SOL-MI INTERVAL

Impact on Student Learning Project

PURPOSE
The purpose of this unit was to introduce and establish a baseline student knowledge of the Kodály
hand signs for “sol” and “mi”, as it relates to the interval of a minor third for all second-grade
classes. Students in second-grade will be familiar with this interval that has been used through the
melodies of games played throughout the year already. Students who were at an HCPS school last
year in first-grade were also introduced to the concept of higher and lower pitches.

UNIT OBJECTIVES & STANDARDS

Context & Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Identify and decode high and low pitches.

• Show the signs “sol” and “mi” in their hands or otherwise identify the hand sign for each
solfege syllable.
• Sing the interval of a minor third and match pitch.

Standards

The student will:

2.5b: Use active listening as a musician.

2.12a: Identify written melodic patterns that move upward, downward, and stay the same.

2.13a: Sing melodic patterns that move upward, downward, and stay the same.
PRE-ASSESSMENT
Overview

The Pre-Assessment consisted of two tasks for students to perform: showing high and low on their
bodies’ and singing a sol-mi interval after it is modeled for them. Written information was gathered
on students' correct performance of each task, and then translated into the Google Form below.

Link to the Pre-Assessment: https://forms.gle/mh636YWptZoLtF3c9

Results

Analysis
These results showed me that many students remember and understand the concepts of high and
low pitches that were taught to them last year. Through reinforcement of high and low and
connecting it to so-mi, I hope to connect students’ previous knowledge to this new concept and
strengthen their understanding of high and low.

LESSON 1
Overview

Students will perform the Pre-Assessment tasks through the ‘Penny’ game, with written data
collected on each students’ individual performance. Students will also review the ‘Apple Tree’ game
and ‘Cherry Pie’, both of which use the sol-mi interval.

LESSON 2
Overview

Students will review ‘Star light, star bright’ song, and use that pattern to decode high and low. Then
they will be introduced to sol-mi as another way of showing high and low in this song, and echo
patterns of sol-mi using written star notation (showing high and low on their bodies’, showing
proper hand signs, and singing correct intervals).

LESSON 3
Overview

Students will review sol-mi through two games: ‘Doggie, doggie’, and ‘Eagle, eagle’, then they will
connect the patterns of high and low in those games to sol-mi and echo, show, and sing sol-mi
patterns. After this review, students will perform the Post-Assessment tasks, and I will collect data
on each students’ individual performance.

POST-ASSESSMENT
Overview

The Post-Assessment consisted of the same two tasks asked of students in the Pre-Assessment, with
an additional task on the identification of Kodály “sol” and “mi” hand signs. Written information
was gathered on students' correct performance of each task, and then translated into the Google
Form below.
Link to the Post-Assessment: https://forms.gle/XwzhmzSpNjZ1ECzS9

Results
Analysis

The results, as shown in the charts above, show that student understanding and performance
significantly increased from the Pre-Assessment to the Post-Assessment. More students were able
to successfully perform the given task when prompted, and the outcomes for every task (i.e.,
question) on the Post-Assessment improved.

REFLECTION
Evidence of Student Learning and Growth

Student learning and growth is clearly documented in the charts above. More than 50% of all
students in second-grade were able to successfully sing and match pitch of the sol-mi interval when
prompted during the Post-Assessment, as compared to only 27% of students during the Pre-
Assessment. In addition, over 90% of students could demonstrate the difference between high and
low pitches on their bodies’, which increased by 30% from the Pre-Assessment.

Evidence of Modification and Differentiation (or Potential Modification or Instructional

Adjustments)

Some students in second-grade that come in with their general education class have special needs,
which may include being non-verbal and therefore, unable to sing back a pattern of sol and mi, and
they may also not be able to show the solfege signs with their hands. Therefore, I planned a
modification of having printed hand signs for sol and mi for students to choose from instead of
making the signs with their own hands. Another adjustment to instruction that could have been
planned is to use a recording and sound playback device that could be programmed with a sol-mi
interval for non-verbal students to “sing” back the pitches.

Reflection for Future Lessons or Units

If I were to change or modify this unit to teach it again, I would extend the unit across a longer
period of time to give students more opportunities to practice and apply the content. I would find
additional adaptations that could be used to increase student success and participation with the
special education students in the second-grade classes, as I felt as though they could have been
included better in all of the lessons.