Collaborative Composition Lesson 8

Collaborative Composition Lesson 8 Critical Learning Composing requires making personal and collaborative connections. Being aware of the Creative Process enables us to leverage it in many areas of our lives. Grade 7 Music Guiding Questions How can you collaborate effectively? How can you incorporate the Creative Process into other areas of your life? Curriculum Expectations Creating and Performing C1. apply the creative process to create and perform music for a variety of purposes, using the elements and techniques of music 1.1 sing and/or play, in tune, from musical notation, unison music in two or more parts from diverse cultures, styles, and historical periods 1.2 apply the elements of music when singing and/or playing, composing, and arranging music, using them for specific effects and clear purposes 1.4 use the tools and techniques of musicianship in music performances 1.5 demonstrate an understanding of standard and other musical notation through performance and composition Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing C2. apply the critical analysis process to communicate their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of music and musical experiences 2.1 express analytical personal responses to musical performances in a variety of ways 2.2 analyse using musical technology, ways in which the elements are used in the music that they perform, listen to, and create 2.3 identify and give examples of their strengths and areas for improvement as composers, musical performers, interpreters, and audience members Instructional Components Readiness ability to perform at least the first five notes of the major scale basic understanding of written notation, elements of music (form, pitch, rhythm, articulation), the Pentatonic scale, and simple rhythms ability to identify IV and V of a scale, connections between rhythm and lyrics/ words ability to sing and/or play the accompaniment ability to recognize the 12-bar Blues chordal progression Terminology accompaniment (the 12-bar Blues harmonic progression using the root of chord) balanced melodic line Jazz rhythm lyrics melody pitch rhythm root note of a chord swing beat improvise (improvisation) major scale manuscript paper pentatonic scale scale 12-bar Blues Learning Goals (Unpacked Expectations) Play and/or sing the 12-Bar Blues in tune from musical notation. Write a balanced melodic line on manuscript paper incorporating The Blues chordal progression. Apply Jazz rhythms and articulation in personal composition and improvising. Consider the cultural context of a work in response to an example of the 12-bar Blues. Self-assess personal singing and/or playing and make choices to improve composition. Materials and Resources First 5 notes reference page Blues scale Students lyrics Students accompaniment page Students melodies Jazz rhythm examples Reflection Log Self-Assessement Checklist Reflection Log Reflection Questions Performance Rubric 1

Collaborative Composition Lesson 8 Minds On Pairs Warming Up In pairs, students practise playing and/or singing their compositions. One student plays his/her melodic composition while the partner plays the accompaniment. Students then reverse roles. Grade 7 Music Pause and Ponder Action! Whole Class Identifying Collaborative Techniques Create a chart titled Collaborative Skills for Small Ensembles. On the three-column chart with the headings: Feels like, Looks like, Sounds like, make connections to the positive learning during the previous lessons by brainstorming teamwork strategies and skills. Small Group Composing Collaboratively Students join a classmate with whom they have not yet worked during this unit. Pairs join another pair to form a group of 4 for their performance ensemble. Each member of the ensemble takes a turn sharing the lyrics and singing and/or playing his/her personal melody while another member plays the accompaniment. The ensemble collaboratively decides which melody or parts of melodies they will perform as well as who will play and/or sing the melody and who will play the accompaniment. Ensembles practise. Encourage students to assist each other with proper technique and musicianship, e.g., correct articulations and pitch accuracy. QuickTip Actively scaffold development of collaborative skills by providing individual verbal feedback on anchor chart criteria. Identify students requiring additional guided practice. Consolidation Small Group Providing Feedback for Revision/Refinement Ask a volunteer ensemble to play. Model how to give constructive feedback using the Feedback for Revising and Refining handout. Co-construct an Effective Feedback anchor chart. Ensemble members collaboratively provide feedback to each other. Ensembles practise, each member using the feedback to improve performance. Whole Group Reflecting on the Creative Process Facilitate a discussion by creating a community circle. Remind students that their self- and peer assessment and reflection are part of the Reflecting and Evaluating stage of the Creative Process. Pose open-ended questions, e.g., How can awareness of the Creative Process help you leverage the power of the process? How can you use the Creative Process in other school subjects? How can you use the Creative Process in areas of your life beyond school? Students pass a speaker s token, speaking one at a time in response to one question at a time. Students respond to 2 of the 3 prompts from the community circle discussion in their Reflection Log. Use the Observation Checklist Assessment for Learning Checkpoint Lesson 8 to note verbal feedback provided. Using a rubric-based Likert scale, students provide feedback to ensemble members, and then use feedback to revise/ refine their own performance. QuickTip Build literacy skills in responding in writing to questions. See the video One Approach to Questions. Collect and provide feedback on ability to respond to the questions (all process, or how, questions). 2

Collaborative Composition Lesson 8 Grade 7 Music Minds On Warming Up A warm up activity warms up the instrument, as well as the students body and mind. Because an effective warm up prepares students for the particular lessons, the warm up in this lesson needs to include the Jazz rhythms in Lesson 3. Using these Jazz rhythms provides students with an experiential activity that supports attainment and consolidates learning. Action! Collaborative Skills Clarifying the meaning of collaboration may help identify strategies and skills. Collaboration means: working toward common goals and common product sharing knowledge learning reaching consensus. An anchor chart can cue students to practise collaborative learning skills: taking turns making sure everyone understands agreeing disagreeably practising active listening. Collaborative learning skills also need to be modelled and explicitly taught. Provide scaffolds, such as anchor charts, and specific, constructive, oral feedback during collaborative learning activities. Hold students individually and collaboratively accountable. Resource on collaborative learning: Bennett, Barrie and Rolheiser, Carol (2001). Beyond Monet: The Artful Science of Instructional Integration. Ajax, ON: Bookation. p. 289. Consolidation Community Circle Community circles are useful for exploring open-ended questions, developing speaking skills, and building community. Students sit in a circle. An open-ended question is posed. A speaker s token, e.g., speaking stick, is passed from student to student. Students may speak only when holding the speaker s token. All other students direct attention to the speaker. No comments, particularly negative ones, are permitted. Students may pass. Provide an opportunity for them to speak after the question has gone around the circle, if they wish.

I ve Got The Blues! Performance Rubric: 12-bar Blues Achievement Category Application of knowledge and skills (1.1) Application Transfer of knowledge and skills (application) (1.3) (1.4) Criteria Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Singing and/or playing in tune from musical notation: being in tune, performing pitches and rhythms Performing a composition in 12- bar Blues form Performing musicianship techniques, e.g., tempo, articulation, posture and position Sings and/or plays in tune with limited accuracy Performs pitches with limited accuracy Performs rhythms with limited accuracy Performs a partially balanced melodic line in 12-bar Blues form with limited Performs with an unsteady/inconsistent tempo Articulates Jazz rhythms (staccato, accent, tenuto) with limited Performs with limited correctness posture and instrument playing position Sings and/or plays in tune with some accuracy Performs pitches with some accuracy Performs rhythms with some accuracy Performs a balanced melodic line in 12-bar Blues form with some Performs with a some steady/consistent tempo Articulates Jazz rhythms (staccato, accent, tenuto) with some Performs with moderate correctness posture and instrument playing position Sings and/or plays in tune with considerable accuracy Performs pitches with considerable accuracy Performs rhythms with considerable accuracy Performs a somewhat balanced melodic line in 12-bar Blues form with considerable Performs with a considerable steady/ consistent tempo Articulates Jazz rhythms (staccato, accent, tenuto) with considerable Performs with considerable correctness posture and instrument playing position Sings and/or plays in tune with a high degree of accuracy Performs pitches with a high degree of accuracy Performs rhythms with a high degree of accuracy Performs a balanced melodic line in 12-bar Blues form with a high degree of Performs with a highly steady and consistent tempo Performs articulation (staccato, accent, tenuto) found in Jazz rhythms with a high degree of Performs with a high degree of correctness posture and instrument playing position Communication (1.2) Application of the elements of music when performing an improvised melody over a Jazz rhythm Applies elements (Blues form, pitch, rhythm, articulation) with limited Applies some elements (Blues form, pitch, rhythm, articulation) with some Applies some elements (Blues form, pitch, rhythm, articulation) with considerable Applies elements (Blues form, pitch, rhythm, articulation) with a high degree of

I ve Got The Blues! Observation Checklist Assessment Checkpoint Lesson 8 Student In tune Jazz rhythms Pitch Articulation Tempo Posture & instrument position Balanced melodic line Feedback provided Date

Name: I am able to perform I ve Got The Blues! Feedback for Revising and Refining In tune Achieving Approaching Beginning Accurate pitches Achieving Approaching Beginning A balanced melodic line Achieving Approaching Beginning Steady tempo Achieving Approaching Beginning Articulation (staccato, accent, tenuto) Achieving Approaching Beginning With correct posture and instrument position Achieving Approaching Beginning By applying elements (blues form, pitch, rhythm, articulation) Congratulations on Achieving Approaching Beginning To improve you could Feedback from

Name: I ve Got The Blues! Reflection Log Self-Assessment Checklist Indicate progress with a coloured sticky dot (beginning- red; approaching - yellow; achieving - green). Update progress on learning goals throughout the unit. When you have completed this log, hand it in to your teacher. Lesson Learning Goals Progress Dots 1 I can identify/sing and/or play a rhythm. I can write my own lyrics in an AAB form. I am playing /singing my notes accurately. 2 I can identify scale degrees I IV and V and play them in the context of the blues progression. I can play/sing the first 5 notes of the major scale. I can identify/sing and/or play I IV V in a scale. 3 I can improvise using 3 notes with a Jazz rhythm. I have explored various rhythms in my improvisations. I am beginning to use articulation that is stylistically appropriate to the Blues form. 4-7 I have tried improvising using all the notes of the Blues scale. I know the 12-bar Blues form. Write form in Roman numerals on the line. I know the notes (I, IV, V) on my instrument in 12-bar Blues form. Write form in note names for your instrument on the line. I wrote 2 bars of melody and it was checked by (partner). I wrote 8 bars of melody and it was checked by (partner). I wrote 12 bars of melody and it was checked by (teacher).

I ve Got The Blues! Reflection Log Reflection Questions Name: Date: -------------------------- Lesson 8: Composing Collaboratively 1. In this unit you have experienced both creating a composition on your own and creating a composition collaboratively with classmates. What are the benefits and challenges of each approach to composition? Which do you prefer? Benefits to composing individually are Challenges to composing individually are Benefits to composing collaboratively are Challenges to composing collaboratively are Personally, I prefer