M.T409

Make a Cover Song

This assessment has three parts to it:
o Part 1–Select a Song with Your Group
o Part 2–Create a “Cover” with Your Group
o Part 3–Perform “Cover”

Students will work in groups of four to produce a “cover” version of a song that they will perform for other members of their class. The instruments chosen may be from traditional band or orchestra instruments, non traditional band or orchestra instruments, or voice.

Students will be given time in class to meet in their groups, come up with a name for their group, and chose their song. It is the teacher’s decision as to whether the groups should be assigned or formed by the students themselves. If the teacher opts to assign students to groups, he or she should have the group assignments prepared and ready to hand out at the first session.

The groups may also need guidance when choosing their song. Depending on the students’ age and experience, they may need additional support with rehearsal strategies.

The songs should be ones that the teacher could hear on the radio and should be age-appropriate for the students. The songs should be approved by the teacher. The students will learn the songs aurally and copy all of the musical parts from the recordings as needed; no traditional sheet music is allowed. A performance of the task will happen at the end of the allotted time frame.

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

Teacher Booklet

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Student Booklet

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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

  • Length of Performance

  • Parts

  • Introduction of the Song and Explanation of Parts

  • Collaboration and Group Effort

  • Group Musicianship

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

  • Less than one minute in length.

    N/A at this time.

  • One minute in length.

    N/A at this time.

  • More than one minute but less than two minutes in length.

    N/A at this time.

  • Two to two and a half minutes in length.

    N/A at this time.

  • There was no clear melody and/or bass line.

    N/A at this time.

  • There was a clear bass line with a melody.

    N/A at this time.

  • There was a clear bass line, melody and one other interesting part.

    N/A at this time.

  • There was a clear bass line, melody and two other interesting parts.

    View Exemplar

  • Minimal introduction and explanation of the song.

    N/A at this time.

  • Competent introduction and brief explanation of the song.

    N/A at this time.

  • Well done introduction of the song with a good explanation of parts.

    N/A at this time.

  • Excellent introduction of the song with an interesting explanation of parts.

    N/A at this time.

  • Evidence of little collaboration on the preparation and/or the performance.

    N/A at this time.

  • Evidence of some collaboration on the preparation and the performance.

    N/A at this time.

  • Evidence of good collaboration on the preparation and the performance.

    N/A at this time.

  • Evidence of excellent collaboration on both the preparation and the performance.

    View Exemplar

  • The performance exhibited little evidence of musicianship.

    N/A at this time.

  • The performance exhibited some evidence of musicianship.

    View Exemplar

  • The performance exhibited evidence of good musicianship.

    View Exemplar

  • The performance exhibited excellent musicianship.

    View Exemplar
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