K12 Performing Arts

Planning Commentary
Planning Commentary Directions: Respond to the prompts below (no more than 9 single-spaced
pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the brackets following each prompt. Do not
delete or alter the prompts; both the prompts and your responses are included in the total page count
allowed. Refer to the evidence chart in the handbook to ensure that this document complies with all
format specifications. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.
1. Central Focus
a. Describe the central focus and purpose for the content you will teach in the learning
segment.
[ To learn the concept of musical style and its role in music. Through this learning segment,
students will be able to identify musical style markings including staccato, accent, tenuto,
and marcato. They will be able to explain how these markings change the notes they apply
to, and also be able to perform music including these styles. ]
b. Given the central focus, describe how the standards and learning objectives within your
learning segment address creating, performing, or responding to music/dance/theater by
applying
artistic skills (e.g., self expression, creativity, exploration/improvisation)
knowledge (e.g., tools/instruments, technical proficiencies, processes, elements,
organizational principles)
contextual understandings (e.g., social, cultural, historical, global, personal reflection)
[ My learning segment will apply artistic skills, as the students will have opportunities to
interpret their music and decide which style they believe is best fit for their performances. In
addition, students will analyze music to learn how similar music can provide different musical
experiences through using various musical styles. Students will also be able to gain
knowledge on how to interpret musical styles, and how to play musical styles on their own
instruments. ]
c. Explain how your plans build on each other to help students in creating, performing, or
responding to music/dance/theater and make connections to artistic skills, knowledge,
and contextual understandings.
[ The segment will start by having students analyzing music so they can hear different styles
in both popular and art music. The following lessons will then introduce specific styles which
students will then not only demonstrate how to play on their own, but also demonstrate as a
class while playing music for an upcoming concert. I will also give students the chance to
explain how to play various musical styles, ensuring they understand the differences
between each style. ]
2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
For each of the prompts below (2ab), describe what you know about your students with
respect to the central focus of the learning segment.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support
(e.g., students with IEPs, English language learners, struggling readers, underperforming
students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students).
a. Prior academic learning and prerequisite skills related to the central focusWhat do
students know, what can they do, and what are they learning to do?
[ Students know how to read the notes and rhythms of their music, and, as a group, correctly
perform the technical aspects of the music they use in class. Through this learning segment,
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K12 Performing Arts
Planning Commentary
students will not only know which notes to play and when, but also know stylistically how to
play each note. ]
b. Personal/cultural/community assets related to the central focusWhat do you know
about your students everyday experiences, cultural backgrounds, practices, and
interests?
[ I know that my students are academically successful, as they go to the magnet school in
the district. Because of this, I knew that compared to the other elementary schools I teach
at, this group would succeed and excel at the task they are to learn. ]
3. Supporting Students Performing Arts Learning
Respond to prompts (3ac) below. To support your explanations, refer to the instructional
materials and lesson plans you have included as part of Task 1. In addition, use principles
from research and/or theory to support your explanations.
a. Explain how your understanding of your students prior academic learning and personal/
cultural/community assets (from prompts 2ab above) guided your choice or adaptation
of learning tasks and materials.
[ Because my students in this class are in a magnet school, I decided to teach them material
that is more advanced than what students at the other schools are learning. I hope that the
students can take what they learn to the large combined band and set examples and be
positive role models to students at the other schools. ]
b. Describe and justify why your instructional strategies and planned supports are
appropriate for the whole class, individuals, and/or groups of students with specific
learning needs.
Consider students with IEPs English language learners, struggling readers,
underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted
students.
[ My instructional strategy included a chance for the whole class to get involved in the
lesson, through sharing their musical thoughts (as Vygotskys concept of Importance of
Language and Constructivism suggests that students work in groups to discuss and learn
new information with each other), to individually demonstrating musical procedures, to
playing their instruments as a group. I wanted students to not only be able to demonstrate
what to do on their instruments, but I also gave students a chance to explain how to play for
students that are still developing the kinesthetic side of playing an instrument. I also have a
student with ADHD, however, I have not seen the actual IEP for that student because of the
districts policies regarding IEPs (My co-op hasnt seen the IEP either, he is still trying to work
with the school district to make that happen). After discussing the student with my co-op, we
decided the best plan for what we knew was to ensure that we were keeping our student
with ADHD actively engaged at all times, ensuring that she is focused and involved in the
class. ]
c. Describe common student errors, weaknesses, or misunderstandings within your
content focus and how you will address them.
[ I foresee that students will mix up and confuse the different styles with each other. To
counteract this, I plan to introduce new articulations slowly to not overwhelm students with
information. In addition, I plan on using past articulations as a reference point for learning
new styles, to ensure students are able to compare and contrast each style with each other.]
4. Supporting Performing Arts Development Through Language
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K12 Performing Arts
Planning Commentary
a. Language Function. Identify one language function essential for students to learn the
performing arts knowledge within your central focus. Listed below are some sample
language functions. You may choose one of these or another more appropriate for your
learning segment.
[ I want my students to be able to describe each style. Because of where they are at in their
technical development, small changes in how they play may go unnoticed, but I want
students to able to know that each style has its own characteristics (Staccato is light, short,
and separated, accented is heavy and emphasized, tenuto is smooth and connected,
marcato is emphasized, short, and lifted). ]
b. Identify a key learning task from your plans that provides students with opportunities to
practice using the language function. Identify the lesson in which the learning task
occurs. (Give lesson/day number.)
[ In the lesson 2 assessment, I provide students an opportunity to describe how to play both
staccato and accented notes. ]
c. Additional Language Demands. Given the language function and learning task
identified above, describe the following associated language demands (written or oral)
students need to understand and/or use:
Vocabulary and/or symbols
Plus at least one of the following:
Syntax
Discourse
Consider the range of students understandings of the language function and other
demandswhat do students already know, what are they struggling with, and/or what is
new to them?
[ Students will learn the following vocabulary: Staccato, Accent, Tenuto, Legato, Marcato.
They will learn what each word means in relation to how they should play their music, as
well as the symbol related to each word/style. They will have opportunities to explain each
new vocabulary word, demonstrate with their instruments how to play each word, and also
chances to demonstrate that they understand what symbols represent what word. ]
d. Language Supports. Refer to your lesson plans and instructional materials as needed
in your response to the prompt below.
Describe the instructional supports (during and/or prior to the learning task) that help
students understand and successfully use the language function and additional
language demands identified in prompts 4ac.
[ Each class will feature chances for students to share what they hear while I demonstrate
each style for them. This will give students he ability to share the way they are thinking
about the styles in their own language, and will hall me better transfer the knowledge to
them using the dialogue they created. ]
5. Monitoring Student Learning
In response to the prompts below, refer to the assessments you will submit as part of the
materials for Task 1.
Analyze Compare/contrast Describe Explain Express
Identify Interpret Perform Summarize Synthesize
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The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.
K12 Performing Arts
Planning Commentary
a. Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments will provide direct
evidence of students creating, performing, or responding to music/dance/theater by
applying artistic skills, knowledge, and contextual understandings throughout the
learning segment.
[ My segments informal assessment give me a chance to listen to how students were
performing different styles, and I will give individual feedback to students based on their
performance in class. Each lesson also included a written quiz, which I will use to assess
how student think about styles, how they affect the music, and what they should do to play
each style correctly. ]
b. Explain how the design or adaptation of your planned assessments allow students with
specific needs to demonstrate their learning.
Consider all students, including students with IEPs, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students.
[ I wanted my assessments to allow all students to succeed, regardless of their ability to play
their instrument. I wanted students to be able to show that they were understanding of what
to do / how to play, even if their technical abilities were not at the level of their peers. ]
Copyright 2013 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. of | 9 pages maximum 4 4
All rights reserved. V2_0913
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.