Course Profile
Music, Grade 9 open, Public
Unit 2
Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 9 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut, paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.
Any references in this document to particular commercial resources, learning materials, equipment, or technology reflect only the opinions of the writers of this sample Course Profile, and do not reflect any official endorsement by the Ministry of Education or by the Partnership of School Boards that supported the production of the document
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Public District School Board Writing Team - Music
Lead Board
Upper Canada District School Board
Management Team: Eleanor Newman
Brenda King
Dorothy Stewart
Course Profile Writing Team
John Love, Toronto DSB
Chris Arthurs, Peel DSB
Jessica Kun, Toronto DSB
Mark Girard, Upper Canada DSB
Jill Pensa, Upper Canada DSB
Co-ordinating Partners
Andy Ringlet, Renfrew County DSB
Marg Stewart, Limestone DSB
Helen Beck, Hastings & Prince Edward DSB
Kit Rankin, Halton DSB
Anne Clifton, Halton DSB
Contributors
Vivian Hingsberg, Jim Lawlis, Beth MacRae, Paul Marshall, Theresa Mathers, Robin Vaughan
Unit 2: Elemental Choices
Activity 1 | Activity 2
| Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6
Unit Developer(s)
Chris Arthurs, Peel DSB
Jessica V. Kun, Toronto DSB
John Love, Toronto DSB
Development Date: July 1999
Students use the elements of music to make artistic decisions and creative choices. In Activity 1, students learn to identify and describe the elements of music. In Activity 2, students apply creative choices to the composition of a melody. In Activity 3, students use melodies and harmonic progressions to explore harmony. Activity 4 gives students the opportunity to explore musical form. Students use Activity 5 to apply their learning and develop an understanding of the historical, stylistic, and cultural context of music. In Activity 6, students have the opportunity to make artistic decisions that affect the stylistic accuracy of their playing or singing.
Strand(s): Theory, Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations: MTV.01X, .02X, .03X; MCV.01X, .02X, .03X; MAV.01X, .02X, .03X, .04X.
Specific Expectations: MT1.01X, .02X, .03X, .04X, .06X, .07X, .08X, .09X, .10X, .11X, .12X; MC1.01X, .02X, .04X, .05X, .07X, .08X, .10X, .12X; MC2.01X, .03X, .04X; MA1.01X, .02X, .07X; MA2.02X, .03X.
|
Activity 1 |
Discovering the Elements of Music |
75 minutes |
|
Activity 2 |
Making Elemental Choices With Melody |
150 minutes |
|
Activity 3 |
Making Elemental Choices With Harmony |
150 minutes |
|
Activity 4 |
Elemental Choices and Musical Form |
75 minutes |
|
Activity 5 |
Elemental Choices of Historical Style and Cultural Context |
75 minutes |
|
Activity 6 |
Making Creative Choices in Performance |
75 minutes |
This unit is designed to be delivered as part of a vocal or instrumental music program. To that end, this unit makes use of the facilities, space, equipment, and resources consistent with the delivery of a vocal or instrumental music program. While this unit facilitates skill development through many non-performance activities, teachers are encouraged to make connections to the performance context as often as possible. In order to maximize the connection between this unit and Unit 1, the activities in this unit are best delivered in classroom periods that are distributed throughout the duration of the course.
Activity 1 serves to establish a set of concepts and related terminology that are applied throughout the Elemental Choices unit. With this design in mind, each successive activity is intended to build upon the knowledge and skills learned in the previous activity.
Successful completion of Grade 8 music as prescribed by The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8, 1998.
Strategies include: Student-centred learning, teacher-directed learning, collaborative learning, problem solving, investigative, application of previously learned concepts to new situations, review, drill, expanded opportunity, and enrichment.
This unit includes rubrics, checklists, portfolio, reflective journal writing, self-assessment, peer-assessment, formative assessment, and summative evaluation.
10, 12, 19, 23, 26, 30
Time: 75 minutes
This activity provides for the diagnostic assessment of the students' knowledge and awareness of the elements of music. Through listening, discussion, and exploration exercises, students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to identify, define, and describe the elements of music. This activity also provides for the summative evaluation of the students' ability to use an established set of concepts and related terminology that are applied throughout the Elemental Choices unit.
Strand(s): Theory, Analysis
Overall Expectations:
· identify and define in simple terms the elements of music (i.e., rhythm, melody, timbre, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form);
· demonstrate the ability to listen attentively and with discernment to live and recorded music, using the stages of critical analysis (initial reaction, description, analysis, interpretation, and judgement).
Specific Expectations: MT1.06X, .07X, .08X, .09X, .10X, .12X; MA1.01X.
· Prior to this activity, the teacher should examine Appendix EC1, and EC2.
· Teachers are encouraged to use Canadian sources for musical examples.
· Teachers are encouraged to use historically and culturally diverse musical examples.
· Teachers should ensure that all personal musical examples brought into the classroom by students are screened for suitability of content.
· Prior to this activity, teachers should ensure that students are aware of and responsive to the positive dynamics involved with group interaction.
Successful completion of Grade 8 music as prescribed by The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8, 1998.
Exercise 1: The class listens to two contrasting pieces of music. In pairs, students consider (think, pair, and share) the following question: What do these two pieces have in common?
Exercise 2: Each pair of students posts its findings for classroom display (e.g., blackboard, flipchart). As a class, students discuss their findings. Based upon their findings and discussions, students generate a class list of features that were common to the two contrasting pieces of music.
Exercise 3: Students discuss the similarities and differences between their list and the list found in Appendix EC1 or a similar resource. Through this discussion, the students discover adjectives that describe each of the elements of music. The class develops a common list of adjectives to describe each of the elements of music.
Exercise 4: Students use Appendix EC1 and the common list of adjectives developed in Exercise 3 to discuss the elements of music as they are applied and manipulated in a musical selection of their own choice. Students also identify the form of their chosen piece and justify their choice.
Diagnostic Assessment
· Teacher observation of participation in and content of discussions
· Discussion of posted findings
Summative Evaluation
· Students demonstrate their ability to identify and describe the elements of music by accurately completing Appendix EC2 or a similar resource.
Teachers should ensure that the music volume is sufficient for all students to hear clearly.
Students with oral or written language difficulties may work with a partner or scribe.
12
school library/resource centre, public libraries, private collections
Appendix EC1
Appendix EC2
Time: 150 minutes
Students use a major scale and the primary triads to create, notate, and perform their own eight-measure melodies. These processes allow students to make artistic decisions and creative choices in a melodic context.
Strand(s): Theory, Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations:
· demonstrate the ability to read and understand music notation;
· play or sing technical exercises and diverse repertoire (including their own creations when appropriate) that reflect the theory expectations;
· demonstrate an understanding of the effects of music education on themselves and their peers;
Specific Expectations: MT1.01X, .03X, .04X; MC2.01X; MA1.07X; MA2.03X.
· Activities 2 and 3 are connected. In Activity 2, students compose and notate their own melodies on an individual basis. In Activity 3, students work in groups so that they can apply their melodies to a harmonic context. For these reasons, Activities 2 and 3 require the use of the same concert pitch major key, same harmonic progression, and same harmonic rhythm.
· Throughout this activity, students are encouraged to use proper technique and safe practices when using their voices or instruments.
· Students must understand that some instruments may need to play different note names in order to produce the same pitches as other instruments. The same is also true for Activity 3. Transposition is examined more thoroughly in Unit 5.
· As the students progress through the exercises, they may need to move to different areas of the room as they rehearse, consulting with the teacher as required.
· Prior to this activity, the teacher should ensure that students are aware of and responsive to the positive dynamics involved with group interaction.
· Some students may complete the given exercises with little difficulty. These students should act as mentors for other students.
· the ability to use note and rest values (i.e., whole, half, dotted half, quarter, dotted quarter, and eighth) within a one-octave scale that is most appropriate for the initial development of technical skill
· completion of Activity 1
Exercise 1: Using Appendix EC3 or a similar resource, students identify the note names of the major scale that they use to notate their melody. Students use scale degrees or solfege syllables to number or identify each note of the scale. The teacher should check that each student has completed this exercise correctly.
Exercise 2: Using Appendix EC3 or a similar resource, and the major scale that they use to notate their melody, students identify the names of the notes that belong to the tonic (I), subdominant (IV), and dominant (V) triads. The teacher should check that each student has completed this exercise correctly.
Exercise 3: Using staff paper and pencils, students create and notate an eight-measure melody that follows the given harmonic progression (see below). In order to complete the process described in Activity 3, each chord must last for one full measure. If students wish to use different harmonic progressions, the teacher must ensure that all necessary modifications are made to facilitate the completion of Activity 3.
I I IV V I IV V I
The teacher should check that the pitch content of each student's melody matches the pitch content of the given chord progression. Students should be encouraged to play or sing their melodies as they work through the process of drafting, editing, and revision. Students should be given the opportunity to rehearse the final version of their melody. Vocal students may wish to sing their melodies with solfege syllables or any suitable original text.
Formative Assessment
· Accurate completion of Appendix EC3.
· Appropriate matching of pitch content between melody and given harmonic progression.
· Students perform their melodies for each other in small groups. Students reflect upon their own compositions and the compositions of their classmates with the aid of a checklist (see Appendix EC4).
· In their journals, students reflect upon the concepts and skills required to compose melodies. Students consider the challenges and/or obstacles that they encountered. Students also describe how they overcame these challenges and/or obstacles.
For the purpose of enrichment, students are encouraged to use more complex musical language such as compound metre, sixteenth notes, their own harmonic progressions, and their own harmonic durations, provided that the basic concepts of harmonic progression and melody writing have been mastered, and that all necessary modifications are made to facilitate the completion of Activity 3.
For the purpose of remediation, students are encouraged to write a simple melody using the first four or five notes of the scale in half notes.
Students who have difficulty with music notation may work with a partner or scribe.
26, 30
Appendix EC3
Appendix EC4
Time: 150 minutes
Students use their melodies and harmonic progressions from Activity 2 to explore harmony.
Strand(s): Creation
Overall Expectations:
· play or sing technical exercises and diverse repertoire (including their own creations when appropriate) that reflect the theory expectations;
· make artistic decisions that affect the stylistic accuracy of their playing or singing (e.g., articulation, phrasing, posture, dynamics, tone quality, intonation, rhythm, balance, blend);
· demonstrate the effective use of analog and/or digital technology in music applications.
Specific Expectations: MC1.01X, .02X, .04X, .05X, .07X, .08X, .10X, .12X; MC2.01X, .03X, .04X.
· This activity is an extension of Activity 2.
· The teacher ensures that each student's melody is notated in the same key as it was in Activity 2 and uses the same harmonic progression that was provided in Activity 2.
· Throughout this activity, students are encouraged to use proper technique and safe practices when using their voices or instruments.
· This activity may require the use of practice rooms, hallways, or other suitable areas. Proper supervision should always be maintained.
· Prior to this activity, the teacher should ensure that students are aware of and responsive to the positive dynamics involved with group interaction.
· the ability to use note and rest values (i.e. whole, half, dotted half, quarter, dotted quarter, eighth) within a one-octave scale that is most appropriate for the initial development of technical skill;
· completion of Activity 1 and 2
Using Appendix EC3, staff paper, pencils, and their melodies from Activity 2, students work in their respective clefs and major keys to complete the following exercises:
Exercise 1: Using one note per measure, each student accurately notates the bass line that matches the harmonic progression used to compose their melody in Activity 2. To complete this task, students notate the root of each chord in the harmonic progression. The teacher should check that each student has completed this step correctly.
Exercise 2: Using one note per measure, each student notates two different harmony parts that match the harmonic progression used to compose their melody in Activity 2. To complete this task, students choose from the two left-over notes of each chord in the harmonic progression. The teacher advises students to make these parts as smooth (or conjunct) as possible and checks that each student has completed this step correctly.
Exercise 3: Students are encouraged to play or sing their bass line and harmony parts as they work through the process of drafting, editing, and revision. Vocal students may sing the bass line and harmony parts to solfege syllables. Students are encouraged to use a checklist to ensure that the bass line and harmony parts are correctly notated (see Appendix EC5).
Students complete the remaining exercises in groups of four. When placing students in groups, it is imperative that each student is reading from the same clef and in the same transposition (where applicable). Consideration should also be given to any technical issues of voice and instrument range. Keyboard and Computer Music students may wish to adapt and complete these exercises in pairs or on an individual basis.
Exercise 4: Each group performs the compositions of all of its members. For each composition, the group should experiment with, edit, and revise (if necessary) the harmonic choices that have been made.
Exercise 5: Each group rehearses its performances. Students should consider artistic decisions that affect the stylistic accuracy of their playing or singing.
Formative Assessment
· Teacher observes notation, drafting, editing, revision, and group work.
· With the aid of a checklist, students reflect upon the accuracy of their bass lines and harmony parts (see Appendix EC5).
· Each group performs the compositions of all of its members for the class. Students should record their performances on their individual cassette tapes and put them in their portfolios as evidence of completed work.
· In their journals, students reflect upon the concepts and skills required to compose bass lines and harmony parts. Students consider the challenges and/or obstacles that they encountered. Students also describe how they overcame these challenges and/or obstacles.
· Students should be given time to self-critique their work in their journals. The teacher may provide an optional opening statement such as " The most satisfying part of my melody/harmony composition was.... or .... something did not sound as I had hoped. I need to rework or rethink the.... ".
For the purpose of enrichment, students are encouraged to use more complex musical language such as compound metre, sixteenth notes, their own harmonic progressions, and their own harmonic durations, provided that the basic concepts of harmonic progression and melody writing have been mastered, and that all necessary modifications are made to facilitate the completion of this activity (see Exercise 3 of Activity 2).
For the purpose of remediation, students are encouraged to use simplified metre, rhythmic values, and harmonic progressions.
Students who have difficulty with music notation may work with a partner or scribe.
26, 30
Appendix EC3
Appendix EC5
Time: 75 minutes
Students identify and discuss form as it appears in everyday life and make connections to similar forms in music. Students identify the use of repetition and contrast in various musical forms. Students critique the use of musical form.
Strand(s): Theory, Analysis
Overall Expectations:
· identify and define in simple terms the elements of music (i.e., rhythm, melody, timbre, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form);
· demonstrate the ability to listen attentively and with discernment to live and recorded music, using the stages of critical analysis (initial reaction, description, analysis, interpretation, and judgement);
Specific Expectations: MT1.11X, .12X; MA1.01X
· The teacher should select musical recordings in binary, ternary, popular song form, and two other simple performance forms related to a specific cultural context.
· Teachers are encouraged to use Canadian sources for musical examples.
· Teachers are encouraged to use historically and culturally diverse musical examples.
· Prior to this activity, the teacher should ensure that students are aware of and responsive to the positive dynamics involved with group interaction.
· completion of Activity 1
Exercise 1: Using a relevant topic (e.g., weather in Ontario), students discuss the feelings associated with tension and release, and repetition and contrast.
Exercise 2: Students identify and discuss form as it appears in other aspects of life (i.e., days of the week, school timetable, architecture, visual art, and dance).
Exercise 3: Using a directed listening process with examples of music in binary, ternary, popular song form, and two other forms, students listen for and identify the use of repetition and contrast.
Exercise 4: Working in groups, and using a piece of music studied in class, students consider the following question: How did the composers use musical form to create the feelings associated with tension and release, and repetition and contrast? Each group posts its findings for classroom display and discussion (e.g., blackboard, flipchart).
Formative Assessment
· Teacher observation of participation in and content of discussions
· Discussion of posted findings and the drawing of conclusions
· Students use reflective journal writing to identify and critique the composer's use of form in another piece of music being studied in class.
Teachers should ensure that the music volume is sufficient for all students to hear clearly.
Students with oral or written language difficulties may work with a partner or scribe.
12
Time: 75 minutes
Students listen to musical examples and demonstrate their ability to explain how the elements of music are manipulated in such a way that reflects historical style and cultural context.
Strand(s): Theory, Analysis
Overall Expectations:
· identify and define in simple terms the elements of music (i.e., rhythm, melody, timbre, dynamics, harmony, texture, and form);
· demonstrate an understanding of a broad overview of the historical and stylistic context of music;
· demonstrate an understanding of music history and its cultural context;
· demonstrate the ability to listen attentively and with discernment to live and recorded music, using the stages of critical analysis (initial reaction, description, analysis, interpretation, and judgement);
· demonstrate an understanding of the function of music in society.
Specific Expectations: MT1.06X, .07X, .08X, .09X, .10X, .11X, .12X; MA1.01X, .02X.
· The teacher makes provisions for the use of several audio reproduction devices (CD players, cassette tape players, etc.), ideally one for each group as set forth in this Activity.
· This activity may require the use of practice rooms, hallways, or other suitable areas. Proper supervision should always be maintained.
· Prior to this activity, the teacher should ensure that students are aware of and responsive to the positive dynamics involved with group interaction.
· completion of Activities 1, 2, 3, and 4
Using musical examples from a variety of historical periods and cultural settings, the students complete the following exercises.
Exercise 1: The class listens to a musical example and focuses their listening upon the elements of music. In a review of the skills developed in Activity 1, the class identifies the predominant elements of music in the musical example. Students discuss how these predominant musical elements have been manipulated.
Exercise 2: The teacher provides a scenario or recounts a story that establishes the historical style period and cultural context of another musical example. Upon hearing the musical example, students answer the following questions: Which elements are predominant in the musical example? How have these predominant musical elements been manipulated? Why? This exercise may be repeated using other musical examples.
Exercise 3: In groups, students repeat Exercise 2 using other musical examples. Students use a modified version of Appendix EC2 or a similar resource to record their findings in written form. Each group presents its musical example and findings to the class. The class may discuss the findings of each group.
Formative Assessment
· Teacher observation of participation in and content of discussions
· Discussion of group findings
Summative Evaluation
· Students demonstrate their ability to explain how the elements of music are manipulated in such a way that reflects historical style and cultural context by completing a modified version of Appendix EC2 or a similar resource.
Teachers should ensure that the music volume is sufficient for all students to hear clearly.
For the purposes of enrichment, students are encouraged to use more complex musical examples organized chronologically, conceptually, thematically and/or by genre. Students may also choose to work independently rather than in groups.
For the purposes of remediation, students are encouraged to focus upon only one or two of the elements of music in their analysis.
19
school library/resource centre, public libraries
Appendix EC2
Time: 75 minutes
Using a solo or small ensemble selection, students apply choices of articulation, phrasing, posture, dynamics, tempo, tone quality, intonation, rhythm, balance, and blend to express the creative choices of the composer. Students perform their interpretations.
Strand(s): Theory, Creation, Analysis
Overall Expectations:
· demonstrate the ability to read and understand music notation;
· play or sing technical exercises and diverse repertoire (including their own creations when appropriate) that reflect the theory expectations;
· make artistic decisions that affect the stylistic accuracy of their playing or singing (e.g., articulation, phrasing, posture, dynamics, tone quality, intonation, rhythm, balance, blend);
· demonstrate an understanding of the effects of music education on themselves and their peers;
Specific Expectations: MT1.01X, .02X, .03X, .04X, .07X; MC1.01X, .02X, .04X, .05X, .07X, .08X, .10X, .12X; MC2.03X, .04X; MA2.02X, .03X.
· The teacher provides appropriate repertoire that is accessible to the class.
· This activity may require the use of practice rooms, hallways, or other suitable areas. Proper supervision should always be maintained.
· Some students may complete the given exercises with little difficulty. These students should act as mentors for other students.
· the ability to use basic note and rest values (i.e., whole, half, dotted half, quarter, dotted quarter, and eighth) within a one-octave scale in one of the following major keys: A=, E=, B=, F, C, G, D, A, and E
· the ability to use basic note and rest values (i.e. whole, half, dotted half, quarter, dotted quarter, and eighth) within 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 meters
· the ability to make artistic choices as studied in Unit 1
· completion of Activity 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
These exercises may be completed individually or in small groups.
Exercise 1: Students, or the teacher, select a solo or small ensemble piece.
Exercise 2: Using Appendix EC6 or a similar resource, students plan their choices of articulation, phrasing, posture, dynamics, tempo, tone quality, intonation, rhythm, and balance and blend to realize the creative choices of the composer.
Exercise 3: As a homework assignment or in class, students practise in preparation for their performance.
Formative Assessment
· Students perform their interpretations for the class. The teacher and the students can work together to develop a rubric for the purpose of teacher, self, and peer assessment (see Appendix EC7 for an example).
· Students use journal writing to explain and reflect upon their creative choices in performance. The teacher may provide optional opening statements such as My most successful performance choices were.... or... One choice that I need to rethink is.....
For the purposes of enrichment, students are encouraged to use more complex repertoire upon which to base their interpretations and performances.
For the purposes of remediation, students are encouraged to use simple repertoire upon which to base their interpretations and performances.
10, 23
Appendix EC6
Appendix EC7
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MELODY |
The horizontal organization of pitch |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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HARMONY |
The vertical organization of pitch |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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RHYTHM |
The organization of duration |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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TIMBRE |
Characteristic sound or tone colour |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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TEXTURE |
The organization of the layering of sound |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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DYNAMICS |
The aspect of musical expression resulting from the variation in the volume of sound |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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FORM |
The structure, shape, or organizing principle of music |
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Identify form and justify your choice: |
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Listen to the given musical example and complete the following chart:
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MELODY |
Definition: |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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HARMONY |
Definition: |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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RHYTHM |
Definition: |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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TIMBRE |
Definition: |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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TEXTURE |
Definition: |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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DYNAMICS |
Definition: |
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Descriptive adjectives: |
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FORM |
Definition: |
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Identify form and justify your choice: |
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Categories |
Criteria |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
|
Knowledge/ Understanding |
- understanding of terminology |
- minimally acceptable understanding of terms |
- some understanding of terms |
- considerable understanding of terms |
- thorough understanding of terms |
|
Knowledge/ Understanding |
- completeness and thoroughness of knowledge |
- knows very few of the terms |
- knows some of the terms |
- knows most of the terms |
- knows all of the terms |
|
Thinking/ Inquiry |
- accuracy of aural analysis |
- barely accurate analysis |
- fairly accurate analysis |
- accurate analysis |
- accurate and insightful analysis |
|
Communication |
- clarity of language |
- mundane and limited modifiers |
- good modifiers |
- descriptive and appropriate modifiers |
- highly creative and appropriate modifiers |
|
Application |
- analysis of form |
- accurate analysis but without appropriate justification or inaccurate analysis but justified by little evidence |
- accurate analysis with some justification or inaccurate analysis with some justification |
- accurate analysis with valid justification |
- insightful analysis with thorough justification |