M.T305

Classifying Three Musical Genres

In this assessment, students will observe, describe, and classify American folk music, rock, and jazz from the twentieth century. This assessment has two parts.

In Part 1, students will listen to three listening excerpts. The excerpts will be examples of exemplary music in the American folk music, rock, and jazz genres from the twentieth century. Students will record their observations about each excerpt on a worksheet in their Student Booklet.

In Part 2, students will listen to two new excerpts in each of the three genres to help determine distinguishing characteristics common to each. Based on these characteristics, students will then write a working definition for each genre of music. This portion of the assessment should be done over the course of three class periods to avoid confusion among the genres.

Teachers may wish to modify this assessment to include genres of music that are culturally relevant and appropriate to a particular student population. Teachers can use the same assessment setup and use excerpts that are similar in length to excerpts listed below, but will need to modify directions for students in the script. Teachers also will need to modify the Teacher Scoring Rubric and materials in the Student Booklet to reflect chosen genres of music.

This item has been voluntarily field-tested by Michigan teachers with a non-representative sample of students.


This is an analytic rubric. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.

TEACHER SCORING RUBRIC–WORKING DEFINITION

  • Dimension
  • American Folk Music

  • American Folk Music Terminology

  • Rock

  • Rock Terminology

  • Jazz

  • Jazz Terminology

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Student has developed an inadequate or illogical working definition that describes few or none of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student has developed a vague working definition that describes some of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    View Exemplars
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  • Student has developed an adequate, mostly clear working definition that describes many of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student has developed an articulate and clear working definition that describes most of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student does not use appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student has developed an inadequate or illogical working definition that describes few or none of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student has developed a vague working definition that describes some of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student has developed an adequate, mostly clear working definition that describes many of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student has developed an articulate and clear working definition that describes most of the distinguishing characteristics of the genre.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student does not use appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student uses appropriate musical terminology.

    N/A at this time.
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