Tried & True Assessments For Your Elementary Music Classroom!
If you’re a teacher in this day and age, then you probably hear the word “assessment” at least 50 times a day (Sometimes it can feel like all we are doing is teaching to the test, and we can lose track of what really matters- Students learning, and having fun while doing so).
In an elementary music classroom, that looks a little different. Sure, we could also do pen and paper tests like a regular classroom, but that would take extra time to pass out the materials, get the students situated, and begin. By the time the test was over, music class would be done, as most of us probably only see our students for 30-50 minutes a week, if we’re lucky.
Assessment should involve all different sorts of tools, such as computers or Ipads, singing, dancing, instruments, small groups, centers, etc. They should be pulled from activities you are already doing throughout your music lessons. They should reflect what the students are learning in music at that very moment in time. They should be short, but frequent, and differing in type on a consistent basis.
How often should one assess?
There’s no definitive answer for that. In my classroom, I am assessing every class period. Sometimes it’s more informal, allowing me to assess where students are at before either continuing with that concept or slowing things down. Sometimes it’s more formal, where the grade-book will be involved. Either way, I am always assessing throughout every class period whether my students are retaining the knowledge, or whether we need to take it back a step, which is crucial for student development.
What type of assessments should we do?
You came to the right place! This 5-part series is going I to give you some examples of different quick and easy assessments you can use in your elementary music classroom that allow you to see where your students are at, and allow your administrative team to check off the assessment box in their evaluations (Which is always a plus!)
Here’s a breakdown of the Assessment Series:
Part 1: Pen/Paper Assessments
Part 2: Singing Games & Activities
Part 3: Instruments
Part 4: Technology (Computers, Ipads, Apps, etc.)
Part 5: Small Group/Centers
Assessment In The Music Room Part 1: Pen/Paper Assessments
Post-It Note Assessments
This is one my favorite types of assessments, one that I stumbled upon by accident. I was cleaning out my drawer the other day (A teacher’s worst nightmare), and realized I had hundreds upon hundreds of post-its notes of all types, sizes, and colors. Whatever was I going to use all of these for?
Then it hit me.
Now, I am unsure where I saw this done, but I had seen teachers that put a question on the board (Any type, true/false, multiple choice, one word-answers, etc.) and the students had to write down their answer, and stick it to the board on their way out of the classroom.
I decided to try that in my class. The first one I used it with was assessing lines & spaces with my first grade class. I had a note on the 5-line staff on my board (A line note), and the students simply had to write their name on the post-it note and stick it either on the side of the board that said line, or the side of the board that said space. It was a quick and easy way for me to assess their understanding of lines and spaces without overwhelming them (All they had to do was write their name!)
I’ve also used it for multiple choice questions about SATB, true/false questions about instrument families, etc. It always takes about 30 seconds to pass out the materials, 1 minute to answer, and another 30 seconds to stick it to the board on their way out the door.
The students enjoy it, and I can easily take down their sticky notes and input it into my gradebook for a quick formal assessment. 10/10 would recommend!
You can also use index cards, scrap paper, etc.
Exit Tickets
Exit Tickets are another quick, easy way to assess your student’s understanding and knowledge of different musical concepts. They can be pre-made for your students to fill out, or they can just write their response on the blank exit ticket slip that is provided for them.
Some examples of exit ticket questions I have used are:
- What are the names of the two most common female voice types?
- Name 3 instrument families
- Which note receives 4 beats?
- Notate this pentatonic pattern (DRMSL)
- List similarities between a trumpet and tuba - Notate the rhythmic pattern you hear (Teacher performs a simple rhythm pattern)
You name it, you can ask it!
I have made exit tickets before, and have also purchased some on TPT (Tracy King Bulletin Board Lady has amazing ones!!)
Listening Journals/Short Response:
Listening Journals are a perfect way for students to be able to listen to a piece of music and write down different musical characteristics they heard, what emotions were evoked, etc.
Listening Journals can be written as short responses, where the teacher plays a piece of music of any style (typically classical), and writes their thoughts about the piece in a paragraph or two.
Or
Listening Journals can be done through an already made worksheet that already has specific questions on it, honing in their listening ears just a little bit more.
Example: My students have to learn about Stephen Foster as part of their end of year exam, and Tracy King (Bulletin Board Lady) created a wonderful product all about him, which included Listening Journals that asked about tempo, dynamics, mood, timbre, fun facts, and a rating of the song they listened to. It was a simple way for my students to listen to a song, identify key musical characteristics, and improve their listening skills, knowing what to look for in a piece of music.
There you have it! Make sure to check back in over the next few days for Part 2: Singing Games & Activities, coming at ya!
