughout my instruction involved making adjustments to my methods as I observed what students responded to most effectively. Most students showed a higher level of understanding when both visual examples and aural models were used. Explaining the counts and practicing each rhythm helped students transfer the visual example to their physical skills of performing, as well as improving their aural skills. Playing or counting kept the students actively involved in the instructional unit, which helped me keep students focused who had difficulties with maintaining attention and need kinesthetic opportunities. I used questioning and periodic individual checks for understanding not only to assess accuracy but also measure where I might need to offer accommodations to meet unique needs.

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PRE/POST TESTS

Name: ______________________________

GC Rhythm Pre-Test

A. Match each term to the definition:

1. Time Signature ______ a. duple division of the beat2. Simple Meter ______ b. placement of rhythmic accents on 3. Compound Meter ______ unexpected beats/upbeats4. Tempo ______ c. tells how many beats per measure5. Pulse ______ d. note that precedes the first bar6. Rhythm ______ e. triple division of the beat7. Syncopation ______ f. line connecting notes of the same 8. Dot ______ pitch, combining their values9. Subdivide ______ g. increases duration of a note by half10. Anacrusis ______ h. regular pattern of sounds11. Tie ______ i. separate the beat into smaller note

valuesj. the “beat” of the musick. speed of music/how fast or slow

B. Name each note value:

12. 13.

= ____________________ = _______________________

14. 15.

= _____________________ = _______________________

16. 17.

= _____________________ = _____________________

C. Write out the correct counts below each rhythmic example:

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18. 19.

____ ____ ____ ____ __ __ ___ __ __ ___

20. 21.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ___ ___

22.

____ ___ ___ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

D. Write the probable time signature of the measure below:

23. 24.

_______ ________

25. 26.

________ ________

E. Miscellaneous Questions:

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27. In a measure of 4/4, how many beats of silence does a half rest receive? __________

28. In a measure of 3/4, how many beats does a dotted quarter receive? ______________

29. What is the equal subdivision of a half note in 2/4? ____________

30. What does the dotted quarter note equally divide to in 6/8 time? ________________

31. What is the difference between pulse and tempo? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

F. Musical MathSolve each example below to indicate the total number of beats (in simple meter, where a quarter note=one beat):

32. Two Quarter Notes= ___________beats

33. Dotted Quarter + Dotted Quarter= ____________beats

34. Half Note – Quarter Note= __________beats

35. Eighth Note + Eighth Note + Quarter Note= __________beats

Thank you for your participation!

Name: ______________________________

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GC Rhythm Post-Test

A. Match each term to the definition:

1. Time Signature ______ a. duple division of the beat2. Simple Meter ______ b. placement of rhythmic accents on 3. Compound Meter ______ unexpected beats/upbeats4. Tempo ______ c. tells how many beats per measure5. Pulse ______ d. note that precedes the first bar6. Rhythm ______ e. triple division of the beat7. Syncopation ______ f. line connecting notes of the same 8. Dot ______ pitch, combining their values9. Subdivide ______ g. increases duration of a note by half10. Anacrusis ______ h. regular pattern of sounds11. Tie ______ i. separate the beat into smaller note

valuesj. the “beat” of the musick. speed of music/how fast or slow

B. Provide the name of each note symbol (i.e. whole note, half rest, etc.):

12. 13.

= ____________________ = _______________________

14. 15.

= _____________________ = _______________________

16. 17.

= _____________________ = _____________________

C. Write out the correct counts below each rhythmic example:

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18. 19.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

20. 21.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ___ ___

22.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

D. Write the possible time signature of the measure below:

23. 24.

_______ ________25. 26.

________ ________

E. Miscellaneous Questions:

27. In a measure of 4/4, how many beats of silence does a half-rest receive? _________

28. In a measure of 3/4, how many beats does a dotted-quarter receive? _____________

29. What is the equal subdivision of a half note in 2/4? ____________

30. How does a dotted-quarter note divide in 6/8 meter? ________________

31. What is the difference between pulse and tempo? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________F. Musical Math

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Solve each example below to indicate the total number of beats (in simple meter, where a quarter note=one beat):

32. Two Quarter Notes= ___________beats

33. Dotted Quarter + Dotted Quarter= ____________beats

34. Half Note – Quarter Note= __________beats

35. Eighth Note + Eighth Note + Quarter Note= __________beats

-Please complete the Rhythm Tree that we have talked about in class (through sixteenth notes):

Thank you for your participation!

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Name: *ANSWER KEY*

GC Rhythm Pre-Test

A. Match each term to the definition: (NS 6)

1. Time Signature C a. duple division of the beat2. Simple Meter A b. placement of rhythmic accents on 3. Compound Meter E unexpected beats/upbeats4. Tempo K c. tells how many beats per measure5. Pulse J d. note that precedes the first bar6. Rhythm H e. triple division of the beat7. Syncopation B f. line connecting notes of the same 8. Dot G pitch, combining their values9. Subdivide I g. increases duration of a note by half10. Anacrusis D h. regular pattern of sounds11. Tie F i. separate the beat into smaller note

valuesj. the “beat” of the musick. speed of music/how fast or slow

B. Name each note value: (NS 5, 6)

12. 13.

= HALF NOTE = EIGHTH NOTE

14. 15.

= QUARTER NOTE = WHOLE NOTE

16. 17.

= SIXTEENTH NOTE = TRIPLET

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C. Write out the correct counts below each rhythmic example: (NS 5, 6)

18. 19.

1 2 3 4 1 + 2 1 + 2

20. 21.

1 + 2 + 3 + 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 4

OR 1 + a 2 + a 1 222.

1 + 3 + 4 1 + 2 + 4

D. Write the probable time signature of the measure below: (NS 5, 6)

23. 24.

4/4 3/4

25. 26.

2/4 6/8

E. Miscellaneous Questions: (NS 5, 6, 7)

27. In a measure of 4/4, how many beats of silence does a half rest receive? 2

28. In a measure of 3/4, how many beats does a dotted quarter receive? 1 ½

29. What is the equal subdivision of a half note in 2/4? 2 quarter notes

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30. What does the dotted quarter note equally divide to in 6/8 time? 3 eighth notes

31. What is the difference between pulse and tempo?The pulse is the “beat” of the music. Tempo is the speed of the music.

F. Musical Math (NS 5)Solve each example below to indicate the total number of beats (in simple meter, where a quarter note=one beat):

32. Two Quarter Notes= 2 beats

33. Dotted Quarter + Dotted Quarter= 3 beats

34. Half Note – Quarter Note= 1 beats

35. Eighth Note + Eighth Note + Quarter Note= 2 beats

Thank you for your participation!

Name: *ANSWER KEY*

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GC Rhythm Post-Test

A. Match each term to the definition: (NS 6)

1. Time Signature C a. duple division of the beat2. Simple Meter A b. placement of rhythmic accents on 3. Compound Meter E unexpected beats/upbeats4. Tempo K c. tells how many beats per measure5. Pulse J d. note that precedes the first bar6. Rhythm H e. triple division of the beat7. Syncopation B f. line connecting notes of the same 8. Dot G pitch, combining their values9. Subdivide I g. increases duration of a note by half10. Anacrusis D h. regular pattern of sounds11. Tie F i. separate the beat into smaller note

valuesj. the “beat” of the musick. speed of music/how fast or slow

B. Provide the name of each note symbol (i.e. whole note, half rest, etc.): (NS 5, 6)

12. 13.

=HALF NOTE = EIGHTH NOTE

14. 15.

= QUARTER NOTE = WHOLE NOTE

16. 17.

= SIXTEENTH NOTE = TRIPLET

C. Write out the correct counts below each rhythmic example: (NS 5, 6)

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18. 19.

1 2 3 4 1 + 2 1 + 2

20. 21.

1 + 2 + 3 + 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 4

OR 1 + a 2 + a 1 222.

1 + 3 + 4 1 + 2 + 4

D. Write the possible time signature of the measure below: (NS 5, 6)

23. 24.

4/4 3/4

25. 26.

2/4 6/8

E. Miscellaneous Questions: (NS 5, 6, 7)

27. In a measure of 4/4, how many beats of silence does a half rest receive? 2

28. In a measure of 3/4, how many beats does a dotted quarter receive? 1 ½

29. What is the equal subdivision of a half note in 2/4? 2 quarter notes

30. What does the dotted quarter note equally divide to in 6/8 time? 3 eighth notes

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31. What is the difference between pulse and tempo?The pulse is the “beat” of the music. Tempo is the speed of the music.

F. Musical Math (NS 5)Solve each example below to indicate the total number of beats (in simple meter, where a quarter note=one beat):

32. Two Quarter Notes= 2 beats

33. Dotted Quarter + Dotted Quarter= 3 beats

34. Half Note – Quarter Note= 1 beats

35. Eighth Note + Eighth Note + Quarter Note= 2 beats

-Please complete the Rhythm Tree that we have talked about in class (through sixteenth notes): (NS 5, 6)

Thank you for your participation!

COMPARISON CHARTS

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ex.1

ex.3

ex.5

ex.7

ex.9

ex.11

ex.13

ex.15

ex.17

ex.19

ex.21

ex.23

ex.25

ex.27

ex.29

ex.31

ex.33

ex.35

ex.37

ex.39

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Pre-Test %

Pre-Test %

Individual Scores: Pre-Test Percentages

Woodwinds Brass Percussion0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

PRE-TEST %

PRE-TEST %

Pre-Test scores: (Average) Percentages (instrument sections)

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ex.1

ex.3

ex.5

ex.7

ex.9

ex.11

ex.13

ex.15

ex.17

ex.19

ex.21

ex.23

ex.25

ex.27

ex.29

ex.31

ex.33

ex.35

ex.37

ex.39

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Post-Test %

Post-Test %

Individual Scores: Post-Test Percentages

Woodwind Brass Percussion75

80

85

90

95

100

POST-TEST %

POST-TEST %

Post-Test Scores: (Average) Percentages (instrument sections)

40

ex.1

ex.3

ex.5

ex.7

ex.9

ex.11

ex.13

ex.15

ex.17

ex.19

ex.21

ex.23

ex.25

ex.27

ex.29

ex.31

ex.33

ex.35

ex.37

ex.39

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Pre-Test %Post-Test %

Comparing Individual Scores—Percentages

Woodwind Brass Percussion0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Pre-TestPost-Test

Compare Averages—Percentages (instrument sections)

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Class Average0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Pre-Test %Post-Test %

Compare Overall Class Average—Percentages

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UNIT NARRATIVEContent Standards

o National Standard: 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Achievement Standard: 2a. Students perform with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 4, on a scale of 1 to 6.

o National Standard: 5. Reading and notating music. Achievement Standard: 5a. Students who participate in a choral

or instrumental ensemble or class sight-read, accurately and expressively, music with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1-6.

o National Standard: 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. Achievement Standard: 6b. Students demonstrate extensive

knowledge of the technical vocabulary of music.

o National Standard: 7. Evaluating music and music performances. Achievement Standard: 7b. Students evaluate a performance,

composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it to similar or exemplary models.

Authentic Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills:

Throughout this instructional unit, students addressed information and skills that they will use in a daily performance setting in an ensemble. The methods we used to learn and practice rhythms were intended to help the transfer knowledge to their repertoire to improve rhythmic literacy. Students learned subdivisions and basics of putting rhythms together to better understand how to count and perform patterns as they relate to repertoire. We compared rhythms and identified specific concepts and examples in their music, applying similar methods for recognizing how to adapt the counting skills being developed over the course of the unit. The instruction included critical thinking by asking students to analyze and compare different aspects of each rhythm concept and apply to later skills.

Instructional Strategies:

Visual examples of rhythm patterns on the white board, overhead computer projector, and sheet music/repertoire

Performance assessments, both formal and informal, small groups and individuals to check skills and understanding

Aural skills of listening and repeating patterns without visual prompt Counting structure and practice methods to identify correct rhythmic

placement to be applied to performance

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Repertoire relationships to provide direct and relevant application of concepts and instruction

Pre-test and post-test to formally assess and measure student knowledge and improvement over the course of the unit, demonstrating learning

Technology Usage

In a performance-based class, technology can be limited but certainly useful if used in a practical and effective manner. The metronome can be played on the sound system to keep the pulse consistent while playing rhythm patterns. This also allowed me to use proximity to guide student behavior and monitor individual progress easily. I can use the computer to display rhythms on a larger screen, as well as rotate through multiple examples in a short amount of time without having to erase/rewrite on the board.

ASSESSMENT NARRATIVE

Accommodations for Differing Needs and Types of Assessment

My formal assessments were the same for all students, although I did provide assistance to students as needed while taking the test. Some students needed questions read aloud, and since there were musical notation examples as well as terms written out using words, students responded differently to these and sometimes needed clarification. I addressed students’ unique needs by providing multiple means for instruction, various ways to explain material, as well as several types of active learning processes to keep them engaged while guiding their learning. The assessment process was the same for all students with the pre-test and post-test, but students were informally observed in class using different methods such as verbal response, performance, counting/writing counts, comparing and applying previous concepts or terms, playing as a group/small sections/individuals, and other ways to check students’ understanding of ongoing practice and study.

INSTRUCTIONAL NARRATIVE

Directions

Students were given basic instructions on completing the formal assessments to explain the rationale of the project and activities. The desired outcome of the project was to work on details of a familiar topic in order to help strengthen knowledge and performance skills in rhythmic literacy. The methods used in the instructional unit can be utilized and applied to students’ repertoire and other rhythm studies.

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Standards

National Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. This is clearly a definitive part of any instrumental ensemble, and the main goal of studying rhythms was to help improve performing abilities in rhythmic studies. Students were asked to individually perform rhythms as part of the formal pre-test and post-test, as well as informal checks for performance improvements throughout the instructional unit.

National Standard 5: Reading and notating music. Just as performing is a primary component of this ensemble, reading music is the avenue for which this is accomplished. Students read rhythms on the board, computer, and repertoire to apply counting and concepts. Students demonstrated knowledge and skills by counting, clapping, and playing examples of varying difficulty.

National Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. When presented with contrasting vocabulary terms, students needed to listen to definitions and understand important components that will help them apply knowledge to actual examples. They should be able to define or differentiate terms, recognize application to repertoire, and identify examples within their music to improve skills.

National Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances. Students will perform rhythm examples in groups or individually, and others will listen and evaluate the performance of their peers. They will apply comments to their own playing to make future improvements. At the end of the unit, students will be asked to reflect on their experience and improvements to evaluate progress and understanding.

Differences

This project addresses various student leaning styles by activating visual, aural, and kinesthetic methods. Students were able to actively participate in the learning process by listening to instructions and information, analyze examples to solve counting problems, and learn by performing the rhythms to create an all-inclusive approach.

Application of Knowledge

The goal of this project was to develop students’ skills with counting rhythms of increasing difficulty in order improve rhythmic accuracy in repertoire rehearsal and performance. Since this unit took place during contest preparation, it was a strong supplement to refine the details needed to polish the overall precision of contest material. The majority of rhythms were taken directly from the repertoire to create an exact correlation for students to transfer knowledge and practice.

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RESULTS NARRATIVE

Pre-Test Performance I created the pre-test questions based on concepts that I have observed by

rehearsing with the students and recognizing their strengths and weaknesses. I knew, and explained to the students beforehand, that some of the terms and examples would be very basic and “easy” for them to recognize. I wanted to start from the beginning of rhythm study to be able to build in difficulty as students developed their skills, and including these early skills also helped me determine how much of the knowledge was mastered and what was still in progress for student understanding.

Based on the results of the pre-test, I was able to determine a baseline level of understanding for the collective group and see what areas were of most concern. The test included a performance aspect of playing scales using a given rhythm, written questions including matching terms and definitions, recognizing rhythm symbols, providing counts structure, identifying time signatures, and short answer questions. I chose the Intermediate Band as the class I would use for this instructional unit, which consists of freshman and sophomores. This allowed me to start with beginning concepts and gradually build as students demonstrated mastery of new skills. The average percentage for the pre-test was 70.8%. There were forty students in this class who took the tests and participated in the unit. The most commonly missed questions included providing correct counting structure and completing short answer questions. No student received a perfect score on the pre-test, and only seven of the forty students scored above a 90%. Thirteen of the forty students were at a 60% or below, and 50% of the class scored below a 75%. When looking at the scores by instrument families, the woodwinds averaged 57.7%, brass 55.6%, and percussion 97.2%. The data gave me a good understanding of where to start with instruction and where we needed to focus to improve scores and understanding.

Changes from Pre-Test Observations

After I graded the pre-test, I noticed common areas of struggle to determine how to guide instruction. I also observed what areas of the test could be restructured and changed the wording to make questions clearer for the students. Since counting and short answer were areas of concern from the test, I decided to start the instructional unit with application of terms to rhythm examples and breaking rhythms down by including the Rhythm Tree. This helped students understand where cumulative note values come from and how to begin subdividing to accurately count and execute performance of patterns.

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Post-Test Performance

I was confident that by the end of the instructional unit, the students would have a better understanding of rhythm patterns and be able to improve their scores on the post-test. I included gradual review with each lesson as we approached the end of the unit, as well as a cumulative review day before the post-test. In the end of project rubric, I asked students to rank and provide comments about the material and instruction. A few comments noted that the concepts were easy, but others said they still struggled. I account this to the fact that the students are at different experience levels and have varying musical abilities.

The results of the post-test were encouraging in my teaching reflection because of the positive improvements the class made. When analyzing the individual scores, every student made significant improvement from pre-test score to post-test score. Of the forty students who participated, twenty-five students scored above a 90% on the post-test, including twelve perfect scores. Unlike the first test, all of the students were above a 50% by the post-test, only two of which were below a 60%. When I took the compared scores by instrument groupings, the post-test revealed that woodwinds averaged 92.7%, brass 85.4%, and percussion 97.2%. All of the data show great improvement from beginning pre-test to the ending post-test, demonstrating student achievement and significant improvement.

Strengths and Areas of Concern for Instruction

I think that my instruction was fairly effective for this unit based on the observations I made in overall student progress each day, as well as the significant improvement in test scores from the beginning to end of the project. The students were able to recall information during our review and perform rhythms with much greater accuracy than prior to the instructional unit. This improvement transferred to their performance abilities with their contest repertoire, and the class was much more responsive in rhythm-related questions and feedback. All of my lessons for this unit fell into a routine of having the same structure every time. I wish I could have varied the sequence a bit more, but I wanted to be consistent with my procedures since the daily examples and methods were varied. I could have found more active approaches to rhythm study, such as including more echoing/aural skills, having students solve puzzles made form rhythms or correct errors within examples. Time also became a bit of an issue, especially as we approached contest. I liked including this unit as part of the daily warm up because I felt it did not spend too much time or make things last too long, but it was a good way to prepare for rehearsal as well. I think if I would change this I would find ways to include the rhythm study within repertoire rehearsal instead of its own unit, that way we incorporate concepts as they occur in the music for a stronger connection.

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CONCLUSIONS/FINAL STATEMENT

I definitely learned a lot by completing this project, both by planning my concepts and methods and also by incorporating the methods that I thought would be effective in teaching the unit. I would use this type of process to plan concept maps with future classrooms, especially if I come across a unit that incorporates multiple areas that can be addressed without disrupting regular classroom instruction. The rhythm patterns and foundations that I included could apply to any performing ensemble seeking to improve rhythmic accuracy. I found value in completing this project through the practical experience, extensive planning, data usage, and analysis of student growth as a reflection of effective or ineffective instruction. By administering the project and completing extensive planning, study, and reflection, it can be of great value to me in improving my teaching abilities.

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