Contextual Information and Student Learning Adaptations

Total Number of Students in the School: 1,123

School Socio-Economic Make-Up (i.e., % free and reduced lunches): 78%

Class
1
Grade Level/Subject Taught 9-12 Grade Mixed Chorus
Number of Students in Classroom 33

Contextual Information: Class Student Learning Adaptations:

(List the number of students identified in
each class you teach and identify the class in
which you are teaching your unit)
Gender
Number of Females:
Number of Males:
1 (Describe at least one example of a strategy to provide
equitable opportunities, accommodations, or
modifications you attempted for any student identified
within each contextual characteristic)
20 F Promote socialization and inclusion to ensure
13 M everyone is treating each other with respect.

Ethnic/Cultural Make-Up
Caucasian/White: 3 Promote socialization and inclusion to ensure
African American/ Black: 8
everyone is treating each other with respect.
Hispanic/Latino: 19
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3
American Indian/Alaskan Native: 0

Language Proficiency Select a piece of music that is of a foreign

Number of English Language Learners None. All English language. All students in this school take a
(ELL): speakers, some
second/third language and thrive learning to sing
are ESL.
in an alternate language.

Academic Performance Information for NA

Students Performing this row was not
Below Grade Level: provided.
Student Performing
Above Grade Level:

Students with Special Needs I received the

Learning Disability: following
Emotional/Behavioral Impairment: information.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD):
Developmental Disability: -6 Asthma
-Give breaks from singing and moving as needed.
Intellectual Disability: -1 Asberger’s -Gauge for a needed break or reiteration of
Speech/Language Impairment: -1 learning directions.
Autism Spectrum: disability IEPs -Make appropriate modifications and be lenient
Gifted: with classroom expectations. Be sure to give
Blind/Visual Impairment (VI): -2 gifted IEPs adequate break time.
Deaf /Hearing Impairment (HI): -Ensure content is challenging and has room for
Physical Disability: excelled growth.
Other Health Impairment:
 Contextual Information and Student Learning Adaptations
(Continued)

Student Characteristics:
Describe the developmental characteristics of students in your classroom.
(Cognitive, Physical, Emotional, Social).
Students in this class range in characteristics due to their age and high school experience. Cognitively, the
young male singers in the group have not had much experience singing with their newly changed voice. We
experiment with having them sing in the appropriate octave and not singing everything low. The young
female singers are comfortable singing in the mid-voice, but when it comes to singing higher soprano notes,
they struggle to feel confident. Emotionally, students also vary. As noted, some students have been in choir
since 6th grade and now are seniors, but some are new to singing. For this reason, we start with the basics of
using our singing voice, standing appropriately, how to hold our folders, that singing can sometimes be
intimate and there is no place for judgement in my classroom, etc. Socially, this group is also challenging
due to age and experience so encouraging socialization early on is important. Freshman-seniors are enrolled.
At the beginning of the semester, we made sure to make time for activities that allowed students to learn
names and have casual conversations by playing games.

Highlight the prior knowledge and interests of students in your classroom.

As stated in my previous response, students vary in skill and age. Some students are dual/triple enrolled in
choir at Sumner and some have never sung in a group like this before. Some students have even expressed
interest in singing following graduation from high school. With this extreme variation in student knowledge,
my cooperating teacher was very diligent about how the first weeks of school were planned out. When we
did entry and beginner activities, the returning students were always encouraged to participate early-on to
demonstrate. In a way, insistences like this were highly beneficial in my mind. The beginners were able to
see students “buying” into our lessons through their participation, happiness, and observation of the
socialization that was happening.

Our classroom was also unique in the sense that we have students who are highly involved all over the
school. Because Sumner is a magnet school, students have a rigorous curriculum. Many being dual-language
learners, multi-sport athletes, and multi-discipline musicians. With that in mind, we always made an effort to
highlight student achievements an events outside of the classroom. To me, having students come from all
over to make music together is enriching and so beneficial to the young adults. It teaches them the
importance of teamwork and how in choir, everyone’s voice matters – so everyone must buy in.

Describe the implications these characteristics have on planning and instruction.

(e.g. What instructional strategies will you use to meet the unique learning needs of all your students?)
As with any area of concentration, each group of students is different. We had two Mixed Choruses this
semester, and each group had varying strengths and weaknesses. My instructional strategies were extremely
varying depending on the goal and personnel. I’d often use techniques that isolated my advanced students to
serve as an example, making constant informal assessments that gauged for understanding, modeling my
intended outcome, had small group sectionals, had silent/independent time for reflection and learning, etc.
Environmental Factors:
Describe district, school, and classroom environmental factors impacting the quality of education
for all of your students.
Sumner Academy is situated on 8th and Washington Street in north Kansas City Kansas. As I mentioned
earlier, this school is a magnet school that contains 8-12 graders from all over the district. Prior to 8th grade,
parents and students can apply to attend this school. To my knowledge, students are accepted based on
academics, behavior, and other factors. If students cannot maintain certain school-set standards, it’s possible
they will be sent back to their area high school.

Sumner Academy holds academics and activities to a high standard. Students are required to pursue certain
IB courses, a handful of language credits, and are encouraged to take college-credit courses early on. It was
often said that students at this school were under lots of pressure to be star achievers. They’d often walk into
the classroom tired, overworked, and/or in a bad mood. Also, because a lot of these students come from low-
income families, they would often work a job during the school week (sometimes after sports practice). The
work ethic I observed in these kids was quite impressive.

The classroom that choir is held in is rather small. There are built-in risers, two small practice rooms, and a
small floor area for the teacher and grand piano to live. On the bright side, above the whiteboard there was a
massive TV that had functioning Airplay for content casting. Also, the grand piano in this classroom was
always tuned and sounded great. Although the school is very old and small for the enrollment size, students
and teachers make it work to make the learning happen!

Describe community and family environmental factors impacting the quality of education for all of
your students.
It’s known that the KCK school district contains a good number of low-income families. I’d often hear
stories of how students and their families have to get by. As I mentioned above, it is extremely common for
all students to work – often 20-30 hours a week. Being in a performing arts course often comes with an
associated cost. Students in this course needed to pay a robe cleaning fee. They will wear this robe over
regular clothes during the concert. My cooperating teacher employs a genius system, however. The students
sell chocolate as a fundraiser. The money they accrue goes into their own “personal account”. Students can
then use that money to pay for their robe cleaning fee, a t-shirt, and even put it towards trips that the students
take. This money rolls over if they choose to sing for their 5 years at Sumner. To the program’s advantage,
any money left over after the student graduates is considered a donation to the program. This money sits in
the account and helps students in need or supplements classroom costs. This money also helped reduce the
price of the advanced choir’s New York trip.

The student car parking lot is a church next door and there is no dedicated parking lot for the students
because the majority of them don’t have vehicles. Riding the bus is much more common in this district. Also,
based solely on the school’s location, in KC it is classified as an inner-city school. Students are required to
pass through metal detectors prior to entering the building each morning. Their bags are also sent through a
scanner to ensure there are no weapons.

As listed on the first page, this class (and the whole school) is extremely diverse. It is pretty much assumed
that all students have a working knowledge of English and can take language classes. However, there are
classes offered for native Spanish-speakers to learn more about culture, writing in the language, etc. Because
there is such an emphasis on speaking multiple languages, students in this school are VERY skilled when it
comes to singing in a foreign language. Because of this, my cooperating teacher highly suggested that I
should choose pieces in other languages. I had one in Swahili, one with Swahili and English, and one in
Latin, the rest in English. Students seemed to thrive and really buy into singing different languages – it was
refreshing to see. In another course hour, students sang a set of songs in Spanish. Because neither of us spoke
Spanish, it was fun to engage students to help us with the pronunciation and translation. They loved it!

Describe the implications these factors have on planning and instruction.

- When picking music, I purposely chose a piece in Latin. Latin text is the most common sung choral
language as the vowels are pure and easily picked up on by individuals. This was great for all of our
students – who take/speak 2+ languages.
- Our class is divided into 4 voice parts. Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. Soprano and Alto are most
sung by girls – and the other two by boys. However, in this class (and many others) we have students
who don’t identify with their born gender. When addressing groups of students, it was very important
for me to refer to the voice parts rather than their assumed gender. At the beginning for the semester,
it was crucial for us to inquire on their preferred pronouns.
- Given most of the students are extremely academically challenged, financially challenged, and are
involved in other activities – it sometimes was important to simply have fun and make music. Yes,
making sure the standards were met was relevant, but sometimes students just wanted to let loose and
sing with their friends. Familiar warmups, short songs, and movement activities were fun ways to let
off steam for the kids.

Focus Students Information

Provide information about the two focus students you selected from the class in which you will be teaching your
unit that you feel would benefit from modified instruction. You MUST choose one student with
exceptionalities or an English Language Learner as one of your focus students. Complete the chart below
referring to these students only as Student A and Student B. Do not use proper names.

Describe this student using Why did you What did you find out Based on this
information from the select this about this student? information what are the
Contextual Information and student? Address characteristics implications for this
Student Learning from the Contextual student’s instruction?
Adaptations Information and Student
Learning Adaptations
Student This student most likely They are dual- Cognitive - Give attention
A has ADHD (or similar). enrolled in our Has grade issues with when
school subjects but says
They sometimes have highest level they want to try harder but
appropriate
trouble controlling their chorus and this is still in the process of - Assign
body movements, being 9-12 mixed making strides to make it classroom
quiet when need be, and chorus class. happen. tasks that
over singing. They are They are very make the
Emotional
very eager to sing and high energy and Is visually readable. Most
student feel
help out in the classroom is very eager to of the time is in a very valuable
and their singing voice is participate. happy mood so much so - Incorporate
very valuable to their they need to be toned movement
section. However, their down to not disrupt. when possible
singing voice is adequate Physical
- Give subtle
and has room for age- Has difficulty standing redirections
appropriate still. Thrives on prescribed when off topic
improvement. From movement associated with or erratic
what I can tell, they see the music. behavior is
the choir classroom as a Social
noticed
safe space and enjoy Is very eager to make
being in the room even friends. Is very talkative
 when not singing. Choir and friendly but appears to
seems to be their #1 come off a bit strong at
times.
school priority.

Describe this student using Why did you What did you find out Based on this
information from the select this about this student? information what are the
Contextual Information and student? Address characteristics implications for this
Student Learning from the Contextual student’s instruction?
Adaptations Information and Student
Learning Adaptations
Student This student does not He is the Cognitive - Give constant
B appear to be super school’s varsity Excels in school and is encouragement
competent in the choir
interested in the class on quarterback and classroom.
- Promote
the surface. As the has been socialization
school’s high school enrolled in this Emotional - Give solo
quarterback, he often has lower-level No characteristics opportunities
to miss class. I’d chorus for observed or noted. Seems - Suggest
to be a very kind, calm
imagine this is his multiple years. person.
higher-level
number one priority. He has no choral groups
However, he is a great interest in Physical - Respect and
singer who participates singing in the No characteristics celebrate the
when need be and is high-level observed or noted. football team
very well behaved. He chorus but has a Social
- Assure
was given a solo due to very good Does not engage in much challenging
his effort and talent. voice. conversation and is content is
Casually gauging the hesitant to speak and sing taught
classroom, he isn’t in front of the class. Is not
disrespectful or mean.
exactly eager to speak to
other students except
those he knows because
of sports. Again, he is a
great asset to the class
and choir.

Category
Grade Level
Content Area
Unit Topic
State Standards/Common
Core Standards Addressed
(written format)
How does this unit address
state curriculum standards?
Unit Overview
Description
9-12
Beginner Mixed Voice Choral Music
Beginner Vocal Techniques, Sacred Latin Choral Music (slow and
lyrical), Upbeat Gospel Choral Music, and Ensemble Performance
Notation:
• When prompted, students can identify the name and meaning/instruction of
various score markings present in selected repertoire (staves, time signatures,
measures, barlines, repeat signs, dynamics, articulation, etc.)
• As a group, sing at sight diatonic stepwise passages Do-Sol that include
quarter, half, eighth note pairs, whole notes and quarter rests
Technique (with significant guidance in passages, vocalizes, or technique
exercises):
• Tone: Proper production (breath mgt., clear, controlled, focused, free,
resonant) in limited range
• Intonation: pitch matching in limited range, with needed adjustments being
made
• Interpretation: frequent use of expressive elements (dynamics, phrasing, style,
artistry)
Ensemble Skills
• As a group, with significant guidance, apply the above technical elements to
choral literature that is in unison or two-parts, limited and mainly diatonic
range, from memory
Evaluate
• Students individually or as a group, verbally or in writing, offer an accurate
assessment of pitch and rhythmic accuracy of a recording of their own
performance or the performance of others
Analyze/Interpret
• Students individually or as a group, verbally or in writing, describe a recording
in terms of rhythmic and melodic qualities (smooth, stepwise, disjunct,
involved, simple, complex, etc.)
Notation:
Throughout the learning process of the music, students were taught basic
notational markings that would help them read music. In a pairing unit,
students learn note names, note durations, and other various things that
would help them learn and read music better.
Technique:
Students learned elements of TIDBIT. Tone, intonation, diction, balance,
interpretation, and technical accuracy in their pursuit of singing
technique. SEE ARTIFACT #2 under Content Knowledge (#4).
Ensemble skills:
Students work to sing and perform 4-part music alongside other singers
of similar or more advanced knowledge.
 Evaluate:
Students watch and critique a recording following their on-stage
performance.

Identify and connect School
Improvement Goals related
to this unit
Rationale (why is this unit
appropriate?)
Analyze/Interpret:
This unit does not meet this standard. However, a pairing unit does.
NA and Unknown
This is a very common and appropriate unit for a beginning mixed
chorus. It involves two pieces of music that offer different styles and
languages. It is purposefully more advanced so those dual-enrolled and
returning students are interested. Everyday vocal warmups work on key
elements to improve the student’s singing voice. These warmups also
directly relate to the pieces of music that we sing. (Tall vowels,
appropriate breathing, posture, etc.)

Note that this unit does not explicitly include direct instruction
regarding reading music notation that involves pitch and rhythm.
This unit is intended to teach beginning singers the basics of singing
through warmups and two carefully selected piece of music.

Instructional Unit Objectives

Learning Goals and Objectives: What will students know and be able to do at the end of this unit?
Unit Goal: Students will perform two pieces of 4-part music from memory using their acquired
knowledge of vocal production and performance etiquette.

Objective # Unit Objectives Level(s)

(Bloom’s Taxonomy)

1 Students will learn the basics of vocal and musical production 2, 3

relating to tone, intonation, diction, balance, interpretation,
and technical accuracy.
2 Students will use their singing voices to make music. 2, 3
3 Students will take beginning steps to read and sing music. 3, 4
4 Students will learn two pieces of music of different genres and 2, 3, 6
languages.
5 Students will perform 4-part choral music using appropriate 2, 3, 6
etiquette.
6 Students will analyze and critique their performance. 4, 5
Instructional Design

Lesson Date Lesson Objectives Instructional Strategies/ Description of Describe Specific Adaptations/ Integration*
Activities Formative Differentiation T R C I C
Assessment S S T C R
(formal/informal)
All Students Focus
Students
1 Aug TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
26 execute beginning Never Failed: Listen, for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for Label Solfege p2-5a engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical Nata Lux: listen, label 7- promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production. 16 solfege
TLW listen and
analyze the music
varying in genre and
language.
TLW will begin
labeling solfege (a
pitch learning tool) in
their music.
2 Aug TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
30 execute beginning Never Failed: pg2-5a for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for solfege, add words engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical Nata Lux: 7-16 solfege promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production. and add words
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
3 Sep 2 TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
execute beginning Never Failed: p5b-7a for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for words, p7 solfege engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical Nata Lux: 17-28 solfege promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production.
 TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
4 Sep 6 TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
execute beginning Never Failed: p1-8 words for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for Nata Lux: 17-28 solfege, engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical neutral vowel, words promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production.
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
5 Sep 7 TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
execute beginning Never Failed: p1-8 2x for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for words engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical Nata Lux: 30-37 solfege promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production.
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
6 Sep 9 TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
execute beginning Never Failed: p8-11 for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for Nata Lux: 30-37 words engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production.
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
7 Sep TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
13 execute beginning Never Failed: p11, all for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for Nata Lux: 38-48 words engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production.
 TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
8 Sep TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
20 execute beginning Never Failed: all, discuss for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for vamp, sing solos engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical Nata Lux: m49-end promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production. solfege
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
9 Sep TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
21 execute beginning Never Failed: review for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for solos, solo auditions engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical Nata Lux: m49-end promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production. words, review all
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
10 Sep TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
23 execute beginning Never Failed: solo for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for announcements, run engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical through w solos promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production. Nata Lux: review all
TLW read, analyze,
and sing written
music in pursuit of
the performance.
TLW
11 Sep TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for X X X
27 execute beginning Never Failed: all, polish, for participation, understanding,
techniques for memory engagement, alter plans for
Nata Lux; polish, memory promptness. comprehension.
 vocal/musical
production.
TLW execute
memorized music.
12 Sep TLW consume and Vocal Warmups Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X X X
30 execute beginning Never Failed: all on stage, for participation, understanding, appropriate
techniques for polish, practice solos w engagement, alter plans for adjustments
vocal/musical microphones promptness. comprehension. as needed.
production. Nata Lux: all on stage,
TLW will perform 4- polish
part choral music
using appropriate
etiquette.
production.
TLW execute
memorized music.
13 Oct 3 TLW will perform 4- Perform Formal for NA NA X X
at part choral music attendance and
7pm using appropriate behavior.
etiquette.
production.
TLW execute
memorized music.
14 Oct 4 TLW analyze and Watch and analyze Informal +/- grade Monitor for Make X
critique their performance for participation, understanding, appropriate
performance. engagement, alter plans for adjustments
promptness. comprehension. as needed.

*TS- Lesson integrates technology skills; RS- Lesson uses reading strategies; CT- Lesson demonstrates the use of critical thinking strategies; IC- Lesson demonstrates
integration of content across and within content fields; CR- Lesson utilizes community resources
 Instructional Design (continued)
1. Learning Strategies:
Explain how you included multiple learning strategies to address diverse cognitive, physical,
emotional, and social needs of all your students.
This lesson was designed to meet students where they are but at the same time, provide challenging
content to those returning to this class. Students were met with cognitive musical challenges that
pushed them to learn beginning-advanced concepts. Although no students had directly apparent
physical needs, each lesson had an opportunity for movement, singing, listening, thinking, writing, and
analyzing. Emotionally, no students displayed signs of needs. However, I facilitate an accepting
environment that lets them feel safe in hopes that they will make music and learn alongside their
classmates. The choir classroom is always a social one – but never by force. Transitions were often
met with healthy and appropriate conversation.

2. Adaptations/Differentiation to Meet the Needs of All Students:

Explain how your instructional strategies were designed to address the contextual
characteristics and pre-assessment/diagnostic assessment information gathered on your
students. What strategies did you use to provide equitable opportunities for all students? What
adaptations/differentiation did you make to address varied reading levels and/or students with
special needs? What adaptations/differentiation did you make for Focus Students A and B

The choir classroom and specifically this unit provides an opportunity for students to use their own
voice. Both literally and figurately. Students can be creative and analyze the music that we study.
While the performance we put on requires everyone’s voice, each person must buy in. Student A and
B both excelled in my classroom, but some adjustments were needed. As mentioned in the chart
above, Student A required frequent redirection while Student B thrived on encouragement. Following
the unit, it was apparent that the special needs students we had did not require specialized instruction
and adaptations. They were able to carry out the end goal just as the others did.

3. Active Inquiry, Student Centered, and Meaningful Student Engagement:

Justify in what ways this unit is student centered. Describe how students were meaningfully
engaged in active inquiry (i.e. questioning concepts, developing learning strategies, seeking
resources, and conducting independent investigations).

Students are creative and make music in my classroom. Yes, I facilitate rehearsals and teach the
music, but they are the ones singing, reading, and carrying out musical goals. It was apparent students
were engaged judging by their classroom participation, concert attendance, actually singing, and
questioning regarding musical decisions.
4. Integration of Technology:
How did you use technology to plan and teach your unit?
I used the TV to often Airplay written content for students to copy in their music, performance videos,
and warmup strategies and content.

How did students use technology to enhance their learning?

This unit did not involve much student technology. In their post-concert analyzation, students filled
out a Google Form and used their devices to consume their performance recording.
5. Integration of Reading Strategies:
What reading strategies did you use in your unit? Why did you choose these specific strategies?
How did these strategies support your students reading development and content knowledge?
(include at least 3 reading strategies in you unit)

Visualize – Students visualized how the story of the English and Latin text related to the written
music.
Connect – Students related to the text of our music.
Identify – Students identified the meaning of the text via research and direct instruction.
Evaluate – Students thought about the text and music as a whole and formed opinions on its content.

These strategies allowed my students to analyze the text of our music to deeper understand what we
were singing about.
6. Integration of Critical Thinking Strategies:
How did you address critical thinking, problem solving, and higher level thinking in your unit?

Music performance is an on-going pursuit of critical thinking, problem solving, and high-level
thinking – especially at this level. Students were pushed to think critically about using their singing
voice to healthily carry out our musical performance. Students were required to problem solve when
piecing together their music when we memorized. How can they personally commit this music to
memory accurately? Especially towards the concert, I encouraged to use higher-level thinking to think
of the meaning of the music. What does it mean to them? How should that depict on your face and
voice when performing? Students made those decisions and often shared with the class.
7. Integration Within and Across Content Fields:
How did you demonstrate integration of content within and across content fields? How did this
integration enhance your student’s ability to understand relationships within and across these
subject areas?

Students learned Latin text and its origin, moved their bodies physically during warmups, learned
basic vocal anatomy, read and analyzed English text, and used basic math to relate it to rhythm/beats
within music notation, students perform poetry in the form of sung music, students learn the history of
text and musical ideas and origins.

Students thrived on the integration between content areas. The variety that comes with singing in a
choral music classroom engages students in all core subjects making it something that everyone can
grasp onto in some way!
8. Community Resources:
What community resources did you use to achieve your unit goals and objectives and foster
student learning?

I consulted my cooperating teacher, the accompanist, with the AD and principal to make the concert
happen, student families for concert attendance, fellow building music teachers, my professors for
guidance, my cohort, and other student classes of choral music learners.