TO: FROM: RE: All Principals, Teachers and Music Specialists Elementary Music Curriculum Committee Music Performance Assessments for Kindergarten through Grade 8 Cumulative Music Assessments for Grades 4 through 8 Dear Teachers, Attached please find two Music Assessments to be given to your students during the Third Trimester. The Music Performance Assessment has been divided up into three levels Early Childhood/Primary Elementary (K-3), Elementary/Middle School (4-6) and Upper Elementary/Middle School (7-8). The intended product of the assessment is the creation and performance of rhythmic ostinatos. The level of difficulty increases accordingly with a simple teacher-led performance at the Early Childhood/Primary Elementary level to the creation and performance of melodies and rhythmic ostinatos by students in the 7 th and 8 th Grades. We are aware that not every school has a music teacher and that some music teachers have not been in their present schools for very long. We are recommending that the Performance Assessment be given as is by music teachers who have been in their present schools for at least three (3) years. In order to maintain the integrity of this assessment, we ask that the assessment be adapted as necessary by those teaching music fewer than three years in their present school or who do not have a music background so that all students in the Archdiocesan schools will have experienced the Music Performance Assessment. The Cumulative Assessment is for students in Grades 4 through 8. This, too, has been created in levels. The same test may be given for students in Grades 4 and 5. The format is the same for students in Grades 6-8 but is longer. There is a listening test associated with this assessment. You are invited to use a selection of music of your own choosing. We did not recommend any particular pieces of music. This is the fifth year for Diocesan-wide Music assessments on the Elementary level so most should be familiar with the process. Thank you for all that you do to bring the gift of music into the lives of our children. May God bless you for all of your work.
Music Performance Assessment Early Childhood/Primary Elementary (K-3) Standards: #2, 4, 5 Purpose of Assessment: Formative Intended Products: Performance of rhythmic ostinatos Tasks: 1. Students need to imitate teacher-led rhythmic pattern whether in singing or using body percussion (clapping, patting, etc.) 2. Students use percussion instruments to imitate teacher-led patterns. 3. Students perform or play contrasting parts at the same time. 4. Students exchange instruments and play the opposite pattern. Evaluative Criteria: 1. Students can sing or play teacher-directed rhythmic ostinatos. 2. Students can identify meter and note values. 3. Students can identify percussion instruments. Exemplary Response: Students can create and perform their own rhythmic patterns in contrasting parts.
Music Performance Assessment Elementary/Middle School (Grades 4-6) Standards: #2, 4, 5 Purpose of Assessment: Formative Intended Products: Tasks: 1. Creation of rhythmic ostinatos 2. Performance of rhythmic ostinatos 3. Performance of rhythmic score 1. Students need to imitate teacher-led rhythmic pattern whether in singing or using body percussion (clapping, patting, etc.) 2. Students use percussion instruments to imitate teacher-led patterns. 3. Students perform or play contrasting parts at the same time. 4. Students exchange instruments and play the opposite pattern. 5. Individual students create and play a simple four (4) measure rhythmic pattern in 4/4 time using whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes and their corresponding rests. 6. Following teacher instruction, students form groups of two or three students each and play their individual four measures of rhythmic notation for each other. (N.B. Number in small groups will vary according to the number of students in the class. Four (4) should be the maximum amount of students in a small group). 7. Students create a rhythm score of two (2) or three (3) lines combining all of their individual rhythm patterns. 8. Each group of students performs their rhythm score with a nongroup member acting as the conductor. Evaluative Criteria: 1. Students can sing or play teacher-directed rhythmic ostinatos.
2. Students can identify meter and note values. 3. Students can identify percussion instruments. 4. Students can create a simple four (4) measure rhythmic pattern in 4/4 time. 5. Students can play their own ostinato pattern. 6. Students can work with others to create a rhythm score. 7. Students can play a two (2) or three (3) line rhythm score. Exemplary Responses - Any of the following are acceptable: 1. Students can create a rhythm score in a meter other than 4/4 time (e.g. 2/4, 3/4, 3/8, 6/8, 3/2, 4/2). 2. Students can create a melody to accompany their rhythm score. 3. Students can create a melody to accompany their individual rhythmic ostinatos.
Performance Assessment Rubric Grades 4-6 4 3 2 1 Score Creation Student Student Student Student is of 4 works requires requires unable to measure independently minimal some complete ostinato without assistance assistance task pattern teacher assistance Ability to Student can Student Student Student is play play requires requires unable to pattern independently minimal some complete without assistance assistance the task assistance Ability to Student can Student Student Student work with work requires needs cannot others independently minimal some work with with others direction direction others when when working working with others with others Ability to Student can Student Student Student play play rhythm requires requires cannot rhythm score minimal some play score in a independently assistance assistance rhythm small group score
Music Performance Assessment Upper Elementary/Middle School (Grades 7-8) Standards: #2, 3, 4, 5 Purpose of Assessment: Formative Intended Products: Performance of Rhythmic/Melodic Compositions Tasks: 1. Students compose an 8 measure rhythmic ostinato in 4/4 time signature. 2. Students use percussion instruments to play rhythmic ostinato. 3. Students compose an 8 measure melody in 4/4 time signature using the C major scale (or scale of teacher s choice) 4. Students use melody instruments; recorder, piano, xylophone, etc. to play melody. 5. Students play completed compositions while being conducted (by one student). 6. Students change parts; melody, rhythm, conductor. Evaluative Criteria: 1. Students can play rhythmic ostinato. 2. Students can play melody. 3. Students can conduct in 4/4. 4. Students have correctly notated rhythm and melody compositions using treble clef, 4/4 time signature, correct note/rest values, etc. 5. Students can correctly perform and conduct compositions. 6. Students can critique their own and other students work.
Performance Assessment Rubric Grades 7-8 4 3 2 1 Score Creation of Student Student Student Student is 8 measure works requires requires unable to ostinato independently minimal some complete pattern without assistance assistance task teacher assistance Ability to Student can Student Student Student is play pattern play requires requires unable to independently minimal some complete without assistance assistance the task assistance Creation of Student Student Student Student is 8 measure works requires requires unable to melody in independently minimal some complete 4/4 time without assistance assistance task teacher assistance Ability to Student can Student Student Student is play melody play requires requires unable to independently minimal some complete without assistance assistance task assistance Ability to Student can Student Student Student work with work requires needs cannot others independently minimal some work with with others direction direction others when when working with others working with others Ability to Student can Student Student Student play play requires requires cannot play composition composition minimal some composition in a small independently assistance assistance group Ability to Student can Student Student Student is conduct and conduct and requires requires unable to follow a follow a minimal some complete conductor conductor assistance assistance task
Cumulative Assessment Elementary/Middle School (Grades 4&5) Music Name Date Elements of Music Match Column A with Column B. Column A 1. Melody 2. Dynamics 3. Tempo 4. Rhythm 5. Harmony Column B A. A pattern of long and short notes B. The speed of the music (fast or slow) C. Two or more notes played or sung at the same time D. Degrees of loudness or softness E. A single line of notes that moves up, down, or repeats The Music Staff 6. Name the music alphabet 7. Name the lines used in the treble clef_ 8. Name the spaces used in the treble clef 9. On the staff below, draw the treble clef sign and bar lines after each word, then place whole notes above each word to show its placement on the staff. Face Deaf Badge Cabbage Dead
Rhythmic Notation 10. Draw the corresponding notes and rests: Whole note Half note Quarter note Eighth note Whole rest Half rest Quarter rest Eighth rest 11. Tell how many beats each note receives in 4/4 time: Whole note Quarter note Half note Eighth note Instruments of the Orchestra 12. List the four (4) major families of the orchestra and at least two instruments in each family: (Family) (Family) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Family) _ (Family) _ Listening Assessment: Listen to the piece of music played by your teacher then answer the following questions: 1. What is the form of the music selection? 2. Did the melody move mostly up, down or repeat? 3. What is the time signature of the selection (2/4, 3/4, 4/4)? 4. What instruments were in the selection?
Cumulative Assessment Elementary /Middle School (Grades 4 & 5) Music 1. E 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. A, B, C, D, E, F, G 7. E, G, B, D, F 8. F, A, C, E 9. Accept responses in either octave. Students should also have a bar line after each word and before the treble clef and after the last word. Face Deaf Badge Cabbage Dead 10. If you are unsure of the answers to this question, please refer to a teacher s manual. 11. Whole= 4 Half=2 Quarter=1 Eighth=1/2 12. Appropriate answers include but are not limited to: Strings: Violin, Cello, Viola, Bass, Harp Woodwinds: Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon. Saxophone, Oboe Brass: Trumpet, French Horn, Baritone, Trombone, Tuba Percussion/Keyboard: Piano, Tympani, Drum Set, Xylophone, Organ, Cymbal
Cumulative Assessment Middle School (Grades 6 to 8) Music Name Date Elements of Music Match Column A with Column B. Column A 1. Melody 2. Dynamics 3. Tempo 4. Rhythm 5. Harmony Column B A. A pattern of long and short notes B. The speed of the music (fast or slow) C. Two or more notes played or sung at the same time D. Degrees of loudness or softness E. A single line of notes that moves up, down, or repeats The Music Staff 6. Name the music alphabet 7. Name the lines used in the treble clef 8. Name the spaces used in the treble clef 9. In the space below, draw the staff, add a treble clef sign and bar lines after each word, then place whole notes above each word to show its placement on the staff. Face Deaf Badge Cabbage Dead
10. Name the lines used in the bass clef_ 11. Name the spaces used in the bass clef 12. In the space below, draw the staff, add a bass clef sign and bar lines after each word, then place whole notes above each word to show its placement on the staff. Age Bade Edge Baggage Café Rhythmic Notation 13. Draw the corresponding notes and rests: Whole note Half note Quarter note Eighth note Whole rest Half rest Quarter rest Eighth rest 14. Tell how many beats each note receives in 3/2 time: Whole note Quarter note Half note Eighth note Music History 15. Choose two (2) of the following periods of Music History and list two (2) important characteristics of those periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20 th Century. Please answer in complete sentences.
Match Column A with Column B. Column A 16. Antonio Vivaldi 17. George Frideric Handel 18. Johann Sebastian Bach 19. Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky 20. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Column B A. The Magic Flute B. The Brandenberg Concertos C. The Nutcracker Suite D. The Four Seasons E. The Messiah Short Essays Questions: Please answer in complete sentences. 21. What is a composer? 22. What challenge did Ludwig Van Beethoven experience during his lifetime that impacted his ability to compose music? How did he overcome this challenge?
23. Briefly describe Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart s musical development as a young child and his contributions to music as an adult. Dynamics Match Column A with Column B Column A 24. forte 25. pianissimo 26. mezzoforte 27. piano 28. mezzo 29. fortissimo 30. mezzopiano Column B A. Medium B. Loud C. Soft D. Very loud E. Medium soft F. Medium loud G. Very soft Listening Assessment: Listen to the piece of music played by your teacher Then answer the following questions: 1. What is the form of the music selection? 2. Did the melody move mostly up, down or repeat? 3. What is the time signature of the selection? 4. What instruments were in the selection?
Cumulative Assessment Answer Key Middle School (Grades 6 to 8) Music 1. E 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. A, B, C, D, E, F, G 7. E, G, B, D, F 8. F, A, C, E 9. Students should also have a bar line after each word and before the treble clef and after the last word. Face Deaf Badge Cabbage Dead 10. G, B, D, F, A 11. A, C, E G 12. Students should also have a bar line after each word and before the bass clef and after the last word. Age Bade Edge Baggage Café 13. If you are unsure of the answers to this question, please refer to a teacher s manual. 14. Whole= 2 Half= 1 Quarter=1/2 Eighth= ¼
15. Answers could include but are not limited to the following: 16. D 17. E 18. B 19. C 20. A Baroque: organized sounds; decorated, elaborate melodies Classical: orderly, balanced, clear Romantic: programmatic, very free-feeling/free-flowing 20 th Century: blurred harmonies, no strong rhythmic beat, I Impressionistic sounding. 21. Teacher judgement 22. Beethoven went deaf. 23. Answers should include three (3) of the following facts: 24. B 25. G 26. F 27. C 28. A 29. D 30. E a. Mozart was a child prodigy. b. He began playing the violin at age three. c. He composed his first piece of music at age five. d. He toured with his father and sister. e. He composed his first opera at age 13. f. He composed over 700 pieces of music during his short lifetime.