M.T202

Singing and Playing Instruments in Parts

This assessment has four parts to it:

1. Students will complete three assessment items to determine their understanding of musical terminology used in the assessment. (Day 1)

2. Students will be assessed singing a teacher-selected traditional round (such as “Frère Jacques,” Tallis “Canon,” “Canoe Song,” or “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”) in parts with three partners. This is a teacher selected and arranged round that must be transferable to tone bar instruments and have two ostinati. For this part, at least two students sing the round and one sings each ostinato. (Day 2)

3. Students will be assessed performing the same multiple-part arrangement on instruments. (Days 3 and 4)

4. Students will describe their arrangement using developmentally appropriate musical terminology. (Day 5)

Students will respond to the assessment questions in the first class period. On Days 2-3, students will perform the vocal arrangements for the class in small groups and will be video recorded. On Day 3, the students will work in small groups to transfer their vocal arrangements to tone-bar instruments (singing the round and playing the ostinati). On Day 4, students will perform their instrumental arrangements for the class in small groups and will be video recorded. On Day 5, the students will reflect in written form, using appropriate musical terminology, on the process of creating their arrangement.

This assessment will be video recorded by the teacher for scoring purposes. This assessment may be easier to administer if someone other than the teacher supervises the video recording. If this is not possible, the teacher should be careful to ensure that students who are performing stay in the video frame during the recording process.

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


These are analytic rubrics. 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 - Singing

  • Dimension
  • Pitch Accuracy

  • Rhythm Accuracy

  • Musical Independence

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Student does not perform with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally performs with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often performs with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student consistently performs with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student does not perform with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally performs with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often performs with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student consistently performs with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student does not perform his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally performs his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often performs his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student consistently performs his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.

TEACHER SCORING RUBRIC–PLAYING

  • Dimension
  • Pitch Accuracy

  • Rhythm Accuracy

  • Musical Independence

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Student does not perform with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally performs with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often performs with pitch accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student consistently performs with pitch accuracy.

    View Exemplar
  • Student does not perform with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally performs with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often performs with rhythmic accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student consistently performs with rhythmic accuracy.

    View Exemplar
  • Student does not perform his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student occasionally performs his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student often performs his or her part with the group accurately.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student consistently performs his or her part with the group accurately.

    View Exemplar

TEACHER SCORING RUBRIC–REFLECTION

  • Dimension
  • Use of Terminology

  • Depth of Reflection

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Student uses little or no musical vocabulary.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student uses some musical vocabulary with accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student uses a rich musical vocabulary with one or two inaccuracies of meaning.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student uses a rich musical vocabulary with accuracy.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student shows little ability to reflect upon the decisions made during the arranging process.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student shows some ability to reflect upon the decisions made during the arranging process.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student shows a good ability to reflect upon the decisions made during the arranging process.

    N/A at this time.
  • Student thoroughly and thoughtfully reflects upon the decisions made during the arranging process.

    N/A at this time.
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