M.T420

Group Soundtrack

Students will collaboratively compose and perform an ostinato-based piece to accompany a selected video clip. All students will watch a selected “wordless” video clip (i.e., a clip with the soundtrack muted) that is about two minutes in length.

Students will form groups composed of three to five musicians and compose an ostinato-based musical soundtrack between one minute and thirty seconds and two minutes thirty seconds in length that is meant to accompany the video clip. At the completion of the project, the groups will each perform their composition as an accompaniment to the video clip (with the original audio muted). Additionally, each student will keep a journal of the progress and process of his/her group, use staff paper to experiment with different ideas, and, upon completion, write a reflection based on the experience.

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

  • Dimension
  • Ostinato

  • Creativity/ Relation to Video

  • Presentation/ Clarity

  • Progress Worksheets

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • There is no ostinato present in the piece.

    N/A at this time.
  • The ostinato is present but is not interesting or accompanied by other parts (e.g., melody, countermelody, rhythm).

    N/A at this time.
  • The ostinato is interesting and mostly serves as a basis for development of the overall composition, but the development is not rich.

    N/A at this time.
  • The ostinato is interesting and serves as a basis for rich development of the overall composition.

    N/A at this time.
  • There seems to be no relationship between the composition and the video clip; the final product demonstrates very little creativity and thoughtfulness.

    N/A at this time.
  • There is some demonstrated creativity and thoughtfulness in the composition’s connection to the video clip, but this is inconsistent.

    N/A at this time.
  • The composition mostly demonstrates creativity and thoughtfulness in its attempt to convey the spirit of the video clip.

    N/A at this time.
  • The composition demonstrates remarkable creativity and thoughtfulness in its attempt to convey the spirit of the video clip.

    N/A at this time.
  • The final product is unclear; notation contains many errors, making interpretation difficult or impossible.

    N/A at this time.
  • The final product is somewhat clear but contains numerous errors; notated music is somewhat difficult to interpret.

    N/A at this time.
  • The final product is mostly clear with few errors; notated music can be easily interpreted.

    N/A at this time.
  • The final product is clear; all notated music is without error.

    N/A at this time.
  • Progress and Product Worksheets are incomplete.

    N/A at this time.
  • Progress and product worksheets are partially complete.

    N/A at this time.
  • Progress and product worksheets are complete but somewhat undeveloped.

    N/A at this time.
  • Progress and Product Worksheets are complete and have fully-developed responses.

    N/A at this time.
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