Unit Plan Design Template

Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Exemplar: MusicAligned to the 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content StandardsENGAGING STUDENTS FOSTERING ACHIEVEMENT CULTIVATING 21ST CENTURY GLOBAL SKILLS

An American Elegy Unit Overview

Content Area: Visual and Performing Arts: Music

Unit Title: An Amercian Elegy by Frank Ticheli

Target Course/Grade Level: Middle or High School Concert Band

Unit Summary

Through the study and performance of An American Elegya commissioned composition written by Frank Ticheli as a memorial to the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shootingstudents learn how a composer uses the elements of music to create particular moods and feelings. Mastery of the piece requires advanced ensemble skillsbalance, blend, accurate intonation, playing at a wide range of dynamics with controlwithout a high degree of technical facility. Thus, students can focus on the composers musical intent, which is clearly articulated in his Composer Notes. Using ongoing, Web-based recordings of their individual, sectional, and ensemble rehearsals, students continually self-assess and reflect on their progress and delve deeper into the music. Once rehearsals for the spring concert are well underway, students explore other memorial compositions and together create a class Wiki that illuminates how music has been used to memorialize tragic losses across historical periods, cultures, and genres. This broader understanding of memorial music then becomes the context from which students evaluate the contribution of An American Elegy, which takes the form of Program Notes for the spring concert. The unit culminates in a live performance that is recorded and published on the school website. Following their performance, students reflect on the unit and explore the role music plays in helping people understand and process the deep feelings that we collectively experience in response to tragic events.

Primary interdisciplinary connections: Social studies, language arts

21st century themes: Global Awareness

Unit Rationale

With the passing of the 10-year anniversary of the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shooting, the performance of this powerful and uplifting piece has much to teach young people about the role music plays in memorializing and moving beyond tragic events. In Frank Tichelis program notes, he writes that An American Elegy was intended to celebrate great strength and courage in the face of a terrible tragedy. The hope he articulatesthat the work can serve as one reminder of how fragile and precious life is and how intimately connected we all are as human beingsis fulfilled in this unit. In working to bring the composers intent to life through their performance, students learn individual and ensemble skills that are transferable to other pieces they play and compose, now and in the future. They also learn how music, throughout history and across cultures, is used to channel, release, and move beyond powerful emotions that we experience as a consequence of our humanity and our interconnectedness.

Learning Targets

Standards: Visual and Performing Arts 1.1 The Creative Process: All students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art. Strand B: Music

1.2 History of the Arts and Culture: All students will understand the role, development, and influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures.

1.3 Performing: All students will synthesize those skills, media, methods, and technologies appropriate to creating, performing, and/or presenting works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art. Strand B: Music 1.4 Aesthetic Responses & Critique Methodologies: All students will demonstrate and apply an understanding of arts philosophies, judgment, and analysis of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art. Strand A: Aesthetic Response Strand B: Critique Methodologies

Content StatementsRelated Content Statements for Standard 1.1, Strand B

Understanding nuanced stylistic differences among various genres of music is a component of musical fluency. Meter, rhythm, tonality, and harmonics are determining factors in the categorization of musical genres. Musical proficiency is characterized by the ability to sight-read advanced notation. Musical fluency is also characterized by the ability to classify and replicate the stylistic differences in music of varying traditions.

Related Content Statements for Standard 1.2, Strand B Cultural and historical events impact art-making as well as how audiences respond to works of art.

Related Content Statements for Standard 1.3, Strand B Technical accuracy, musicality, and stylistic considerations vary according to genre, culture, and historical era.

The ability to read and interpret music impacts musical fluency.

Related Content Statements for Standard 1.4, Strand B Contextual clues within artworks often reveal artistic intent, enabling the viewer to hypothesize the artists concept.

CPI #Cumulative Progress Indicator (CPI)

1.1.12.B.1Examine how aspects of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions are organized and manipulated to establish unity and variety in genres of musical compositions.

1.1.12.B.2Synthesize knowledge of the elements of music in the deconstruction and performance of complex musical scores from diverse cultural contexts.

1.2.12.A.1Determine how dance, music, theatre, and visual art have influenced world cultures throughout history.

1.3.12.B.1Analyze compositions from different world cultures and genres with respect to technique, musicality, and stylistic nuance, and/or perform excerpts with technical accuracy, appropriate musicality, and the relevant stylistic nuance.

1.3.12.B.2Analyze how the elements of music are manipulated in original or prepared musical scores.

1.4.12.A.2Speculate on the artists intent, using discipline-specific arts terminology and citing embedded clues to substantiate the hypothesis.

Unit Essential Questions

How does a composer create a piece of music based on an event as horrific as a mass shooting in a school?

What source materials might a composer use to create a new piece as a commissioned work?

How does a composer use the elements of music to create the appropriate mood and feeling in a piece? How might a performer have to adjust his or her interpretation of a composition in order to create a musically accurate performance?

How might a conductor have to adjust his or her interpretation of a composition to accommodate inherent problems with the ensemble (i.e. instrumentation issues)?Unit Enduring Understandings

Music has the power to create new understandings and deep feelings that go far beyond the original inspiration for a new piece of music. Performers have the responsibility to reflect the musical intent of the composer through their accurate performance of a written composition, and then to go beyond the written piece by using interpretation to convey the appropriate mood or feeling. The conductor has the responsibility to recreate the intent of the composer through his or her interpretation of the written score, taking into consideration all variables of the program (such as the size of the ensemble, instrumentation issues, and so on).

Unit Learning Targets

Students will ...

Identify compositional tools Frank Ticheli uses to express his desired intent for An American Elegy.

Understand related music vocabulary.

Research the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shooting.

Discuss the role of music as a response to horrific events.

Explore the process composer Frank Ticheli uses to write music.

Analyze each section of An American Elegy, as described by the composer.

Learn their individual parts for An American Elegy.

Self-assess and reflect on their developing performances.

Create and refine individual performance improvement plans to direct their growth as performers.

Perform music in long, 4-bar phrases without breaking for breath.

Perform written dynamics individually and as a section with control.

Understand how a canon is used as a compositional tool.

Understand how their individual parts in An American Elegy fit into the larger ensemble.

Learn music for the rest of the concert program.

Analyze an example of memorial music by composer Krzysztof Penderecki and compare it to An American Elegy. Define the social role of memorial music.

Identify additional examples of memorial music across history, cultures, and genres.

Create a class Wiki that captures students understanding of the role of memorial music.

Self-assess their final performances.

Reflect individually on the social value of memorial music and on their experiences of the unit.

Discuss the value of information about the composers intent to the final performance.

Evidence of Learning

Summative AssessmentThis unit culminates with the performance of An American Elegy by Frank Ticheli as the major piece in an annual Spring Concert, which also includes four or five other musical compositions. Prior to the performance of An American Elegy, the band stands and sings the Columbine High School Alma Mater, as was done in the premier performance of the piece at Columbine High School. The Concert Bands performance is enhanced by what they learn about the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shooting, the composers intentions, and memorial music in general in the weeks leading up to the concert. To contextualize Tichelis contribution to memorial music, students research other compositions written across time, cultures, and genres, exploring such things as the lives of various composers, their musical and compositional styles, the inspiration for the respective pieces, and different composers use the elements of music to communicate an emotional response to tragedy. As students develop this understanding, they post their findings and observations on a classroom Wiki, which when finished, demonstrates their collective learning about the cultural role and history of memorial music. This learning provides the context for students to evaluate Tichelis composition, which they do by creating Program Notes. Following the concert, students self-assess their work, explore what it felt like to perform the work, and reflect on the cultural role music plays in helping us collectively come to grips with tragic events.

Equipment needed: Digital recorders, SMARTMUSIC music program, teacher computer/projection set-up, student computer/Internet access, student journals

Teacher Resources:

See Broadening the Picture: Memorial Music and My Program Notes for student instructions.

See Technique Rubric, Musical Performance Rubric, and Analytical Writing Rubric for performance expectations.

Formative Assessments

Completed Listening Exercises Class discussion of emotional responses to An American Elegy Use of music vocabulary

Initial responses to Unit Essential Questions

Research and presentations on the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School Massacre

Completed Who Is Frank Ticheli? handouts

Class discussion of their responses to what they learned about the event

Class discussion of the event as a compositional source for An American Elegy Students ongoing live performances

Individual performance improvement plans

Recordings of students developing individual, sectional, and ensemble performances

Individual lessons Student reflections Students proper use of hand position, posture, and embouchure

Contributions to class discussions (analysis and comparison of works by Penderecki and Ticheli)

Definitions of memorial music

Examples of memorial music

Analysis of examples

Presentations

Class Wiki

Individual My Program Notes essays

Composite My Program Notes essays

Concert video

Self-assessments

Student-teacher conferences

End-of-unit reflections

Lesson Plans

LessonTimeframe

Lesson 1An Exploration of Self Through the Medium of Theatre40 days

Lesson 2The Role of Memorial Music7 days

Lesson 3Post-Performance Reflection3 days

* A day is based on a 40-minute class period.

Teacher Notes: The design of An American Elegy and many of the units supporting materials come from now-retired Supervisor of Fine Arts Nicholas Santoro of the South Orange Maplewood School District. Prior to teaching the unit, schools must purchase An American Elegy (the score and parts for each student), which may be available from your schools usual vendor, and is also available online from the composer.

A choral piece, the Columbine High School Alma Mater, also by Frank Ticheli, is sung just before the Concert Band performs An American Elegy. If your spring concert involves a collaboration with a choral music teacher, you may wish to engage him or her in this part of the performance. This score is provided as part of the unit, as it is a free download from the composers Website.

Before beginning, the teacher/music director will also need to select and purchase music for four or five other pieces to complete the program. You may already have in mind pieces that will help you create a balanced program. If not, one option might be to develop a program of Music by American Composers. In this case, the rest of the program could include a Sousa march and music by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Scott Joplin, and/or others. To see additional examples of how the piece has been incorporated into concert programs, see the Website of the Manchester University Wind Orchestra.

This unit makes use of SMARTMUSIC, a cross-platform, Web-based computer program (cost is $30 per year, per student at the time of this writing) that guides and records student performance and preserves the recordings for teacher assessment (http://www.smartmusic.com/). Once students are enrolled, they can record their rehearsals from any computer that meets SMARTMUSICs system requirements. In Lesson 2, students compile their learning in a class Wiki. One possible resource to help you accomplish this is: http://www.wikispaces.com

Curriculum Development Resources

The video and audio samples provided with this unit were originally published on Composer Frank Tichelis Website and on YouTube.

An America Elegy: Lesson Plan 1

Content Area: Visual and Performing Arts: Music

Lesson Title: Tragedy as the Subject of a Musical ScoreTimeframe: 40 days

Lesson Components

21st Century Themes

XGlobal AwarenessFinancial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial LiteracyCivic LiteracyHealth Literacy

21st Century Skills

XCreativity and InnovationXCritical Thinking and Problem SolvingXCommunication and CollaborationInformation Literacy

Media LiteracyICT LiteracyLife and Career Skills

Interdisciplinary Connections: Social Studies

Integration of Technology: Internet research, use of digital recording equipment

Equipment needed: Teacher computer/video projection/audio playback set-up, student computer/Internet access, computers for use with SMARTMUSIC, digital recorders, concert band equipment, music stands, student journals

Goals/ObjectivesLearning Activities/Instructional StrategiesFormative Assessment Tasks

Students:

Identify compositional tools Frank Ticheli uses to express his desired intent for An American Elegy. Understand related music vocabulary.

Research the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shooting. Discuss the role of music as a response to horrific events. Explore the process composer Frank Ticheli uses to write music. Analyze each section of An American Elegy, as described by the composer.

Learn their individual parts for An American Elegy.

Self-assess and reflect on their developing performances.

Create and refine individual performance improvement plans to direct their growth as performers. Perform music in long, 4-bar phrases without breaking for breath. Perform written dynamics individually and as a section with control.

Understand how a canon is used as a compositional tool. Understand how their individual parts in An American Elegy fit into the larger ensemble.

Learn music for the rest of the concert program.Teacher Note

Prior to beginning Lesson 1:

Listen to the Columbine High School Alma Mater and An American Elegy, both by Frank Ticheli, while you review the Composer Notes. (While the sound quality is not as good, you may also wish to view a video of An American Elegy performed by the grade-11/12 Orange County, Florida, Honor Band, conducted by Ticheli.)

Prepare the score to identify potential technical problems, balance issues, and conducting issues (such as cueing).

Review the 12-minute video of An Interview With Frank Ticheli to determine how much you want to show students.

Give some thought as to how you will assign parts and seating to achieve balance within sections and throughout the ensemble.

Set up An American Elegy in SMARTMUSIC, creating individual assessment folders to which students practice results can be sent. Review the teacher resource called A Guide to Student Reflection, then add or delete questions on the student handout called Questions for Reflection, as needed.Lesson SequenceDay 1

Teacher

1. Distributes the student handout called Listening Exercise and explains how students should use it while listening to An American Elegy.

2. Plays a roughly 10-minute digital recording of An American Elegy made available by the composer, Frank Ticheli, on his website (performance by the University of Southern California Symphonic Winds, Douglas Lowry conductor, Frank Ticheli guest conductor).

3. Engages students in a discussion of the emotions they felt when listening to the piece.

4. Introduces and reviews related music terms using the student handout called Music Vocabulary, providing examples of each term and relating each term to the piece students just heard.

5. Communicates the background of the piece as an elegy honoring the students and teachers who died in the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999, and distributes Composer Notes.

6. Explains the concept of a commissioned work (see Composer Notes for details of this particular commission).

7. Poses the Unit Essential Questions that will focus student work during this part of the unit, allowing students to answer to the best of their ability now, while also letting them know that they have additional opportunities to discuss the questions later in the unit (it may be helpful to post these somewhere in the classroom):

How does a composer create a piece of music based on an event as horrific as a mass shooting in a school?

What source materials might a composer to use to create a new piece as a commissioned work?

How does a composer use the elements of music to create the appropriate mood and feeling in a piece?8. Explains that students will learn and perform An American Elegy, the Columbine High School Alma Mater, as well as four or five other compositions, for their spring concert; that students will research both the Columbine shooting and the role of memorial music as part of the unit; and that the class will share what they learn with others by posting a video of the performance and a class Wiki on the school website.

9. Divides students into five work groups and assigns each group a topic that corresponds to a cluster of information about the Columbine shooting, as reflected on A Columbine Site (topics are (1) the Victims, (2) Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, (3) the Event, (4) Columbine High School, and (5) Law Enforcement & Medical).

Day 2

Students10. Research the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School shooting using A Columbine Site.

11. Plan how to present the information on the assigned topic to the class in five minutes, using well-selected photographs and video and audio clips, if desired.

Day 3

12. Report out verbally on their assigned topics for the benefit of the rest of the class (each group should take no more than 5 minutes to allow time for discussion after the presentations). 13. Discuss their responses to what they learned about the event.Teacher

14. Engages students in a brief discussion using the following questions:

What role can a musical composition play in peoples lives after this kind of an event?

What emotions do you think would come up in responding to an event like this?

How might this range of emotions play out in the composition?

Students 15. Reflect on the events of the last two days in their journals for homework, as directed by the teacher, using the student handout Questions for Reflection.

Day 4

Teacher

16. Distributes the student handout called Who Is Frank Ticheli? and explains how students should use it while listening to an interview with Frank Ticheli.17. Introduces Frank Tichelis thoughts on composition using all or part of a roughly 12-minute video of An Interview With Frank Ticheli, made available on his Website.

18. Shares the composers thoughts on the composition of An American Elegy using the Composer Notes, stressing the three moods of the piece (hope, serenity, and sadness) and that Ticheli sees the composition as an expression of hope.19. Relates the composers desire to include the schools Alma Mater in the piece, and how that led to the creation of an Alma Mater for the school.

20. Plays a roughly one-minute video of the Columbine High School Alma Mater performed by Suffolk County Community College Symphonic Band.

21. Assigns parts and music for An American Elegy.

22. Introduces the Technique Rubric and Musical Performance Rubric to students, and engages them in review and discussion of individual criteria. Depending on the needs of the students, this might include:

Asking students to paraphrase criteria.

Pointing out criteria with which students in general are struggling.

Providing examples that clarify levels of performance.

Answering students questions about how their final performances will be evaluated.

23. Distributes the student handout called My Performance Improvement Plan and explains how students will use it throughout the unit.

24. Leads students in warm-up exercises based on the key of the piece (B-flat), thematic material (ascending scale patterns), and rhythmic patterns.

25. Leads students through each part of An American Elegy, referring to the Composer Notes and the score to insure the performance adheres to the composers intentions.

Students26. Play the opening entrance softly but with a full tone, without any accent.

27. Match the previous entrance in terms of weight on subsequent entrances.

28. Allow the natural crescendo to occur as the texture increases with more instruments entering.

29. Allow the tympani and suspended cymbal to add to the texture and crescendo, leading into measure 9.

30. Watch the conductor in measure 8 to accurately perform the ritardando leading into measure 9 and to establish the a tempo at measure 9.

31. Lead into the Main Theme without a break from measures 9-15.32. Play the accented counter theme (tenor sax, horns, and trombones) majestically and in a manner that is pronounced.

33. Adjust their volume to be able to make the crescendo from measures 13-14, and immediately decrescendo and retard into measure 15.

34. Watch conductor to establish the new, slower tempo at measure 15 where the Main Theme is introduced.35. Understand where the Main Theme is and allow the horns to present the theme with understated reverence and nobility.36. Perform the crescendo from measures 19-20 and the decrescendo into measure 23.

37. Allow bassoon and trombone to emphasize the accented note in measure 23.

38. Perform the crescendosforzandocrescendo in measure 25, holding the dissonance into the resolution in measure 26.

39. Watch the conductor execute the Tempo Rubato in measures 31-39.

40. Become aware of the balance issues among the saxophones, horns, trombones, and baritone.

41. Allow the woodwind entrance at measure 35 to echo the previous section; it must have equal weight and balance as the previous section.

42. Repeat the previous thematic material without the Tempo Rubato in measure 39.43. Allow the brass entrance at measure 39 to lead to the first forte in measure 41.

44. Allow saxes, horns, and trombones to repeat the brass theme, matching the brass volume and making a retard into measure 47.

45. Practice their individual parts for ongoing homework, recording their practices if technically feasible.Days 5-6Teacher46. Assigns parts and music for the rest of the compositions in the program.47. Leads students in appropriate warm-up exercises based on the key of individual pieces, as well as thematic materials and rhythmic patterns.

48. Leads students through each of the remaining compositions in the programs.

49. Guides students in interpreting the themes of the compositions as they play.

50. Posts recordings on SMARTMUSIC, the band website, a class blog, or other venue students can access for self-evaluation.Days 7-1251. Conducts and records sectional and whole-band rehearsals of the Introduction (measures 1-14) and Main Theme (15-30) of An American Elegy.52. Continues discussion of composers intent from Composer Notes.

53. Conducts and records individual lessons as needed.

54. Posts recordings on SMARTMUSIC, the band website, a class blog, or other venue students can access for self-evaluation.

Students55. Listen to recordings of their individual and sectional performances of An American Elegy for clarity of lines, intonation, phrasing, dynamic contrast, and other aspects of performance noted by the teacher.56. Develop individual Performance Improvement Plans based on their current levels of technique and ability, as well as on the technical requirements of their assigned parts, using the My Performance Improvement Plan handout.57. Confer individually with the teacher to discuss and refine their individual Performance Improvement Plans, using the My Performance Improvement Plan handout.58. Practice individual parts of all pieces for ongoing homework, continuing to record rehearsals when technically feasible.59. Reflect on the rehearsal for homework, as directed by the teacher, using the student handout Questions for Reflection.

Days 13-18

Teacher60. Conducts and records sectional and whole-band rehearsals of the Episode (31-46) and Second Theme (63-96) of An American Elegy.61. Continues discussion of composers intent from Composer Notes.62. Explains nuances of the piece as follows: Measures 47-62 comprise a repeat of previous material and serve as a bridge into the Second Theme at measure 63. Clarinets present the Second Theme at measure 63, over simple harmonic chordal structure in low brass. The oboe solo over the Second Theme at measure 71 should not be forced, and that the clarinets must cut volume significantly without losing tone.

The ensemble crescendo leading into measure 79 (beat 4 of meas. 78) must be at the new, forte volume.

All parts except flute, oboe, alto sax, trumpet 1, trombone 3, and baritone cannot take a breath leading into 83.

The alto sax solo at measure 87 must not be forced, and the accompaniment by other saxes and clarinets must be soft and distant-sounding.

Measures 91-94, marked dreamlike by the composer, are played with one player per part and must match the dynamics marked between the clarinets and the saxes.

Beginning at measure 97, each entrance of the four-part canon must match exactly in volume, weight and expression.63. Conducts and records individual lessons as needed.64. Posts recordings on SMARTMUSIC, the band website, a class blog, or other venue students can access for self-evaluation.Students65. Connect previously-rehearsed sections.66. Listen to recordings of their individual and sectional performances of An American Elegy for clarity of lines, intonation, phrasing, dynamic contrast, and other aspects of performance noted by the teacher.67. Refine their individual Performance Improvement Plans based on their current levels of technique and ability, as well as on the technical requirements of their assigned parts their individual Performance Improvement Plans, using the My Performance Improvement Plan handout.68. Confer individually with the teacher to discuss and refine individual performances as needed.69. Practice individual parts of all pieces for ongoing homework, continuing to record rehearsals when technically feasible.70. Reflect on the rehearsal for homework, as directed by the teacher, using the student handout Questions for Reflection.

Days 19-24

Teacher71. Conducts and records sectional and whole-band rehearsals of the 4-part Canon (97-110) of An American Elegy, insuring that cueing is exact.72. Engages students in a discussion of the Canon as a compositional tool.

73. Conducts and records sectional and whole-band rehearsals of the Climax (111-117), Off-Stage Trumpet Solo (118-127), and Bridge (128-131) of An American Elegy.74. Decides placement of the Off-Stage Trumpet Soloist for rehearsals.

75. Continues discussion of composers intent from Composer Notes.76. Explains nuances of the piece as follows: Beginning at measure 97, each entrance of the four-part canon must match exactly in volume, weight and expression.

The ensemble performs the biggest crescendo of the piece into the Climax at measure 111, which is the quote of the Columbine Alma Mater. The oboe solo enters with same intensity of the end of the trumpet solo (128-131), taking over from the trumpet solo.77. Conducts and records individual lessons as needed.

78. Explains that students will view a video of another school Honor Band performing An American Elegy, noting what students should listen for in the performance.

79. Projects A Video of An American Elegy performed by the grade-11/12 Orange County, Florida, Honor Band, conducted by Ticheli.

80. Engages students in a discussion comparing the strengths and weakness of their performance and the videotaped performance.

81. Posts recordings on SMARTMUSIC, the band website, a class blog, or other venue students can access for self-evaluation.

82. Begins assessing ensemble performances for understanding of dynamics, balance, and blend using the Performance Rubric.83. Confers with individual students on their progress using the teachers assessment, students individual Performance Improvement Plans, students self-assessments, and previous recordings to show areas of improvement as well as areas where improvement is needed.84. Assigns parts for the Columbine High School Alma Mater (unless working with the school chorus on this).Students85. Connect previously-rehearsed sections.86. Listen to recordings of their individual and sectional performances of An American Elegy for clarity of lines, intonation, phrasing, dynamic contrast, and other aspects of performance noted by the teacher.87. Self-assess their performances for understanding of dynamics, balance, and blend using the Performance Rubric.88. Refine their individual Performance Improvement Plans based on their current levels of technique and ability, as well as on the technical requirements of their assigned parts, using the My Performance Improvement Plan handout.89. Confer individually with the teacher to discuss and refine individual performances as needed.90. Learn and rehearse the Columbine High School Alma Mater (unless working with the school chorus on this).

91. Practice individual parts of all pieces for ongoing homework, continuing to record rehearsals when technically feasible.92. Reflect on the rehearsal for homework, as directed by the teacher, using the student handout Questions for Reflection.

Days 25-30

Teacher93. Conducts and records sectional and whole-band rehearsals of the Final Statement (132-157) of An American Elegy, as well as of just the Climax (146-149).94. Continues discussion of composers intent from Composer Notes.95. Explains nuances of the piece as follows: Measure 132 is a repeat of the opening, leading into the Final Statement at measure 138. The continuation of opening ascending theme and the Main Theme at measure 138 must be executed with great balance, creating the needed tension, which then resolves at the Climax (146-149).

The Climax (146-149) must be played at a full, balanced volume with no breaks for breaths, leading into a decrescendo at measures 150-152.

The French horn solo at measure 153 ends the theme and leads into the final resolution, which the composer says is a final moment of deep, prayer-like reflection.96. Conducts and records individual lessons as needed.

97. Posts recordings on SMARTMUSIC, the band website, a class blog, or other venue students can access for self-evaluation.98. Continues assessing ensemble performances for understanding of dynamics, balance, and blend using the Performance Rubric.99. Continues conferring with individual students on their progress using the teachers assessment, students individual Performance Improvement Plans, students self-assessments, and previous recordings to show areas of improvement as well as areas where improvement is needed.

Students100. Connect previously-rehearsed sections.101. Listen to recordings of their individual and sectional performances of An American Elegy for clarity of lines, intonation, phrasing, dynamic contrast, and other aspects of performance noted by the teacher.102. Self-assess their performances for understanding of dynamics, balance, and blend using the Performance Rubric.103. Refine their individual Performance Improvement Plans based on their current levels of technique and ability, as well as on the technical requirements of their assigned parts, using the My Performance Improvement Plan handout.104. Confer individually with the teacher to discuss and refine individual performances as needed.105. Perform An American Elegy from beginning to end.106. Practice individual parts of all pieces for ongoing homework, continuing to record rehearsals when technically feasible.107. Reflect on the rehearsal for homework, as directed by the teacher, using the student handout Questions for Reflection.

Teacher108. Schedules rehearsals in the concert space as needed.109. Decides placement of the Off-Stage Trumpet Soloist for the performance.

Days 31-40

110. Conducts and records students in rehearsals of the other compositions planned for the Spring Concert, while continuing rehearsals of An American Elegy, gradually adding these compositions to the rehearsals.111. Continues providing individual lessons, posting recordings, assessing ensemble performances, and conferring with individual students, as needed, using the same process followed for An American Elegy. Completed Listening Exercise

Class discussion of emotional responses to An American Elegy Use of music vocabulary

Initial responses to Unit Essential Questions

Research and presentations on the April 20, 1999, Columbine High School Massacre

Completed Who Is Frank Ticheli? handouts

Class discussion of their responses to what they learned about the event

Class discussion of the event as a compositional source for An American Elegy Students ongoing live performances

Individual performance improvement plans Recordings of students developing individual, sectional, and ensemble performances

Individual lessons Student reflections Students proper use of hand position, posture, and embouchure

Differentiation Consider student skills and strengths when assigning more and less difficult parts. Work with individual students to develop performance improvement plans based on their levels of technique and ability, as well as the technical requirements of their assigned parts.

Resources Provided Teacher Resource: An American Elegy by Frank Ticheli (audio file) Teacher Resource: A Video of An American Elegy (Orange County, FL, Honor Band) Teacher Resource: Columbine High School Alma Mater by Frank Ticheli (video, Suffolk County Community College Symphonic Band) Teacher Resource: Columbine High School Alma Mater by Frank Ticheli (score) Teacher Resource: Composer Notes Teacher Resource: A Guide to Student Reflection Student Handout: Listening Exercise Student Handout: Music Vocabulary Teacher Resource: A Columbine Site Student Handout: Questions for Reflection Student Handout: Who Is Frank Ticheli? Teacher Resource: An Interview With Frank Ticheli Student Handout: Technique Rubric Student Handout: Musical Performance Rubric Student Handout: My Performance Improvement Plan

An America Elegy: Lesson Plan 2

Content Area: Visual and Performing Arts: Music

Lesson Title: The Role of Memorial MusicTimeframe: 7 days

Lesson Components

21st Century Themes

XGlobal AwarenessFinancial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial LiteracyCivic LiteracyHealth Literacy

21st Century Skills

XCreativity and InnovationXCritical Thinking and Problem SolvingXCommunication and CollaborationInformation Literacy

Media LiteracyICT LiteracyLife and Career Skills

Interdisciplinary Connections: Social studies, language arts

Integration of Technology: Internet research, creation of class Wiki

Equipment needed: Teacher audio playback set-up, student computer/Internet access

Goals/ObjectivesLearning Activities/Instructional StrategiesFormative Assessment Tasks

Students:

Analyze an example of memorial music by composer Krzysztof Penderecki and compare it to An American Elegy. Define the social role of memorial music.

Identify additional examples of memorial music across history, cultures, and genres. Create a class Wiki that captures students understanding of the role of memorial music. Teacher Note

Prior to this lesson: Set up a class Wiki for students to use during the Broadening the Picture activity. Depending on the reference works available in your classroom, you may want to consult with the school media specialist to make additional resources available for the research portion of the activity. This is a good time to make arrangements for videotaping the spring concert.Lesson SequenceDay 1

Teacher

1. Distributes another copy of the Listening Exercise handout.2. Plays a piece of memorial music by Krzysztof Pendereckione that, by contrast, makes the hopefulness of An American Elegy more apparentsuch as Auschwitz Oratorium (1967, roughly 25 minutes) or Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima (1960, about 10 minutes).3. Engages students in a discussion of the emotions they felt when listening to the chosen piece.4. Engages students, as a class, in analyzing the compositional techniques Penderecki uses to portray the horrors of the Holocaust (or the bombing of Hiroshima) by asking the following or similar questions:

What is the overarching mood of the piece?

What techniques does Penderecki use to achieve this?

Can you map the emotional movement toward and after the climax?

What do you suppose Penderecki was trying to communicate with this piece?

5. Engages students in comparing the Penderecki piece with An American Elegy by asking these or similar questions:

How would you characterize the difference in approach between the two composers?

How might you account for these differences (e.g., differences in events, time periods, composers backgrounds and stylistic preferences)?

What is the difference in emotional impact for the audience?

Is one approach more right than another? Why or why not?Days 2-36. Divides the class into four work groups and reviews the Broadening the Picture handout.

7. Supports and monitors students as they complete the handout.

Students:

8. Complete the Broadening the Picture handout in their work groups.

Days 4-59. Present the examples they identified and analyzed to the rest of the class.

Teacher:

10. After students present their analyses of individual compositions, use questioning to engage both presenters and listeners in further analysis of the various works, as appropriate.Day 6

11. Distributes and reviews the student handout called My Program Notes.12. Introduces the Analytical Writing Rubric to students and engages them in review and discussion of individual criteria, which may include:

Asking students to paraphrase criteria.

Pointing out criteria with which students in general are struggling.

Providing examples that clarify levels of performance.

Answering students questions about how their final performances will be evaluated.Students:

13. Complete the My Program Notes handout individually.Day 7

Teacher:

14. Divides the class into three work groups.Students

15. Work within their groups to create a composite essay by culling the best features of each of their individual My Program Notes essays.

Teacher:

16. Uses the final three composite essays in the Program Notes for the spring concert.

17. Publishes the class Wiki on the school or band website.

18. Makes arrangements to videotape the concert, which students will use as a self-assessment tool in Lesson 3. Completed Listening Exercise Contributions to class discussions (analysis and comparison of works by Penderecki and Ticheli) Definitions of memorial music Examples of memorial music

Analysis of examples Presentations Class Wiki

Individual My Program Notes essays

Composite My Program Notes essays

DifferentiationSupport individual student research as needed. Consider allowing students to use other media to create their My Program Notes essays, such as audio or video.

Resources Provided Student Handout: Listening Exercise Student Handout: Broadening the Picture Student Handout: My Program Notes Student Handout: Analytical Writing Rubric

An America Elegy: Lesson Plan 3

Content Area: Visual and Performing Arts: Music

Lesson Title: Post-Performance ReflectionTimeframe: 3 days

Lesson Components

21st Century Themes

XGlobal AwarenessFinancial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial LiteracyCivic LiteracyHealth Literacy

21st Century Skills

XCreativity and InnovationXCritical Thinking and Problem SolvingXCommunication and CollaborationInformation Literacy

Media LiteracyICT LiteracyLife and Career Skills

Interdisciplinary Connections: Social studies, language arts

Integration of Technology: Use of video for self-assessment

Equipment needed: Teacher computer/video projection set-up

Goals/ObjectivesLearning Activities/Instructional StrategiesFormative Assessment Tasks

Students:

Self-assess their final performances. Reflect individually on the social value of memorial music and on their experiences of the unit.

Discuss the value of information about the composers intent to the final performance.Lesson SequenceDays 1-2Teacher

1. Assigns student pairs for peer- and self-assessment activities.

2. Distributes the Self-Assessment handout.

3. Explains that students will use the Technique Rubric, the Musical Performance Rubric, and the Self-Assessment handout to evaluate their own concert performances, but they will first analyze and discuss their individual performances with a partner.

4. Plays a video of the spring concert, stopping at natural intervals for students to discuss and analyze their performances.

Students

5. Take notes on their own performances, as well as the performances of their assigned partners, while listening to and viewing the spring concert video.6. Discuss their thoughts and observations in assigned pairs when the teacher stops the video.7. Use insights gained through discussion with their partnersas well as the Technique Rubric and Musical Performance Rubricto complete the student Self-Assessment handout. Day 38. Reflect on their individual experiences of the unit by completing the End-of-Unit Reflection handout.

Teacher

9. Confers with individual students.10. Engages students in a discussion of how having information about the composers intent contributed to their performances.

11. Engages students in a discussion of the overall effectiveness of the bands performance as it relates to the composers intent for the piece.12. Celebrates student successes, perhaps by using video clips and noting one thing each student did well. Concert video

Self-assessments

Student-teacher conferences

End-of-unit reflections

Differentiation The activities in this lesson are rooted in individual difference. Consider alternate ways of allowing students to respond to the End-of-Unit Reflection prompt, such as audio or video.

Resources Provided Student handout: Technique Rubric Student handout: Musical Performance Rubric Student handout: Self-Assessment Student handout: End-of-Unit Reflection

Created for New Jersey school districts through a project of the New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Academic Standards,in partnership with the N.J Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the N.J. Principals and Supervisors Association.