BALL

STATE

MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND & CHOIR

Elizabeth Miller, Director
Alex Carter, Assistant Director
Grading Plan 2014-2015
Grading Policy
Students grades will be based on total percent earned out of
100 throughout the semester. Students are graded on daily
rehearsal participation, concert attendance and
participation, practice sheets, playing tests and written
assignments. Students and parents should note that
discipline is NOT generally part of the grading policy;
however, repeat classroom disruptions will negatively affect
a students overall rehearsal grade if needed. Please see
classroom rules and consequences for further information.
Grades are based on a 10% scale
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
50 and below
Daily Rehearsals and Participation 30%
Students are expected to come prepared to daily rehearsals.
This means having all the correct materials needed for class
that day and actively participating in rehearsal. Students
should come with their instrument, music (in a folder),
pencil, and any other materials requested throughout the
semester. Being prepared also means having practiced their
music OUTSIDE of class time, and participating in class
through actively listening, watching, following directions, and

answering questions. Spot checks or spot playing tests will

be given throughout the semester and count only for this
grade, not the large playing test grade.

Concerts 20%
Concert participation and attendance are a vital part of a
students grade, and concert attendance is MANDATORY.
Each ensemble participates in two performances a semester.
To receive full credit, students must arrive to warm-up on
time; arrive in proper concert attire, perform with their
group, and staying to listen respectfully to the rest of the
performances. Illness and emergencies are to be
communicated to a director ASAP, by contacting us through
phone, not email. Any student missing a concert for these
reasons will be expected to complete the make-up work
below, for a portion of the original grade. Any absence from
a concert for other reasons will result in a Zero for the grade.
MAKE-UP WORK
Concert attendance points cannot be completely madeup since the student was not actively participating in the
performance, but a significant portion can be earned through
completing two make-up assignments. The assignments are
as follows:
1. The student will complete a playing test in which
he or she will be expected to play through one of
the pieces from the concert with little to no
mistakes. The director will pick which piece is
tested over, and this test does not count towards
the playing test grade.
2. The student will complete a 2-page paper over a
composer or piece. Students can pick the
composer or piece, but a director must approve it.
Guidelines for the paper can be found on the
bands webpage.

Playing Tests 30%

Band is a performance-based classroom, and as a result of
that, playing tests count for a large portion of a students
grade. Playing tests will happen once during each six-week
grading period. Material for the playing test will be selected
and students will be given a sheet with the material a week
before the test occurs. Tests usually occur either individually
with the instructor or in front of the section, depending on
the amount of instructors available. However it is not out of
the question for students to play in front of the entire class.
A rubric for the playing test can be found on the bands
website.
Practice Sheets 10%
Musical instruments do not practice themselves, so it is
important for students to practice several times a week.
Practice is essential for individual and ensemble
improvement. Students are expected to practice 80 minutes
a week, which is most commonly broken down into 4 20minute sessions. At the beginning of the month students will
receive a practice grid to fill out. Each week they will write
down the times they practice, and have it signed by a
parent/guardian. At the end of the week, the sheets will be
collected, checked, and returned during class. Students are
responsible for keeping track of their sheet all month, just
like they are responsible for taking care of their music.
Written Assignments 10%
Various written assignments will be given throughout the
semester. These range from basic quizzes over musical
notation to papers on different composers. This classroom
takes a comprehensive approach to music, so students might
be asked to create poetry based on a song, research the
country a piece came from, or write a skit to be acted out

during a piece.

Examples:
Concerts:
Guidelines for Make-up Paper
The make-up paper is to be 2 pages, double spaced, 12 pt. font. This
paper will be graded for content, spelling and grammar. Instructions for
the paper are as follows:
1. Students will pick a topic over a composer or piece to write, and
have it approved by a director.
2. When writing about a composer, students must include:
a. Time period the composer lived
b. Some background and personal information
c. Contributions to the musical world and significant pieces
d. Significant elements of the composers style
3. When writing about a piece, students must include:
a. Composer of piece, and when it was written
b. Some historical background of when the piece was written
and how it might have influenced the piece
c. Style of piece and important features

d. If possible, who performed the piece first, and was that

significant?
e. Your personal thoughts on the piece.

Playing Tests:

Name: ____________________________________________
Date: _________________________________
Playing Test Rubric

Posture

Embouchure

1
Feet and legs are
crossed, back and
shoulders are hunched,
instrument is held
improperly

2
Feet are crossed, back
is slightly hunched,
shoulders are either
slightly hunched or too
tense

3
Feet firmly on the floor,
back is straight and
shoulders are relaxed,
instrument is held at
correct angle

Embouchure is
nonexistent/ no sound
is produced. Mouth
placement is sloppy.

Embouchure is
somewhat loose and
the tone is fuzzy, but
still produces a sound.

Embouchure is firm and

supported. Mouth is
properly shaped around
mouthpiece/reed.

Pitch
Accuracy
Rhythmic
Accuracy

Breathing

Tone Quality

Most pitches are

incorrect, notes are
blurred together
Rhythms are incorrect,
pulse is unclear, Rests
are in improper places
No preparatory breath
is taken, breaths are
shallow from the chest,
shoulders rise up when
breathing, breathing
completely interrupts
musical phrase
Embouchure wavers
constantly, no sound
come out or just
squeaks, airy tone
No dynamics and
improper articulation

Some inaccuracy
occurs with pitches,
but attacks and pitch
changes are clear
Pulse is somewhat
unsteady, but
durations are mainly
correct

Almost all pitches are

correct and have clear
attacks

Small prep. breath is

taken, some breaths
are shallow, breathing
is in appropriate
places,

Full prep. breath is

taken, breaths are taken
from the diaphragm,
breathing is relaxed and
occurs at appropriate
points in the music

Sound is airy at times,

more support is
needed to sustain
notes, embouchure is
fairly steady
Some articulation and
dynamics

Firm embouchure, good

support, notes are clear
(no fuzzy sound)

Musicality

Clear pulse with strong

rhythmic accuracy, rests
and durations are
correctly observed

Follows written
dynamics and
articulation with musical
expression. Phrasing
evident
____________/50

Practice Sheets:
Week
1

Sunday

Monda
y

Tuesda
y

Wednesd
ay

Thursda
y

Friday

Saturd
ay

Signatu
e

Practice Time-Sheet for Month of October

Written Assignments:
Latin American Instrument Quiz!
1. List five different instrument we talked about yesterday
Maracas, claves, cowbell, guitar, flute, etc.

2. What materials are MOST of these instruments traditionally

made of?

Wood, animal skin, etc.

3. True or False, most of these instruments are just from old

music, and cant be found in pieces today.
Bonus! List one new fact about the instrument you had yesterday.