Exploration Service Orchestra

Rationale

The conception of education as a social process and function has no definite meaning
until we define the kind of society we have in mind. John Dewey (1916).

Psychologists and educators are recognizing that the role of others in the learning
process goes beyond providing stimulation and encouragement for individual
construction of knowledge. Rather, interactions with the people in ones environment are
considered major determinants of what is learned and how learning takes place.
Leonore Pogonowski (2002).

The curriculum is a mind-altering device. Elliot Eisner (2002).

Thinking should be prized not only because it leads to attractive destinations, but
because the journey is satisfying. Elliot Eisner (1998).

A successful project is the springboard for the next cycle of learning. Suzie Boss &
Jane Krauss (2007).

Freedom is an achievement in the midst of life and with other human beings. People
achieve whatever freedom they can achieve through increasingly conscious and mindful
transaction with what surrounds and impinges, not simply by breaking out of context and
acting in response to impulse or desire. Maxine Greene (1995).


Incorporating the district philosophy that learning is social before it is cognitive and
happens in a life-long context, engaging in constructivist teaching and project-based
learning situated in musical service will help VVS orchestra students realize this
philosophy. The purpose of this curriculum is to develop empowered, democratic, kind,
and innovative students in the context of elementary orchestra by specifically
incorporating peer teaching and artistic literacy.


According to Lucy Green (2013), the benefits of a constructivist music curriculum are
that it:
Enables students to take ownership of their learning.
Makes authentic connections to students musical lives outside of school and
helps to move students musical explorations beyond the classroom.
Creates a balance between what students already know they want to explore and
new understandings.
Makes active music production something that all students are involved and
engaged in.
Gives opportunities to make sustained progress in individualized areas for
students.
Reinforces existing musical and technical skills will developing new ones.
The work and writings of Lev Vygotsky have influenced constructivist theory and
philosophy, as well as this curriculum model. Some of his most prolific educative work,
for the purpose of this rationale, can be summarized into four points (Hatano, 1993):
1. Learners are active.
2. Learners almost always seek and often achieve understanding.
3. Learners construction of knowledge is facilitated by horizontal as well as vertical
interactions.
4. Availability of multiple sources of information enhances knowledge construction.

One of the ways that constructivist theory can be realized in the classroom is through
project-based learning. One of Vygotskys additional contributions to progressive
education was through his Social Development Theory, which argues that social
interaction precedes development; consciousness and cognition are the end product of
socialization and social behavior (1978). According to Grant (2002), drawing upon the
work of Vygotsky (1978), project-based learning is based in the theory of constructivism
where individuals develop knowledge and skills through interacting with their
environment.

Project-based learning can be summarized in four tenants, which characterize the teacher
and student work, as well as describe the nature of social interaction within a subject
matter (Campbell, 2014):
1. Student centeredness
pose and work within disciplinary questions
construct understanding through teacher facilitation
accommodates student diversity through differentiation
connects school life and real life
2. Teacher facilitation
sees students as questing to understand their experiences
mixes using blends of systematic instruction, exploration, and reflection
cultivates intellectual dispositions and critical thinking
questions as generative and formative
3. Collaborative interaction and inquiry
drive to learn and share
resources of all kinds and from all places
permeable boundaries between classroom and community
flexible classrooms
4. Disciplinary expertise
content framed by essential questions within discipline
uses problems (set in activities) within discipline
socio-cultural roles and tools use to solve problems
expertise shared in authentic contexts





The theoretical and philosophical frameworks of constructivism and project-based
learning have influenced my own thinking, which is outlined in three major points:

1. Every child can
The philosophy that all students come to me with prior knowledge and critical
experiences remains central to my identity as a teacher. It is my responsibility
to draw upon those experiences to create learning opportunities that are
authentic and meaningful to students, as well as create an environment for
students to experiment with new ideas and innovations to positively develop
themselves and society. Engaging in peer teaching allows for students to take
ownership over their learning, and allows students to showcase what
techniques and skills they (individually) feel most confident about.
Imagination is built upon experience, and imagination is what propels our
cultural development (Eisner, 1998). Developing students experiences and
self-efficacy, then, will increase their imagination and therefore develop
creative and active citizens in the world.

2. Aesthetic experience and literacy
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the
imagination, and life to everything. Plato
Music is a powerful and comprehensive aesthetic experience that shapes
childrens minds and experiences in a positive way to develop their identities.
Because there are many ways to engage in the aesthetic and many musical
roles, discovery of how those roles function in society will be inherent in the
curriculum. My goal is to create a community of musicians who personally
connect with music on a multitude of levels, and transmit the joy and passion
of learning, making, and creating music with their family and community
members. Eisner writes that arts literacy is the ability to decode and encode
meaning in different contexts (Eisner, 1998). By incorporating diverse
experience projects where students are exploring and uncovering different
musical contexts, students will develop artistic literacy. Additionally,
constructing projects that promote the develop artistic literacy to empower
students to make connections to meanings in their lives in and out of school
will benefit the overall culture at VVS.

3. Construct democratic citizenship
in addition to being shaped by culture, individuals can serve as agents for
shaping culture (Shaw, 2012).
In addition to developing a positive and collaborative learning community
through peer teaching, students will develop as astute, whole citizens who are
agents of change and participate in society (Greene, 1995). Incorporating
cultural and multi-cultural music and learning opportunities will provide
students with educative experiences to develop new understandings and
tolerance of diverse cultures. Developing a culture of inquiry and fostering the
idea of students learning from each other will create an environment that
empowers. Democratic and constructivist teaching and learning theories are
inherent in my curriculum because these theories honor the backgrounds and
experiences of the students. By shaping projects and learning opportunities
around these experiences, students create meaningful connections to their
lives outside of school. Additionally, students will be challenged to develop
their 21
st
century competencies:
i. Critical thinking and problem solving looking at problems in a
new way, linking their learning in an interdisciplinary fashion
ii. Creativity and innovation trying new things to solve their
problems and get things done
iii. Collaboration working together to reach a goal
iv. Communication sharing thoughts, questions, and ideas



Artistic Literacy
Life is a multi-media event. Eisner, 2002

The 21
st
century competencies that lead students to being college and career ready
require diverse literacies and understandings of how to utilize sources and texts to inform
work. Eisner reconceptualizes literacy as being broader than language because humans
have developed systems to convey meaning that are broader than language, and that
becoming literate means being able to access the forms of life that the meaning systems
make possible (Eisner, 2002).

Arts literacy fosters connections among the arts and interdisciplinary content, providing
students with opportunities to access, develop, express, and integrate meaning across a
21st Century
Skills &
Competencies
Creativity &
Imagination
Critical
Thinking &
Problem
Solving
Collaboration
Communcation
variety of content areas. By engaging in a broad range of projects, students are expected
to fulfill diverse roles in music, and will thus be developing diverse artistic literacies.
Context

The Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School District is located in the heart of Central New
York. The District enrolls approximately 2130 students in Pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
The 130 square mile District includes the towns and villages of Vernon and Verona, the small
city of Sherrill, and portions of the cities of Oneida and Rome, and the towns of Kirkland,
Westmoreland, and Vienna.

District Vision
The Vernon-Verona- Sherrill School District aspires to be valued as a district of distinction by
our community.

District Mission
The Mission of the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill School District is to serve the community by
preparing individuals to value challenges, learning opportunities, diversity, and civic
responsibility.

District Goals
1. Faculty, students, parents, staff, and community will work together to achieve the high levels
of student learning necessary for success in the 21
st
Century.

2. Students, faculty, parents, staff, and community will learn and work in a physically,
emotionally, safe school environment.

3. Faculty, students, parents, staff, and community will demonstrate the personal attributes
necessary to succeed in a diverse world.

Music Department Mission
The mission of the VVS Music Department is to encourage our students to continue to explore
the world of music. We strive to create a place within the school where creativity can flourish,
beauty can exist, where students are given an opportunity to express their ideas and feelings, and
are challenged to excel through music. We strive to foster excellence and innovation. Our
mission will be accomplished through our efforts to:
Provide a variety of courses and performing groups for musicians and non-musicians
which give them opportunities for musical growth
Provide curriculum, benchmarks and assessments which are aligned with the NYS
Standards and the Common Core Curriculum that create New York State School Music
Association (NYSSMA) Level 2 Elementary Ensembles, NYSSMA Level 4 Middle
School Ensembles, and NYSSMA Level 6 High School Ensembles
Provide the music and study of other cultures which will allow students to develop
tolerance and respect for others and for themselves
Interconnect music with the content of other curriculums
Provide additional opportunities outside of the VVS Community in order to enhance the
musical experiences of the students (i.e.: NYSSMA Solo and Major Festivals, Madison
County Music Educators Association (MCMEA) All-County, NYSSMA Area and
Conference All-State Festivals, New York State Band Directors Association (NYSBDA)
Honor Band, etc.)
Provide opportunities that develop collaboration and teamwork
Prepare our students to be career and college ready
Aims of the Orchestra Program

The goal ofmusic, in this conception, is to enable all students to develop their
awareness of the roles that music encompasses in their culture, so that those roles can be
appreciated, understood, ad seen as the repertoire of musical possibilities open to all.
Reimer, 2003

The purpose of the music education program is to help individuals build a relationship
with music that they can use in school throughout their lives. It is the responsibility of the
orchestra program to:

Celebrate and embrace thinking.

Construct and model a safe and positive social environment for students to
develop because learning is social before it is cognitive.

Provide students with access to and the ability to take full advantage of all the
important ways the culture at VVS provides for making and sharing musical
meanings by the ways the culture creates its musical values.

Provide authentic, genuine, and meaningful opportunities for students to engage
with music through a variety of means.

Generate meaningful, quality opportunities for students to make connections with
in and out of music.

Embrace imagination because imagination is what perpetuates our social and
cultural development.

Cultivate culturally responsive human beings through incorporating culturally
responsive pedagogies and projects.

Encourage multiple representations of meaning in showing and sharing our
imaginations, wonderments, and learnings.

Explore the many ways of knowing and doing in orchestra, music, and life.

Incorporate student-centered projects and peer learning to positively develop self-
efficacy across students in the orchestra program.

Explore ways to facilitate technical and musical development in different
ensemble contexts:
o Peer learning
o Sectionals
o Large Ensemble & Chamber Ensemble
Construct in-depth and relevant understandings of the performance techniques
necessary to actively participate in an orchestral ensemble:
o Playing with healthy posture (including bow hold)
o Fingerboard geography
o Notation decoding
o Performing with expression
o Critically listening and adjusting
o Theoretical understanding
o Analysis of historical and cultural influences of music
o Transcribing and arranging
o Performing alone and with others in a variety of settings
o Flexibility and adapting

Understand and explore the many roles of being musical in our participatory
culture.

Foster open-mindedness and grit.

Cultivate dispositions that will lead students to college and career readiness
(communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity).

Expose students to new and individually meaningful ways of thinking, being,
expressing, communicating, participating, embracing, supporting, critiquing, and
sharing music, ideas, and their passions.

Develop artistic and digital literacy through exploration and discovery in the
context of musical projects.

Enjoy the aesthetic experience of learning and making music.

Share our musical gifts with the world around us.










Goals and Objectives

Creating expressive, meaningful, innovative, and quality original work.

Developing the ability to communicate and collaborate with each other in order to
produce quality work.

Developing the technical and musical skills to create an artistic performance.

Connecting with and sharing work to benefit the community.

Scope and Sequence

The projects for 4
th
-6
th
grade orchestra students are to encourage students to actively
participate in musical roles to achieve these goals through two avenues: musical service
and musical exploration.



In alignment with the National Core Arts Standards, engaging in exploratory projects
focused on creation, performing, responding, and connecting will facilitate the
development of comprehensive musicians.

Understanding and meeting the needs of our community through musical service will
facilitate the development of culturally responsive, democratic, open-minded, and
motivated citizens. All of the exploration projects are embedded in musical service.

Additionally, each project demands technical and musical skills of students such as:
Playing with healthy posture
Bow hold and bow use
Fingerboard geography
Notation decoding
Critically listening and adjusting
Theoretical understanding
Exploration
Creating
Responding
Performing
Connecting
Service
Peer Mentoring
In & Out of School
Performances
Donating Time and Talent
Analysis of historical and cultural influences of music
Transcribing and arranging
Performing alone and with others in a variety of settings
Flexibility and adapting







Merriam Big Ideas:
Music as expression
Music as communication

Essential Questions:
What makes a good composition?
What does a good composition sound like?
What does a good composition look like?
What do I need to know and be able to do to create a good composition?
What do I need to know and be able to do to perform a new composition?
How can the ideas of my peers help me develop new and better stuff?
What is the value of performing for the community?

Objectives/Content/Dispositions:
Creating an imaginative and innovative composition for another student that is
artistic, technically proficient, and expressive
Performing with artistry, technical proficiency, and expression
Notation digital literacy
Performing skills (instrument performance)
o Technical and musical understandings
Open-mindedness and democracy
Phase One -
Investigating
Compositions
Phase Two -
Developing
Musical Ideas
Phase Three -
Sharing Our
Work &
Critiquing
Each Other in
a Meaningful
Way
Phase Four -
Performing
Our Work
Evaluating performances
Describing and analyzing
Problem solving and grit
Cultivating 21
st
century dispositions (creativity, innovation, critical thinking,
collaboration, communication)

Service Components:
Peer mentoring
Performing in and out of school
Donating time and talent

National Core Arts Standards:
Anchor Standard #1 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #3 Refine and complete artistic work.

Assessment:
Informal classroom discussions
Daily informal written self-assessment to assess dispositions:
o What problems did you solve today to achieve your goals?
o How hard did you work today?
Peer critique for compositions and performances:
o To what extent is your work expressive?
o To what extent is your work innovative?
o To what extent does your work exhibit quality craftsmanship?

Phase One: Investigating Compositions
Brainstorm:
o What makes a good composition?
Explain project overview (goals and activities)
Form composition cohorts students will be writing for each other
Search for existing compositions or songs that they like (school appropriate)
Write a descriptive narrative using the criteria developed in the brainstorm to
share with the class and post on edmodo to start our portfolios

Phase Two: Developing Musical Ideas
Brainstorm:
o What do I need to know and be able to do to create a good composition?
o What do I need to know and be able to do to perform a new composition?
o What does a good composition look like?
o What does a good composition sound like?
Use criteria from brainstorm to compose sequenced and balanced compositions
for each other
o Workshop the compositions peer mentoring
Input the composition in notation software

Phase Three: Sharing Our Work & Critiquing Each Other in a Meaningful Way
Brainstorm:
o How can the ideas of my peers help me develop new and better stuff?
Workshop/master class performances for each other with a written peer
assessment:
Compositions displayed on overhead projector
o To what extent does the composition meet the criteria we determined that
makes it good?
o To what extent does the composition display artistry, technical
proficiency, and expression?
o To what extent did the performer play the composition with artistry,
technical proficiency, and expression?
Share critique and workshop the composition and performance

Phase Four: Performing Our Work
Brainstorm:
o What do I need to know and be able to do to perform a new composition?
o What is the value of performing for the community?
Perform for classrooms, nurses office, secretaries, on the phone, over the
announcements, etc.
Perform in concert setting

































Merriam Big Ideas:
Music as expression and aesthetic
Music as physical response
Music as communication

Essential Questions:
What are different ways we can communicate the meaning of a piece?
How do artists express themselves?
In what way does the structure of a piece of music affect the emotional response?
How can we represent our expressions?
Why should we communicate our responses to music with each other?

Objectives/Content/Dispositions:
Discussing our emotional responses to music
Creating soundmaps of our original compositions
Performing skills (instrument performance)
o Technical and musical understandings
Open-mindedness and democracy
Evaluating performances
Describing and analyzing
Phase One
How do artists
express
themselves?
Phase Two
In what way
does the
structure of a
piece of music
affect our
emotional
response?
Phase
Three
How can we
represent our
expressions?
Phase Four
Why should
we
communicate
our responses
to music with
each other?
Problem solving and grit
Cultivating 21
st
century dispositions (creativity, innovation, critical thinking,
collaboration, communication)

Service Components:
Peer mentoring
Donating time and talent

National Core Arts Standards:
Anchor Standard #7 Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Anchor Standard #8 Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Anchor Standard #9 Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.

Assessment:
Informal classroom discussions
Daily informal written self-assessment to assess dispositions:
o What problems did you solve today to achieve your goals?
o How hard did you work today?
Peer critique for compositions and performances:
o To what extent is your work expressive?
o To what extent is your work innovative?
o To what extent does your work exhibit quality craftsmanship?
Peer critique of soundmaps
Performance of original composition

Phase One: How do artists express themselves?
Brainstorm:
o What is the purpose of communicating our personal responses to art?
o What value does this have in our community?
o What can we learn from each other?
Explain the project overview (goals and activities).

Phase Two: In what ways does structure affect our response to music?
Brainstorm:
o What impact does the musical structure have on our response?
Investigate music with different structures, listen, and share our personal
responses how the music makes you feel.
Students will perform their original compositions from Project 1 for each other
with the purpose of investigating structure

Phase Three: How can we represent our emotions?
Using each others original composition and performances, students will create
soundmaps representing their physical and emotional response to music.
Other students will interpret the soundmaps of their peers and perform them for
each other.
o Peer critique regarding the interpretation of the piece Was this
performed as you intended? What did you like? What would you change?

Phase Four: Why should we communicate our responses with each other?
Students will share and discuss their soundmaps in the context of the orchestra
setting
Performance of original compositions with peer review posted on edmodo






Merriam Big Ideas:
Music is a tool for expression and communication
Music is a tool for community building

Essential Questions:
What is the purpose and function of performing music in a community?
What skills do I need to show and share music with others?

Objectives/Content/Dispositions
Performing skills (instrument performance)
o Technical and musical understandings
Digital music skills (ujam, recording, etc)
Open-mindedness and democracy
Phase 3 - How can I make musical connections to benefit my
community?
Phase 2 - What do I need to know and be able to do to prepare a
quality performance in my community?
Phase 1 - What is the purpose of performing music for people?
Evaluating performances
Describing and analyzing
Problem solving and grit
Cultivating 21
st
century dispositions (creativity, innovation, critical thinking,
collaboration, communication)

Service Components:
Peer mentoring
Performing in and out of school
Donating time and talent

National Core Standards:
Anchor Standard #4 Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation.
Anchor Standard #5 Develop and refine artistic work for presentation.
Anchor Standard #6 Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.

Assessment:
Informal classroom discussions
Self-assessment writing:
What is the purpose of performing music for people?
o To what degree did we express emotion?
o To what extent did we achieve craftsmanship?
o To what extent did we succeed in performance production?
Daily informal written self-assessment to assess dispositions:
o What problems did you solve today to achieve your goals?
o How hard did you work today?
Written performance evaluations
o To what extent is your performance expressive?
o To what extent is your performance innovative?
o To what extent does your performance exhibit quality craftsmanship?

Phase 1: What is the purpose of performing music for people?
Brainstorm:
o What makes a quality performance?
o Create criteria for evaluating student performances:
Expression, craftsmanship, innovation
Explain the project overview: (project goals, activities, etc)

Phase 2: What do I need to know and be able to do to prepare a quality performance for
the community?
Determine music selection describing and analyzing the technical and
expressive qualities of the literature
Problem solve the challenges of the piece in groups (rehearsing)
o Initial performance recording with evaluation
o Working in groups to revise and refine
o Final performance recording to determine readiness

Phase 3: How can I make musical connections to benefit my community?
Brainstorm:
o How do we get into our community?
Develop networks with community members (KEYS, EI, etc.)
Organize resources for performance
Share our work
Reflect afterwards









Merriam Big Ideas:
Music expresses emotions and ideas
Music has structure

Essential Questions:
Why do people listen to music?
What makes you like or dislike a song?
What is the purpose of music in our society?
How do people discuss and share their favorite music?
How do you describe music? How do people talk about music?
What can we learn from each other?

Phase One: Why do people listen to music?
Phase Two: How do people talk about music?
Phase Three: What can we learn from each
other?
Objectives/Content/Dispositions
Describing and analyzing music to garner a more informed perspective for
performing
Digital citizenship and literacy
Performing skills (instrument performance)
o Technical and musical understandings
Open-mindedness and democracy
Evaluating music
Describing and analyzing
Problem solving and grit
Cultivating 21
st
century dispositions (creativity, innovation, critical thinking,
collaboration, communication)

National Core Standards:
Anchor Standard #10 Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to
make art.
Anchor Standard #11 Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and
historical context to deepen understanding.

Assessment:
Create an edmodo entry, describe and analyze the orchestra music.
Students assess their post using criteria generated in the beginning of the unit.

Phase 1: Why do people listen to music?
Introduce Essential Questions
o Why do people listen to music?
o What makes you like or dislike a song?
o How do people discuss and share their favorite music?
Create criteria with students to describe and analyze music
o How do you describe music?
Introduce means of accessing recordings of orchestral music

Phase 2: How do people talk about music?
Review criteria
Students listen to music in class
Students post their response on edmodo so the teacher can provide feedback

Phase 3: What can we learn from each other?
Student presentations of song analysis for the orchestra
Students self-assess their post using the criteria generated in the beginning of the
project
o To what extent did you discuss the emotion? To what extent did you
discuss the structure?
Group discussion how critically listening, analyzing, and describing our music
helps us better understand how to perform it.














Assessment and Evaluation

What can we look for when assessing student artwork? Three features commend
themselves: the technical quality of the work produced, the extent to which it displays an
inventive use of an idea or process, and the expressive power or aesthetic quality it
displays. Eisner, 2002





General components for constructing assessment will use the Eisner triangle:
1. To what degree does my work contain technical proficiency?
Technical
Quality
Inventive
Use
Expressive
Power
2. To what degree is my work innovative and creative?
3. To what degree is my work expressive of emotion?

More specific assessment is embedded in each project. Each project has unique
assessment components to genuinely prove that each of the essential questions was
answered, and that all knowledge, skills, and dispositions were developed. Additionally,
the products of each project (such as compositions, performance recordings,
soundmaps, reflections, critiques) will be uploaded to edmodo.com.

Students will be compiling a digital portfolio using edmodo.com to document all of their
work throughout the four projects. Edmodo is beneficial for the orchestra curriculum
because it allows for individualized opportunities to compile a multi-media portfolio to
reinforce diverse forms of artistic literacy.








Reference List

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Eisner, E. W. (2002). The arts and the creation of mind. New Haven, CT: Yale
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Eisner, E. W. (1998). The kind of schools we need. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Greene, M. (1995). Releasing the imagination. San Francisco: CA: Jossey-Bass.
Reimer, B. (2003). Advancing the Vision: Toward a Comprehensive General Music
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