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From Day 1 to the Show; Getting EVERYONE to Rock!

Please sit with the instrument section you feel most pumped up about! It can be one you don't play very often, or one you feel super confident playing!

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Laura Del Rosso (she/they)

  • New York City DOE (Bronx + Manhattan)
  • Modern Band - 5 years
  • Classically training clarinetist
  • Who I'm listening to: Lizzo, Girl in Red, Camp Cope, and Betty Who

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Vibe check! Which Spongebob? 

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Getting from Day 1 to the show...

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Small group practice

Student directed goal-setting

Differentiating written music

Standardizing assessment

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Week One

Students are able to identify the form, tempo, count structure, and meaning/purpose of the tune.

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As you listen to the song, identify the location of the parts of popular song form (verses, choruses, bridge, intro/outro). Write the words on the line above the section of lyrics you think match!

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Discuss

Turn and Talk with your elbow/stand partner and discuss the following questions:

  • What are the lyrics about? 
  • What is the message of the song? 
  • Why is it important for us to perform this music?

Be ready to share out your answers! 

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Listening

As you listen to the song, pat the steady beat on your legs or chair. 

Using your lead sheet, count the number of beats each chord gets and write that number above or near the chord name. 

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Week Two-Three

Students are able to interpret/read the lead sheet for the tune and begin learning the chords in small groups with lots of teacher support.

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The First Practice Goal – Write the goal for your section on your notecard  

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Vocals

We can sing through the song with the recording and then decide who will sing solos and background vocals.  

Guitar

I can play each chord one at a time. If I don't know a chord, I can look it up or ask for help and write it on my chord sheet.  

Piano

I can play each chord one at a time. If I don't know a chord, I can look it up or ask for help and write it on my chord sheet.  

Percussion

We can rotate through drum set players and all play the basic back beat in time with the recording.  

Bass

I can play the root note of each chord. If I don't know the root note, I can look it up and write it on my TAB sheet.  

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Self Assessment: Where do you fall on this rubric? 

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Habits Assessed

Level 4

Exemplary 

100%

Level 3

On Target 

90%

Level 2

Developing

80%

Level 1

Beginner

70%

Work Habit: I can complete my work during class time.

Academic Habit: I can read and perform my music at my goal level.

I can remain on task 100% of the time. I can help others accomplish their practice goals.

I can perform the target material by the end of the practice time with 100% accuracy. 

I can remain on task more than half of the time. I can ask my group members for help when needed. 

I can perform the target material by the end of the practice time with one or two mistakes. 

I can remain on task about half of the time. I can ask my group members for help when needed and we may need to ask the teacher for help as a group. 

I can perform about half of the target material correctly by the end of the 

I can remain on task less than half of the time. I always ask the teacher for help when needed. 

I can perform less than half of the target material correctly by the end of the practice time. 

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"Next Level" Practice Goals – Choose your level and write the goal on your notecard

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Vocals

We can sing along with the recording and rehearse our solo/background vocalist parts. Next level: we can add harmonies.  

Guitar

I can read and perform each chord with the correct counts. Next level: I can match the bass and piano rhythm for my strumming pattern.   

Piano

I can read and perform each chord with the correct counts. Next level: I can learn the horn solo part or full piano part.  

Percussion

I can perform the backbeat in time with the recording. Next level: I can add fills and/or vary the backbeat to add interest to the tune.  

Bass

I can play the root note of each chord in time with the recording. Next level: I can read and perform the TAB solo line.  

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Small-Group Practice Share-Out

Turn and Talk! 

  • Turn to the other members of your section and share one "glow" from your practice (what you improved on).
  • Now share a "grow" from your practice (what you still want to improve on). 

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Week Four

Students are able to create their own practice goals to individualize their learning in small groups with limited teacher support.

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Making your own practice goal!

Write an "I can" practice goal that you want to work on in today's class. This goal should be specific (talk about one element of your playing that you want to focus on) and measurable (you can demonstrate that you accomplished your goal).

Example: I can increase the speed of my transition between the Am7 and Bm7 chords from 2 counts to 1 count. 

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Small Group Practice Time

  1. Share your goal with a member of your practice group (2 min.)
  2. Work on your goal during practice time (10 min.)

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Reflect – Turn and Talk

What did you accomplish during practice time? Did you meet your goal? Why or why not? What is your goal for next class? 

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Self Assessment: Where do you fall on this rubric? 

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Habits Assessed

Level 4

Exemplary 

100%

Level 3

On Target 

90%

Level 2

Developing

80%

Level 1

Beginner

70%

Work Habit: I can complete my work during class time.

Academic Habit: I can read and perform the music at my goal level.

I can remain on task 100% of the time. I can help others accomplish their practice goals.

I can perform the target material by the end of the practice time with 100% accuracy. 

I can remain on task more than half of the time. I can ask my group members for help when needed. 

I can perform the target material by the end of the practice time with one or two mistakes. 

I can remain on task about half of the time. I can ask my group members for help when needed and we may need to ask the teacher for help as a group. 

I can perform about half of the target material correctly by the end of the 

I can remain on task less than half of the time. I always ask the teacher for help when needed. 

I can perform less than half of the target material correctly by the end of the practice time. 

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Week Five - Concert

Students are able to apply their small group practice skills to full-group rehearsal by developing rehearsal targets and reflecting on the quality of the full-class performance.

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Rehearsal Reflection Turn and Talk

Turn and talk with your section and be prepared to share your thoughts for these two points:

  • Identify one "glow" (something you are proud of ) in our full class performance.
  • Identify one "grow" (something we need to improve on) about our full class performance

Share using "I" statements or generalizing about an improvement that can be made in a section. We are not calling others out! 

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Developing Rehearsal Targets

Based on our rehearsal reflection, write one measurable and specific rehearsal target for next class. This should be phrased like a practice goal!  

Example: We can create space for the piano solo by decreasing our dynamic level on the verses. 

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Continue the cycle of playing, reflecting, and having students create the rehearsal plans until they are ready for the show. You gave the kids all the tools they need to be independent music-makers, now let them rock! 

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Thanks for coming! 

Let's chat! 

ldelrosso@schools.nyc.gov