Kaitlyn Laprise

Curriculum Project
August 2016

Essential Question: What makes a performance expressive?

Context: This curriculum is designed to address the novice and intermediate levels of experience in each
of the four music standards with students in a High School Band classroom.

Length of Unit: One concert cycle

Sequence of Activities: The learning experiences are arranged sequentially within each area of the
standards, but the standards themselves are not in any particular order. It is intended for multiple levels
of projects to be in process across the four standards at the same time to allow for more flexibility to
adjust the sequence of activities to fit the students needs best. The only stipulation is that the unit will
begin with the first two Connect exercises to help them set the context for what expression is.

Music concepts: This curriculum assumes that students have had experience with concepts related to
dynamics, articulation, and phrasing through their previous experiences in performing ensembles, but
seeks to help them understand these concepts more deeply in terms of why they are used and what
impact they can have on expression.

Create
EQ: What makes a performance expressive?
Evidence: Students will be able to: Express non-musical ideas through the musical contexts of
improvisation and composition
Learning
exp
1

Anchor
Standards
1, 2

1, 2, 7

1, 2, 3 E

1, 2, 7

1, 2, 8

1, 2, 6, 7

1, 2, 3

1, 2, 7

MI

P21
Creativity
Creativity
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity
Communication
Creativity

Assessment Type

Blooms

Thinking Skills

Journal

6a

1a

Journal
Self-Assessment

3a/b, 5a/b, 6a

1a, 3c

2a, 4a, 6b, 6d

1b/c, 2a/b, 3a/c

6c, 6d

3c

Journal
Rubric
Journal
Rubric

Learning experience 1: Introduction to improvisation

Using a call and response style in warm ups, students begin by improvising short motives with
just two notes. As they build confidence in their creativity, the teacher gradually adds more
options for notes until they have full freedom for their improvisation.
These activities should start with the teacher as the call and the entire class improvising
together as the response. Gradually, students are encouraged to give the call, and the response
ensemble is reduced to increase independence; students respond in groups by instrument
family, then by instrument, and then individually.
Assessment: Journal
Journal Prompt: Describe your personal relationship with improvisation. Were you
comfortable when we first started improvising in class? Have your feelings toward it
changed? Why or why not? What impact do you think improvising has on your overall
musicianship?

Learning experience 2: Improvisation game: What sounds can you make that sound like_____?
Students improvise short sounds (including non-traditional sounds), motives, or melodies to
express ideas either chosen off of a list or suggested by the students themselves. Initially,
everyone experiments at the same time, but gradually, through discussion, students make
suggestions about what instruments to use and what types of sounds would express the idea
best, and then individual students experiment.
Discussion questions: What instrument(s) fit that idea best? How could you express the same
idea with more than one instrument?

After each improvisation, students evaluate the attempt in terms of its ability to express the
chosen idea and give thoughtful suggestions about how it could be improved.
Assessment: Journal, Self-assessment of effectiveness and creativity of improvisations
Journal prompts: How were you able to create sounds that expressed specific ideas?
What experiences did you draw on? How can you use these skills to better express
another composers ideas?

Learning experience 3: Play something that describes your weekend

Students take turns improvising a short melody that they feel describes their weekend. Every
student listens to their peers improvise and keeps a list with guesses about how each person felt
about their weekend or what each person did based on the way they played. This list should also
include what they heard from each person that made them think that. Finally, each student also
submits a brief description of what they were trying to express from their weekend. The teacher
compiles the lists and gives each person a list of their peers thoughts the next day. Students
reflect on their ability to communicate their ideas in a journal.
Assessment: Journal, Improvisation rubric
Journal Prompt: Compare your peers guesses to what you were trying to express about
your weekend. How effectively were you able to communicate your ideas? What might
you do differently next time to get closer to the idea you were trying to express?

Learning experience 4: Compose a short piece that describes a specific emotion or idea
Students compose an 8-measure melody for their instrument that expresses a specific emotion
or idea. The title of the piece should explain the idea they are trying to express. When their
pieces are complete, all students announce their title and perform their composition for the
class.
Assessment: Journal, composition rubric
Journal Prompt: Describe your compositional process. How were you able to write your
piece? What knowledge and skills did you need to draw on? What did you learn from
listening to your peers perform their own pieces? Based on what you learned, what
might you do differently in the next piece you write?

Perform
EQ: What makes a performance expressive?
Evidence: Students will be able to: Perform with expressive intent a varied repertoire of music.
Learning
exp

Anchor
Standards

MI

P21
Collaboration
Communication
Collaboration
Communication
Innovation

4 In

1, 2, 6

4 S/In, 5, 6

1, 2, 6,
7

4 S/In, 5, 6

1, 2, 3,
7

Creativity
Critical Thinking

4 In, 5, 6

1, 2, 6,
7

Creativity
Critical Thinking
Collaboration
Communication

Assessment Type

Journal
Exhibition
Rehearsal Rubric
In Portfolio:
Journal
Self-Assessment
Recording
Exhibition
Journal

Blooms

Thinking Skills

4b/c, 5b/c

1a/b

4b/c, 5b/c

1a, 2a/b, 3b/c

1a, 2d, 4d

1a, 2a/b, 3b/c

3c

1a, 2a/b, 3b/c

Learning experience 1: Experimentation with expressive possibilities

In chorale-style warm ups, students experiment with ways to change style, modes, or rhythms
to express different ideas, characters, or emotions as generated by students. Some changes are
lead through student responses and some are lead through student auditory leaders/examples.
* Every student must lead at least once throughout this process, but they will have the option to
play for me by themselves if they prefer.

Learning experience 2: Expressive decision-making in chamber ensembles

In groups of four, choose a chorale to perform for the class. Students are responsible for making
expressive decisions, rehearsing, and being able to communicate reasoning for decisions.
Additional information students need: Resources for repertoire: IMSLP, CPDL
Assessment: Journal entries, Performance for class (rubric), Record chamber rehearsals - rubric
Journal prompt: How could you recreate this experience on your own? Who would you
play with? Who would you perform for? Why? (Jellison)

Learning experience 3: Recording individual performances two ways to express two different ideas or
emotions
Students work on their own to choose a solo and then choose two different ideas, emotions, or
characters to express. Students record themselves performing the piece twice (once each way).
This activity is presented to students as expressive problems for them to solve.
Additional information students need: repertoire resources (online, music library),
recording technology (available through school?)
Assessment: (submitted in portfolio): Journal entry, Self-assessment of ability to communicate
expressive ideas, Two recordings of performances
Journal prompt: Describe your decision-making process. What did you change between
interpretations? Why? Do you think your choices were successful in expressing your
ideas? What might you do differently next time?

Learning experience 4: Perform in concert one piece that students have made all of the expressive
decisions for. (It is not necessary to wait until experiences 2 and 3 are completed before starting 4)
*If possible, this performance will either be student-lead or will be done without a conductor.
While learning this piece, students are given complete responsibility of expressive decisions
including balance, style, what they think the piece is trying to express, and how will they
accomplish that. In performance, a student will describe their work to the audience and then
perform a portion of it without expression or phrasing first so that audience can hear the
difference their work made. (This must be rehearsed)
Much of this experience is group discussion and experimentation based, so care must be taken
to make sure that every student is encouraged to contribute suggestions and opinions.
Assessment: Exhibition, Journal reflection on process
Journal prompt: Reflect on this process. What do you feel were your greatest
contributions to this class project? What are the pros and cons to approaching a piece
this way? What did this process mean to you?

Respond
EQ: What makes a performance expressive?
Evidence: Students will be able to: Describe elements of music that make performances expressive
Learning
exp
1

Anchor
Standards
7A, 8

1, 2

7A, 8

1, 2, 5

7A, 8, 9

1, 2, 3, 6

7S/A, 8, 9

MI

P21
Communication
Creativity
Communication
Communication
Collaboration
Critical Thinking

Assessment
Type

Blooms

Thinking Skills

1a/b

1a/b

1b, 2b

1a/b, 2a

Journal
Diagram Label

2a, 4a/b, 5b/d

1a/b, 2a/b, 3c

Analysis Essay

1a, 4a/b, 5a/b

1a/b, 2a/b, 3b

Learning experience 1: Discussion: What do we know already?

Students do a think-pair-share to compile a class list of all of the compositional and stylistic
elements they know of that musicians use to express ideas.

Learning experience 2: Listening activity

Students listen to excerpts from program and character music and move around the room in
such a way that expresses what they think character of the music is. (Expressionism)
While listening a second time to the excerpts, have a class discussion about what musical
elements were used to tell the story or describe the character. (Formalism)
Discuss as a class any elements they heard that should be added to the list after the listening
activity is completed.
Possible Listening Excerpts: Till Eulenspiegel (Strauss), Der Erlknig (Schubert),
Appalachian Spring (Copland)

Learning experience 3: Expressive dictation in small groups

In small groups, students compare two recordings of the same piece. Using a score with no
expressive markings on it, students notate differences they hear in the expressive decisions of
each performer. This activity should be approached from a problem-solving perspective.
As a class, compare each groups interpretations of the two recordings.
Group reflection: How can this activity inform our own performance? What are the differences
between solo and ensemble performance in terms of expressive decisions?
Assessment: Journal, Submitted score markings from group work

Journal prompt: What were the biggest differences you noticed between the
recordings? In what ways did these differences impact your understanding of and
appreciation for the piece?

Learning experience 4: Recording comparison project

Individually, students choose two recordings of the same piece which exemplify different
expressive interpretations. In a written assignment, students describe the differences between
the recordings. What do they hear, which recording do they like better (and why), how can they
incorporate these ideas into their own playing?
Additional information needed: Resources for recordings
Assessment: Submission of recordings, Written essay analysis

Connect
EQ: What makes a performance expressive?
Evidence: Students will be able to: Discuss a variety of ways that people are expressive outside of
musical context and apply those concepts to musical performance

Learning
exp
1

Anchor
Standards
11

1, 7

11

1, 4, 5, 6, 7*

11

1, 2, 4, 5, 7*

MI

P21
Creativity
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity
Communication

Assessment
Type
Journal

1b, 2b/d, 4c

Thinking
Skills
1a/b, 2b, 3a

Journal

3c/d, 6b

2a, 3a

Journal
Rubric

3c/d, 6b

2a, 3a

Blooms

*For learning experiences 2 and 3, there are multiple options that students can choose from which each
address different Intelligences. All students will use musical intelligence and will also choose two of
three other intelligences (linguistic, spatial, or kinesthetic) to use, but not every student will use all
three.

Learning experience 1: Where are people expressive outside of music?

As a class, students generate a list of ways people are expressive outside of music. For
homework after the discussion, students each submit a link to a video they find of someone
being non-musically expressive. The teacher chooses the most effective and appropriate videos
and shares them with the class. Students then analyze video selections for additions to the list.
Assessment: Journal
Journal Prompt: Why did you choose the video you submitted? What do you think
makes that particular performance expressive? Where are you expressive in your life?
How can you apply the ideas you got in this video or from the other ways you are
expressive to your own playing?

Learning experience 2: How do we understand non-verbal expression?

Students do a think-pair-share to generate a list of possible answers to this question: How do
you know when someone is ___? (Filled in with different examples of emotions) In sharing,
students describe as a class physical, verbal, and other forms of communication used to express
emotions and ideas.
Class activity: How many ways can you express____ without words? (Filled in with different
examples of emotions) Students take turns suggesting ideas or emotions and showing them
physically, drawing them, or any other non-verbal ways they can think of to express the idea.

Assessment: Journal
Journal Prompt: Which ways were you most comfortable expressing each emotion? (Did
you like to draw it? Act it out? Describe it in words?) Do you use these skills in your life?
How can you relate these skills to your playing?

Learning experience 3: Make a video expressing ideas two ways: one with music, one in any other way
they choose
Students choose two ideas from a provided list (or create their own ideas) to express in two
different ways. First, they express the idea musically with an excerpt of a piece of their choice or
a short improvised solo. Second, they express the same idea any other way they choose
(physically, visually, verbally), but they must choose a different non-musical way for each idea.
Assessment: Rubric for video, Journal
Journal Prompt: Describe the expressive similarities between the musical and nonmusical ways you chose to show each idea. Why do you think that two different
expressive mediums could be similar? What could this mean for your musicianship?

Chart Legends
Blooms Key:
Remember
Understand
Apply
Analyze
Evaluate
Create

Factual
Conceptual
Procedural
Metacognitive

1
2
3
4
5
6

A
B
C
D

Multiple Intelligences Key:

Anchor Standards:

Linguistic
Musical
Logical-Mathematical
Spatial
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Inter-personal
Intra-personal
(Naturalistic)

3E
4S
4 In
7A
7S

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
(8)

Thinking Skills:
Knowledge Acquisition
Focusing
Information Gathering
Remembering

1
1a
1b
1c

Processing
Organizing
Analyzing

2
2a
2b

Transfer and Application

Generating
Integrating
Evaluating

3
3a
3b
3c

Anchor 3: Evaluate and Refine

Anchor 4: Select
Anchor 4: Interpret
Anchor 7: Analyze
Anchor 7: Select