NAME Sarah Levings

Marking Schedule Resoures Part 1 (levels 3 & 4)

Resource
Level
Explanation Suitabilit Source
and
y
Instructions
1 Ledger lines
Yes
Yes
SL

Comments

2 Recognising
time
signatures.

Yes

Yes

SL

3 bars of
and 4/4 rhythm
4 Descriptive
words

Yes

Yes

SL

I think you have taken off some of the

reading on the ppt keep working at
this in futre ppts you create.
Its good to have track lists for different
time signatures of all genre. This is
well worth while adding to. (further
comment below)
.

Yes

Yes

SL

See below

5 Orchestral
layout

Yes

Perhaps
not so
much for
Year 7 - 9

SL

6 Learning
about
composers
7 Rhythm
worksheet

Yes

As above!

SL

While this is an excellent resource, be

aware that this is probably too detailed
for this level and is probably more
suited for Level 5 and up. Parts of it
however you will find useful Im sure.
See below
Again, more for Level 5, if not 6. See
below

Yes

Yes

Source
quoted

8 Listening
worksheet.

Yes

No

9 Classroom
posters

Yes

10 Naming
parts of a drum
kit etc.
11. Guitar
major chords

Yes

Some of
it. See
below
Probably

Yes

Yes

Source
quoted

Source
quoted.

As above, periods of music is not

something that Year 9 students need to
(or want to) grasp. See below
Your final chart that shows the
subdivisions of notes is great.
See other comments about learning
about ALL the instruments.

Time signatures. You may like to think through whether or not we really can tell the difference between
2/4 and 4/4. I can only guess unless I have seen the music!
Descriptive words. Be aware that a) this is more for describing style and mood. Further specific vocab is
required to start considering the elements of music (and therefore what it is about the music that makes it
joyful, jolly, etc etc) and b) for some students this would be an extrememly difficult task because of low
reading levels.
Orchestra layout Instruments of the orchestra is another of those areas of musical knowledge which I dont
teach at this level because it takes a lot of listening and muscial experience to understand all the
instruments. I consider a better approach to be one where, as a result of coming across a paticular
insturment in a unit, students explore related instruments. (eg The Surprise Symphony by Haydn has a
timpani in it what is a timapni , to what section does it belown, how is it different from other percussion
isntruments etc etc).
Composers A great resource, but unlikely to be used in the context of Year 7 to 9 where time is at a
premum. As above, better to listen to and explore and play etc one piece of music from one composer.
Then they have something to hang further information on to when it comes to other composers. A basic

NAME Sarah Levings

learning stratetgy go from the known, to the unknown.
Periods of music Definitely not for Year 9. The worksheet has far too much vocabulary that students would
not have a clue about. (ornaments, unity of mood, independent melodic lines, contrapuntal writing, dynamic
range) This resource was designed for the aural section of a Grade 7 practial exam.
These three above are all about categortizing/grouping and in order to do this, students need to have some
experience of what it is they are puttring into groups. There are too many learning steps to take before
students can do this successfully. Year 10 at the earliest, maybe not till Level 1 NCEA
Simple Duple posters etc Remember that many Year 9 students will have not heard of a time signature. In
my opinion this chart provides far too much information to be useful for these students. What might be
more useful is to have just the middle line. (forget the simple duple because this vocabularly only makes
sense when students look at compound time). Then add some very simple rhythms (say, two bars) in those
time signatures using only pairs of quavers, crotchts, and minums, with counting underneath the notes. This
then would illustrate clearly the concept of time signatures they will come across at this level. Im not sure
how often I have played any music with a 4/2, or a 2/8 time signature! Have you????
Note values chart. This chart is only valid for the time signature being 4/4 (or 2/2). Therefore I think this
is misleading as a classroom poster. Bear in mind, too, that whole note, half note etc is American
terminology. Most Nzers (for better or for worse) use semibreve, minum etc.

PASS
Sarah, the resources you have selected show that you have some way to go in understanding the steps
to learning at this level, and therefore how far students can progress. You also need to adjust your
ideas on what is important for students to know and experience. What does it really matter, for
instance, where the players sit in an orchestra (conductors keep changing it anyway Friday night at
the Regent was an example). If you are to engage students in their learning there needs to be a sense
of I need to know/be able to do/recognise this for them.
Yes, I have passed you. This is because you do have some great resources and out of the 11, there
was only one that I consider definitely not appropriately to the level. I am certain also that you will learn
from my comments. Some College of Ed students take longer than others to make the adjustments to
the what and how much to teach. Thats ok.
So. Working on your Year 9 Unit will be critical for you, and I would like you to run past your ideas to me
as often as you need to, to ensure it will be appropriate for a range of learners in a compulsory Year 9
class.
Also, while on section, take particular note of a) the students starting point (their prior knowledge) and
b) the steps to learning a skill or concept.
Kathy Thompson
6 April 2013