Unit Plan Assignment
Gyubin (Sierra) Kim
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
CTL7014
Professor Christine Jackson
March 31, 2021
Unit Overview and Description: Grade 9 Instrumental Music
In this unit, students explore the various sounds, ensembles, and performances of the
instruments. Through an exploratory approach to music listening, students will become
familiar of the sounds of instruments around the world, in the orchestra, and in band.
Through interactive activities, students will learn about the instrument family groups and
instruments consisting within the orchestra and band. Students will also learn about the role
of the conductor and their importance to the ensemble. In groups, students will explore
different genres of music and reflect on how the instrument are performed around the
world. At the end of the unit, students will attend a virtual fieldtrip to a private virtual
concert with a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The concert includes a live
performance accompanied by a discussion demonstrating the life of a professional musician.
Students will engage with the performance by asking interview questions and noting
observations from the performance. Students will be asked to complete a culminating
assignment which will be graded and returned to students with feedback of their learning.
Big Idea/ How are instruments used around the world?
Essential Question How do professional musicians perform and create music together?
What are students Overall Expectations:
expected to learn? B1. The Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis process when
responding to, analysing, reflecting on, and interpreting music.
B2. Music and Society: demonstrate an understanding of how
traditional, commercial, and art music reflect the society in which
they were created and how they have affected communities or
cultures.
B4. Connections Beyond the Classroom: identify and describe various
opportunities for continued engagement in music.
C1. Theory and Terminology: demonstrate an understanding of music
theory with respect to concepts of notation and the elements and
other components of music, and use appropriate terminology relating
to them.
How will students Assessment of Learning: Culminating Task of Unit
demonstrate their
learning? The assessment is intended to be used at the end of the unit and is
consisted of two parts. This culminating task will evaluate student
knowledge and engagement with the lesson materials from the unit.
Their evidence of learning will be reported on the worksheets then
evaluated according to the breakdown of the marks. The following
information includes descriptions of the assignment, accompanied by
the hyperlinks to the assessment materials.
Part 1 of the Assessment (synchronous):
During the last lesson of the unit, students will attend a virtual field
trip hosted by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The field trip
includes a 45-minute-long classroom concert of a live performance
and an interactive discussion with a member of the orchestra. During
the performance, students will be asked to complete an
accompanying worksheet, which will be provided to them prior to the
concert. The worksheet asks questions drawing on students’
knowledge from the unit and invites students to actively listen to the
performance and to note their observations. The theme of the live
discussion suggested by the orchestra is “life as a musician”. Using this
theme, students will each create a related question to either ask the
musician themselves or show it to the teacher to ask. They are asked
to actively participate in the discussion and to note their findings
under the consolidating questions. The worksheet must be completed
by the students during class, which the teacher will use to assess their
participation and engagement, and level of understanding. The
teacher will provide students a participation grade ranging from 1 to
5, based on their level of engagement evident in their answers. The
concert information is found here.
Part 2 of the Assessment (asynchronous):
As an end of the unit assignment, students are asked to complete the
assignment which will be graded by the teacher. Students are asked
to complete this assignment as homework and the deadline is decided
by the teacher, prior to starting the next unit. The teacher will review
the assignment criteria with the students with accompanying slides
which provides sample answers and mark breakdown. The teacher
will also select a live concert video clip and practice answering the
questions together with the students. The assignment consists of
eight questions which draw on lesson materials from the unit,
including a bonus question. Students will receive full marks if they
provide the information asked in the question.
Link to the worksheet.
Link to the slides.
Link to a student sample (received during practicum).
Notes:
The assessment is divided into two parts to provide a full concert
experience to students. The field trip experience is limited to a
professional performance of one orchestral instrument instead of the
whole orchestra given the health restrictions. In an ideal circumstance
without the influence of the current pandemic, students will attend a
field trip to watch a live orchestral concert by the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra at the Roy Thomson Hall. Although this is not an available
option in the 2020/21 concert season, details to this plan can be
found here and can be referenced for future use.
Assessment for and as learning:
Strategies for assessment for and as learning are implemented and
identified in each lesson. Student participation, achievement, and
progress will be monitored and documented by the teacher
throughout the unit.
Unit Overview
Lesson Summary (60 minutes) Assessment as & for Learning Strategies
Lesson 1 Checkpoint
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Observation of student participation
various sounds of the instruments in Western and response from the activities.
Classical music and around the world. In this
exploratory lesson, students are encouraged to Prompts to check for understanding
compare the sounds of the instruments and draw with feedback (listed below are some
connections to their prior knowledge and of the sample questions with suggested
experiences with instruments. Students will be answers):
rotating in small groups to answer the given set of Q: Which instruments have you seen or
questions. Students will also engage in a four played before?
corners activity guessing the name of the - Student A: violin, piano
instruments given the four choices for each - Student B: flute…
question.
Q: List the adjectives to describe the
sound of (instrument name).
- Graceful, soft, rich, powerful,
broad…
Lesson 2 (first sample lesson plan) Checkpoint
In this lesson, students will learn about the Prompts to check for understanding
instruments in the orchestra. The main learning with feedback:
goal for this lesson is for students to become (The teacher will pause the video then
familiar with the four instrument family groups. ask the following sample questions).
Students will draw connections to the previous
lesson by reviewing the sounds of each instrument. Q: “What is the name of the instrument
The teacher will present each orchestral we see here?”
instrument listed under its instrument family group - I hear and see the cello.
with accompanying video clips. The clips include
examples of diverse genres and styles of Q: “Which instrument family is this
performance. At the end of the lesson, students instrument part of?”
will listen to a video of a complete orchestral - The oboe is part of the
performance and guess the names of the woodwind family.
instruments. A timestamp is given at the entrance
of each instrument. Q: “Which instrument is playing with
(instrument name)?”
- The French horn is playing
together with the trombones.
Lesson 3 Checkpoint
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Observation and documentation of
instruments in the concert band. Students will student participation, engagement, and
draw on the information from the previous lesson response in the Jamboard activity with
by comparing the instruments present in the two feedback.
groups. In breakout rooms, students will work in
small groups to complete the assigned questions Prompts to check for understanding
on Jamboard. The questions draw on the lesson (listed below are some of the sample
materials on orchestral and band instruments and questions with suggested answers):
are presented in various forms with fun bonus
questions. Students will be placed according to Listed below are some of the sample
their strengths or weaknesses. questions with suggested answers:
Q: Name one band instrument that do
we not see in the orchestra.
- We do not usually see the
saxophones in the orchestra.
Q: Is (instrument name) part of the
orchestra or band?
- The violin is part of the
orchestra, not band.
Lesson 4 (second sample lesson plan) Checkpoint:
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Self-assessment and peer feedback.
conductor of a band or orchestra, connecting to
the previous two lessons. Students will learn about Teacher observation on the students’
the responsibilities of the conductor, and the demonstration of conducting
importance of their role. Students will also be considering the following questions:
introduced to the beat patterns and learn how to - Can the student conduct the
conduct and follow basic conducting beats. correct number of beats?
Students will participate in a conducting activity.
Students will be given a rhythmic passage to try - Can the student conduct the
together as a class, following the given conducting correct beat shape?
beat and tempo. Students will take turns to
conduct the whole class at their own tempo. - Can the student conduct at a
stable tempo?
- Can the student accurately
follow the given conducting
beats?
Lesson 5 Checkpoint:
In this lesson, students will learn about the various Teacher observation on:
genres of music. This lesson is intended to - Demonstration of student
consolidate the learned materials from the unit knowledge from student
and to draw connections to the following unit on presentation
music history. Similar to the first lesson, this
exploratory lesson will provide students the - Demonstration of student
opportunity to engage with various styles of participation and engagement
musical performance. Students will participate in a from group activity
cooperative group activity where each group will
be in charge of a specific genre. In this jigsaw - Peer feedback
formation, students will meet with members from
other groups to complete the jigsaw puzzle then
the answers will be taken up together as a class.
Lesson 6 (third sample lesson plan) Assessment of Learning:
In this lesson, students will attend a virtual field Culminating Task - Concert Review.
trip hosted by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Link to the worksheet.
The field trip includes a 45-minute-long classroom Link to the slides.
concert of a live performance and an interactive Link to a student sample (received
discussion with a member of the orchestra. during practicum).
Students will be asked to complete an
accompanying worksheet, drawing on students’
knowledge on orchestral instruments and inviting
students to actively listen to the performance and
to note their observations. During the live
discussion, students will each create a related
question to either ask the musician themselves or
show it to the teacher to ask. They are asked to
actively participate in the discussion and to note
their findings under the consolidating questions.
The worksheet must be completed by the students
during class, which the teacher will use to assess
their participation and engagement, and level of
understanding. The teacher will introduce the
assignment to be completed independently at
home. The teacher will review the assignment
criteria with the students with accompanying slides
which provides sample answers and mark
breakdown. The teacher will also select a live
concert video clip and practice answering the
questions together with the students. The
questions draw on lesson materials from the unit
and has eight questions, including a bonus
question.
3 – Part Lesson Plan
Big Idea: understanding the instrument family groups and the sounds of orchestral
instruments (Lesson #2)
Grade: 9 Subject: Music Time: 60
minutes
Curriculum Expectations and Learning Goals
Curriculum Expectations: Learning Goals:
B1. The Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis By the end of the lesson,
process when responding to, analysing, reflecting on, and students will be able to:
interpreting music.
1. Identify the instrument
B2. Music and Society: demonstrate an understanding of family groups.
how traditional, commercial, and art music reflect the 2. Become familiar of the
society in which they were created and how they have different instrument
affected communities or cultures. sounds in the
orchestra.
C1. Theory and Terminology: demonstrate an 3. Understand the
understanding of music theory with respect to concepts of standard orchestra
notation and the elements and other components of music, seating layout.
and use appropriate terminology relating to them.
Minds On Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Students will discuss their prior knowledge of the orchestral Material and set-up:
instruments. Students will be asked to identify the - Desks set up in a
instruments shown in the provided pictures. Students will horseshoe formation
also be asked to share their prior experiences seeing, (in-person)
hearing, or playing any orchestral instrument. - Share screen through
Zoom (online)
Teacher prompts: - Presentation slides
“Which instruments do we see in the orchestra?” - Speaker and audio
“Have you seen, heard or played any instruments in the connection
orchestra?” - Video links for
instrument
demonstration
Action Estimated Time: 35 minutes
Students will learn about the instruments in the orchestra. Assessment strategies:
The main learning goal for this lesson is for students to - Observations
become familiar with the four instrument family groups. - Conversations
Students will draw connections to the previous lesson by - Questions & prompts
reviewing the sounds of each instrument. The teacher will to check for
present each orchestral instrument listed under its understanding
instrument family group with accompanying video clips. The
clips include examples of diverse genres and styles of
performance. While watching, students are encouraged to
interact and share their impressions or thoughts in the chat
or out loud. Students will learn about the main orchestral
instruments and the common supplementary instruments.
For example, students will learn about the English horn
along with the oboe. Students will learn to identify the
distinct sounds of the orchestral instruments. They will also
learn why the popular instrument saxophone is not
included as a standard orchestral instrument.
Teacher prompts:
“These are the instruments in the brass family. Which
instruments do we recognize from the picture?”
“How can you describe the sound of a French horn? What
does it sound like to your ears?”
“The oboe and English horn could sound similar. How can
we learn to differentiate the two?”
Students will learn about the standard orchestra seating
layout. The teacher will prepare a blank seating chart and
fill it out together with the students. The class will first
identify the seating of each instrument family group then
identify the position of each instrument.
Teacher prompts:
“Which instrument family group sits closest to the
conductor?”
“Where is the oboe positioned in the orchestra?”
Consolidation Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Students will listen to the composition The Young Person’s Reflection strategies:
Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten, which is a - Check for
commissioned composition with an educational purpose to understanding
introduce orchestral instruments to children and young - Connect back to
adults. Students will play an interactive activity of guessing learning goals
the names of the instruments in the orchestra. At each - Identify next steps for
marked timestamp, students will review their knowledge by learning
identifying the instrument being played using their voice or
in the chat.
Upon completing the activity, students will revisit the
learning goals and will be encouraged to provide feedback
of their learning. They will assess themselves on a scale
from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most confident. The next steps
for learning will be identified by the teacher, providing
feedback on the answers they provided in the activity.
Example:
“Many of us guessed that the bassoon is a brass instrument,
but it is a woodwind instrument! Let us review the
instruments of the woodwind instrument one more time for
the next class.”
Considerations
Multiple Intelligences:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Verbal linguistic
- Musical
- Intra-personal
- Interpersonal
Accommodations:
- Pacing
- Exploratory learning
- Organization of instructions and lecture materials
- Chunk instructions
- Graphic organizers
- Prompting
- Rewording
- Verbal cues
Assessment strategies:
- Self-assessment
- Teacher observations
- Conversations with students
- Questions & prompts to check for understanding
3 – Part Lesson Plan
Big Idea: Understanding the role of the conductor and conducting beat patterns (Lesson #4)
Grade: 9 Subject: Music Time: 60
minutes
Curriculum Expectations and Learning Goals
B1. The Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis Learning Goals:
process when responding to, analysing, reflecting on, and By the end of the lesson,
interpreting music. students will be able to:
B2. Music and Society: demonstrate an understanding of 1. Understand the role
how traditional, commercial, and art music reflect the and responsibilities of
society in which they were created and how they have the conductor
affected communities or cultures.
2. Understand the shape
B4. Connections Beyond the Classroom: identify and or beat patterns in 2, 3,
describe various opportunities for continued engagement in and 4.
music.
3. Conduct and follow the
C1. Theory and Terminology: demonstrate an beat patterns of 2, 3,
understanding of music theory with respect to concepts of and 4.
notation and the elements and other components of music,
and use appropriate terminology relating to them.
Minds On Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Students will be asked to answer the following question, Material and set-up:
“Why do we need a conductor in the orchestra?”. Students - Desks set up in a
will discuss the question in a think/pair/share formation. As horseshoe formation
students share their answers, the teacher will note their (in-person)
responses on the board. The recorded answers will be - Share screen through
addressed when introducing the material during the Action. Zoom (online)
- Presentation slides
Students will then be asked to represent the conductor - Speaker and audio
using any medium and form they prefer by answering the connection
question, “What does a conductor look like?”. For example, - Video links for
they could draw what a conductor looks like, brainstorm instrument
their characteristics to present to the class, or act out their demonstration
gestures. They are asked to work in small groups and
present to the class.
Action Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Students will learn about the role of the conductor and Assessment strategies:
their importance to the musical ensemble. They will then - Observations
watch a video clip comparing the unique conducting styles - Conversations
of some of the most famous conductors. The video includes - Questions & prompts
interpretation of Beethoven’s 5th symphony from four to check for
different composers. Students are asked to describe the understanding
characteristics of each conductor and to note differences.
Teacher prompts:
“How Is Bernstein’s conducting different from Karajan?”
“Why do you think Ozawa chose not to use a baton for this
piece?”
“Which of the four interpretations do you prefer? Why?”
Students will also learn some basic conducting beat
patterns in 2, 3, and 4. They will practice together as a class
and can either conduct with their hands or with a stick.
Consolidation Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Students will participate in a conducting activity. Similar to Reflection strategies:
the setting of the orchestra, they will take turns to stand in - Check for
front of the whole class to conduct the three beat patterns. understanding
Students will be given three rhythmic passages to try - Connect back to
together as a class, which also reflects the time signatures learning goals
in 2, 3, and 4. Students will be asked to follow the
conducting beat given by the student conductor. Students
will take turns to conduct the whole class at their own
chosen tempo. Students are invited to provide feedback to
their peers in an encouraging manner.
Upon completing the activity, students will revisit the
learning goals and will be encouraged to provide feedback
of their learning. They will assess themselves on a scale
from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most confident. The next steps
for learning will be identified by the teacher, providing
feedback on the answers they provided in the activity.
Considerations
Multiple Intelligences:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Bodily-kinesthetic
- Verbal linguistic
- Musical
- Intra-personal
- Interpersonal
Accommodations:
- Pacing
- Exploratory learning
- Organization of instructions and lecture materials
- Chunk instructions
- Graphic organizers
- Prompting
- Rewording
- Verbal cues
Assessment strategies:
- Self-assessment
- Peer assessment
- Teacher observations
- Conversations with students
- Questions & prompts to check for understanding
3 – Part Lesson Plan
Big Idea: End of Unit Virtual Field Trip (Lesson #6)
Grade: 9 Subject: Music Time: 60
minutes
Curriculum Expectations and Learning Goals
Curriculum Expectations: Learning Goals:
B1. The Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis By the end of the lesson,
process when responding to, analysing, reflecting on, and students will be able to:
interpreting music.
1. Observe characteristics
B4. Connections Beyond the Classroom: identify and of an orchestral
describe various opportunities for continued engagement in instrument
music.
2. Create an interview
C1. Theory and Terminology: demonstrate an question engaging with
understanding of music theory with respect to concepts of the life of a
notation and the elements and other components of music, professional musician
and use appropriate terminology relating to them.
3. Identify the
instruments,
instrument family
groups, conductor, and
composer of their
chosen performance.
Minds On Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Students will attend a virtual field trip hosted by the Material and set-up:
Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The live performance will be - Desks set up in a
the minds-on of the lesson, which includes a member of the horseshoe formation
orchestra performing a solo piece on their instrument. (in-person)
During the minds-on activity, students will be asked to - Share screen through
complete an accompanying worksheet, drawing on Zoom (online)
students’ knowledge on orchestral instruments and inviting - Presentation slides
students to actively listen to the performance and to note - Speaker and audio
their observations. connection
- Video links for
Questions to be answered on the worksheet: instrument
“Which instrument is being demonstrated?” demonstration
“Which instrument family group is it part of?”
“Which song was performed? Who was it composed by?”
“How would you describe the style of the piece?”
“What was surprising or interesting about the
performance?”
Action Estimated Time: 20 minutes
During the live discussion, students will each create a Assessment strategies:
related question to either ask the musician themselves or - Observations
show it to the teacher to ask. They are asked to actively - Conversations
participate in the discussion and to note their findings - Questions & prompts
under the consolidating questions. The worksheet must be to check for
completed by the students during class, which the teacher understanding
will use to assess their participation and engagement, and
level of understanding.
Questions to be answered on the worksheet:
“Create one question to ask the performer. What are you
curious about their life as a professional musician?”
“Note their responses. Was the answer surprising to you?”
“Note two interesting ideas that arose from the interview
questions from your peers.”
“What would you like to know more about?”
Consolidation Estimated Time: 10 minutes
The teacher will introduce the second part of the Reflection strategies:
assignment, which students will be asked to complete - Check for
independently at home. The teacher will review the understanding
assignment criteria with the students with accompanying - Connect back to
slides, which provides sample answers and the mark learning goals
breakdown. The teacher will also select a live concert video - Identify next steps for
clip and practice answering the questions together with the learning
students. The assignment consists of eight questions which
draw on lesson materials from the unit, including a bonus
question. There is no rubric for this assignment as it is
designed in a quiz-like format. This means that students will
receive full marks if they provide the information asked in
the question. With the bonus question, the highest score
students can receive is 21 out of 20 marks.
Link to the worksheet.
Link to the slides.
Link to a student sample (received during practicum).
Considerations
Multiple Intelligences:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Verbal linguistic
- Musical
- Intra-personal
- Interpersonal
Accommodations:
- Organization of instructions and lecture materials
- Chunk instructions
- Prompting
- Rewording
- Verbal cues
Assessment strategies:
- Collection of products: culminating task
- Teacher observations
- Conversations with students
