Music Assessment Plan

Angela Schmitt

Objectives and Skills: The skills listed below will probably vary depending on annual goals and
objectives for classes with different skill sets and abilities. I compiled lists of informally and
formally assessed objectives that will vary slightly to accommodate high school or middle
school, though these objectives are overarching. It is standard that in the music classroom we are
continuously informally assessing, and we then typically try to formally assess some or most of
these same objectives. With this rationale, there is significant overlap in the assessment lists
below.

Informally Assessed:
Rehearsal etiquette
Posture
Playing position
Blend and balance of ensemble
Tone
Intonation
Rhythm
Technique
Interpretation
Formally Assessed:
Tone
Intonation
Rhythm
Technique
Interpretation
Year Improvement (self assessment)

Performance Assessment (Assessments are attached at the end of the document in the order listed
below)
6th/7th/8th grade music history test: shows understanding of the musical history reading
and lessons we have done on each respective era. These assessments are given upon
classroom reading and analysis of the reading on that era. Peer reviewing, questioning,
and information recall are used as review before taking the assessment. Attached below is
the 7th grade assessment on the classical era.
6th/7th/8th grade rhythmic dictation test: shows understanding and comprehension of
rhythm verbally and aurally related to the unit of study. These dictation assessments help
relate sight to sound in the rhythmic abilities of these young students, helping solidify
their ability to read and play rhythms. This really aids their ability to sight read and learn
rhythms independently. Attached below is the 7th grade 6/8 rhythmic dictation
assessment.
8th grade program notes rubric: shows students ability to synthesize information, and to
understand musical context and history. This assessment is easily connected to the
content of the class via assigning students to write program notes on the pieces they are
 working on for any given concert cycle. Attached is the checklist, peer editing, and final
rubric used to assess their program notes assignment.
High School MSBOA Rubric: shows student achievement and ability in regard to the
MSBOA rubric to best prepare students for graded performances. This rubric/assessment
sheet is used for playing tests in all high school groups, and in any chair challenges that
take place. By using this rubric, students become more familiar with what constitutes
good music making, and what they are rated on at festival and solo and ensemble
performances. Attached is the MSBOA rubric and overall evaluation.

Assessment Results Reflection: Listed below are the assessments that have been used at my
placement this semester.
HS playing tests These normally result in high schools and accurate placements of
students within ensembles. Using the MSBOA rubric, consistent objectives are enforced.
Results are communicated to students via sheets with their scores and comments.
Instruction is then modified in full ensemble teaching objectives and in individual
instruction.
HS chair challenges Again, these hold students to consistent standards in their musical
endeavors as they are graded on the same objectives from performance to performance.
Challenges are less frequent in the lower ensembles, but in ensembles where students are
aware of their strengths and weaknesses, they are more frequent. Students are permitted
to choose an excerpt from their repertoire to challenge on. Results are communicated to
students verbally based on the rubric, and results in either a chair change, or no change.
MS program notes The program notes assessment shows the synthesized, complete
project over a short unit of instruction and research. The assessment is the same rubric
that students use to self-assess before the peer-review day of the unit. This way, they are
familiar with the objectives and the rubric I use to give the final grade. Assessment
results are communicated via circles and comments on the rubric. Instruction will be
modified by adapting later reading and writing assignments to better fit the needs of the
students made visible through this mini-unit.
MS music history reading quizzes These assessments show understanding of the era of
musical history that is being emphasized for the corresponding unit. The quizzes are
multiple choice and come directly from the assigned reading we do as a class. Results are
communicated to students via written scores on their tests. Instruction is modified to be
sure students do not mis-learn the history they have just been tested on.
MS rhythmic dictation These assessments demonstrate the students ability to learn
rhythms for the corresponding unit. There are three sections to this assessment. One
which involves students writing notes for numerical values, the second which requires
students to write out numerical values for note values, and the third which requires aural
to written dictation. The results are communicated to students in the physical return of
their test with their scores on top and comments on the page. Instruction is modified to
help close learning gaps in the rhythms or any aspect of the test where several students
underperformed.
MS daily attendance playing These are short, formal assessments that occur daily in
middle school. For attendance, each student plays a small musical excerpt such as one
way up a scale, a measure of a piece in the book, or a measure of a piece of repertoire.
This way, problems are identified quicker and data can show student growth because it is
taken daily. These assessments are not communicated to students because they dont
affect the students grade, but do show areas of strength and weakness as well as trends in
achievement and understanding. Instruction is modified based on how students perform
by providing small group work, or one on one supplemental instruction to help struggling
students.
Day 1 Checklist:

Title of piece:

Publication year:

Composer name:

Composer dates (lifespan):

Information about the composer (3 bullet points)

1.
2.

3.

Description of the piece (3 bullet points)

1.
2.

3.

Individual interpretation (3 bullet points)

1.
2.

3.

Questions I have:
 Peer Editing

Name: _____________________

Editor 1:
One thing I like about your paper is:

One thing I learned from your paper is:

One thing I think you could fix or improve is:

Editor 2:
One thing I like about your paper is:

One thing I learned from your paper is:

One thing I think you could fix or improve is:

Self Evaluation Rubric:
3 2 1 0
Heading Includes all of the Includes most of Includes few of Includes none of
following: the following: the following: the following:
-Title of piece -Title of piece -Title of piece -Title of piece
-Date published -Date published -Date published -Date published
-Composer name -Composer name -Composer name -Composer name
-Composer birth -Composer birth -Composer birth -Composer birth
year year year year
Biography Includes three Includes two Includes one Includes no
pieces of pieces of piece of information about
information about information about information about the composer.
the composer. the composer. the composer.
Description Includes three Includes two Includes one Includes no
pieces of pieces of piece of descriptive
descriptive descriptive descriptive information about
information about information about information about the piece.
the piece. the piece. the piece.
Individual Includes three Includes two Includes one Includes no
interpretation statements about statements about statement about statements about
individual individual individual individual
interpretation. interpretation. interpretation. interpretation.
Grammar/Spell Writing has 1-3 Writing has 3-5 Writing has 5-7 Writing has 7 or
ing/Flow spelling or spelling or spelling or more spelling or
grammar errors grammar errors grammar errors grammar errors
that do not detract that slightly that greatly that disrupt the
from the program detract from the detract from the program notes.
notes. Writing program notes. program notes. Writing does not
flows and Writing flows and Writing flows and flow or connect
connects connects connects information.
information well. information information Contains
Contains decently well. sporadically. bibliography.
bibliography. Contains Contains
bibliography. bibliography.