Unit Plan Overview

Unit:
Stage 1- Desired Results
Connections to Context:
Learning music theory will help
students understand the music they
are studying. It will also help them
understand their sight reading and
certain rules in music are in place. I
will be making connections from
theory to the piece we will be
learning as well. This will help them
become better musicians which will
allow them to flourish artistically and
give them a creative outlet.
(How does this fit with students
experiences, the school goals, and the
larger societal issues?)

Established Goals
ART.M.I.HS.1 - Sing and play with
expression and technical accuracy a
large and varied repertoire of vocal
and instrumental literature with a
moderate level of difficulty, including
some selections performed from
memory.
ART.M.1.HS.6 - Sight read accurately
and expressively, music with a
moderate level of difficulty.
ART.M.III.HS.1 - Demonstrate
extensive knowledge and use of the
technical vocabulary of music.
(What content standards and programor mission-related goal(s) will the unit
address?
What habits of mind and crossdisciplinary goal(s)- for example 21st

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Name each key signature in order of sharps and flats
Explain the two different methods of determining the key signature
Identify how a key signature and its corresponding scale are related.
Explain how the solfege is affected by key signatures
Sight read music quickly and easily
Perform The Awakening by Joseph Martin from memory
Find examples of theory in the piece The Awakening
(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that
Students will keep considering
The significance of key signatures is much
The different types of keys and also different
larger than just a theoretical lesson. It is used
modes that keys apply to.
in every piece of music. They will understand

Other ways they can apply this theory to their

how you can apply the knowledge of key
other pieces and sight reading
signatures to music.
Degrees of a scale and how they can be
How theory can be realized in actual music
manipulated.
that they are learning.
(What specifically do you want students to
understand?
What inferences should they make?)

(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry,

meaning- making and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Students will know
Students will be skilled at
Students will exhibit
All major key signatures
Identifying key signatures in
The ability to look at music
any piece of music or sightand see it for more than just
The 2 methods for figuring
reading
exercise
symbols on a page.
out sharps and flats key

Placing
the
sharps
or
flats
on

A way to broaden their

signatures
the
corresponding
notes
in
a
perspectives of what music is
The Awakening
key signature.
and what it can be.
(What facts and basic concepts
should students know and be
able to recall?)

(What discrete skills and processes

should students be able to use?)

(What values and commitments and

attitudes should students acquire or
wrestle with?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

century skills, core competencies- will

this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)

Evaluative Criteria
Can they identify all of the
key signatures
Can they successfully give
two correct methods of
finding key signatures
Can they identify the pitches
that receive accidentals
(What criteria will be used in each
assessment to evaluate attainment of
the desired results?)

It cannot be stressful and I

would like if students didnt
think they were actually
being tested.
Efficiency is also important in
dealing with larger classes.

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Answering questions on different key signatures through both aurally and written quizzes.
Discussing the applications to The Awakening and where their learning fits in.
Being able to accomplish certain tasks that are oriented towards theory without implicitly telling
them so.
Short part tests on the song to check their learning
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex
performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:
I will be monitoring and listening to them as they sing and go through the activities. This will be
something I will constantly be reflecting on.
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

(Regardless of the format of the

assessment, what qualities are most
important?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Their knowledge of a major scale will be important to go over
Going over accidentals and what keys are will also help
After that it will be day-to day pre-assessments going over what we had previously learned.
Pre-assessment- due ________

(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does
Learning Events
each learning event build?)
Acquisition
Meaning

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their

participation in these learning events

Transfer

Discussing in a lecture style format what key signatures are and how
you can figure them out. I will give them helpful tips and tricks to
remembering them.
In learning the music we will talk about the different key signatures
and what that means for the notes in the scale
We will have other activities that will teach more theory to them in a
more round-about way than lecturing. They will be more practical
ways of viewing theory.
The core of the learning experience will be the song that we are
learning so that will also be a crucial learning event that will be
spread out over a number of weeks.
Students will also need to take part in all of the sight-reading
exercises to improve their sight-singing abilities.
Students will need to actively think about how keys affect the solfege
that is involved with that particular scale.

Progress Monitoring

(How will you monitor students

progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer during
lesson events?)

Once in a while I will have short

written quizzes to test their
knowledge. Also short verbal
quizzes will help in gauging
where they are as well.

(How will students monitor

their own progress toward
acquisition, meaning, and
transfer?)

They will see evidence of their

progression in the music and will
be able to gauge their
understandings from feedback on
the quick quizzes both written and
aurally.

(What are potential rough spots

and student misunderstandings?)

If they just dont pick up on the

concept because it takes a
while for some people. I am
also teaching to a wide range of
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Star the multiple means of representation; underline the multiple means of

action and expression; circle the multiple means of engagement
(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in
the learning plan?)

(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)

(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

abilities so what may make

sense for one person could
possibly just make it more
confusing for another.

(How will students get the

feedback they need?)

I will give them their quizzes back

and that will also help me gauge
what they understand and dont
understand.

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum