Student Learning Objective (SLO) Template
This template should be completed while referring to the SLO Template Checklist.
Teacher Name:
Content Area and Course(s): general music Grade Level(s): 7th grade Academic Year: 2013-2014
Baseline and Trend Data
What information is being used to inform the creation of the SLO and establish the amount of growth that should take place?
Baseline data was acquired through a district-made pre-assessment of all 7th grade students. Students will identify the meaning of and label music
symbols and note values, identifying note names; will listen to a selection of music and identify the musical form (ABA, AB, ABC); will listen to musical
selections and state style of music; and will listen to a selected piece of music and identify the changes that occur in dynamics and tempo and how these
changes effect the overall mood of the piece.
These musical skills will provide greater music literacy and will help develop skills that students need for higher level music competence.
Test scores were used to establish beginning trend data. Results of the pre-assessment were entered into Performance Plus. Student strengths and
weaknesses were derived from the pre-assessment data, any previous years' musical competencies, input from the student's regular classroom teacher,
and any special accommodations. All these criteria were used to set individual growth targets. Data will be collected throughout the entire 2013-2014
school year to establish beginning trend data.
Student Population
Which students will be included in this SLO? Include course, grade level, and number of students.
These students are in 7th grade general music at the Buchtel Community Learning Center. For this school year there will be ( ) 7th grade students
divided into 2 classes. (
) students have IEP’s which provide for reading accommodations, extended time, etc with the additional support of a
teacher’s assistant. Those reading accommodations will have a contextual factor of this SLO. . Modifications will be made according to these students’
individual plans.
No subgroups will be excluded from this SLO.
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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Interval of Instruction
What is the duration of the course that the SLO will cover? Include beginning and end dates.
This class is a semester course. The students will be covered under this SLO from September to the end of January or January through March.
This SLO assumes that classes meet for 45-50 minutes five days a week for the entire semester.
-Classes that meet on Mondays or Fridays generally meet for less days during a grading period because of holidays or days off per teacher's contract.
Field trips, assemblies, special programs, and calamity days also affect student contact time and therefore student’s growth measures.
-Pre-assessments will be given at the beginning of the semester. Instruction will occur throughout the semester. Post-assessments will be given by the
end of the semester January/March.
-Second semester interval of instruction will be shorter, due to mandated deadlines, therefore the growth targets will be determined accordingly.
Standards and Content
What content will the SLO target? To what related standards is the SLO aligned?
One of the goals of studying music is to give young musicians skills in music literacy, while participating in active music-making. By utilizing the discovery
learning process, students stay more engaged and enjoy practicing the skills. For many students the success they attain in music class opens doors of
excitement and raises self-esteem. The content standards listed below are a foundational building block for that music literacy.
The 2012 Ohio Content Standards covered within this SLO include:
1CE Recognize, identify and demonstrate form in world music (e.g., Western and non-Western) and popular music.
2CE Identify the style and historical period of various music examples.
5CE Describe a varied repertoire of music with appropriate music vocabulary.
4PR Read, write and perform rhythmic (including dotted rhythms) and melodic patterns in a variety of meters.
The National Standards for Music Education
5) Reading and notating music.
6) Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
7) Evaluating music and music performance.
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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Assessment(s)
What assessment(s) will be used to measure student growth for this SLO?
The assessments will consist of four parts: identify meaning of and label music symbols and note values, identifying note names; identify the musical
form; identify the musical style; and identify the changes that occur in dynamics and tempo and how these changes affect the overall mood of the piece.
Teacher's assessments packets will include:
 Overview page that lists Teacher information about administering and scoring the test.
 Beginning of the semester letter to parents outlining information about the upcoming SLO.
 End of the semester letter to parents offering ideas of ways to utilize the educational opportunities to improve their child's musical literacy.
 Testing CD information (all listening excerpts will be burned to one CD for ease of testing.)
 Information on entering scores into Performance Plus.
 Contact information for the district music office and the music supervisor.
 Copy of the grade 7 SLO for teachers to personalize before submission to vetting committee.
PRE-ASSESSMENT:
1) Students will identify the meaning of and label music symbols and note values, identifying note names.
This section of the test will be written and will include fill- in- the- blank and short answer.
Question 1 will consist of identifying note names and rest (quarter, eighth, etc.)
Questions 2-4 will consist of identifying musical symbols or functions of symbols.
Question 5 will consist of identifying dynamics.
Question 6 will consist of identifying treble clef note names.
Question 7 will consist of identifying the meaning of musical symbols.
2) Students will listen to a selection of music and identify the musical form (ABA, AB, ABC.)
Teacher will play TEST CD track #1, and students will identify the musical form of the piece.
3) Students will listen to a selection of music and identify the style of music.
This section will consist of three musical selections to be identified.
Teacher will play TEST CD track #2,# 3, and #4.
4) Students will listen to a selected piece of music and identify the changes that occur in dynamics and tempo and how these changes affect the
overall mood of the piece.
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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-This section will consist of one extended response question. Teacher will use attached rubric to score.
-Teacher should play TEST CD Track #5 for students . Teachers should read question out loud to students.
-Students should identify the changes that occur in dynamics and tempo and describe how these changes affect the overall mood of the piece.
Formative Assessments, written, aural, and vocal, will be given between the months of September and March. These assessments will not be scored
toward this SLO but will be used to form instruction and teacher planning. Through the use of these informal assessments, which students may or may
not know are being administered, students will become comfortable performing alone and with others. Also, the formative assessments can provide a
stretch for all abilities through varied difficulty levels, without the pressure of "grading".
Since this is the first year of music for these students and SLO there is no trend data.
The pre and post-assessments used to measure student growth for this SLO were created by a district team of music teachers and the music supervisor
from the Akron Public Schools. Students on IEP's who receive support from an aide for reading accommodations will certainly have an impact on the
contextual factor of this SLO. Other students on IEP's or those in an Achieve Unit or a NOW unit will have modifications of their growth targets, if
necessary, to ensure that they too can show growth that is developmentally appropriate.
Combining assessments into a final score
Because the pre and post-assessments are made up of many parts, the final score will be a combination of all four parts (see the attached pre and postassessment points score sheet).
Pre-assessment:
Music theory
Listening/form
Listening/style
Musical Analysis
7 questions=25 points
1 question=2 points
3 questions=3 points
1 question= 8 points
TOTAL 38
Total points will then be documented on Performance Plus.
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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Growth Target(s)
Considering all available data and content requirements, what growth target(s) can students be expected to reach?
SETTING TIERS
Student growth will be charted through the SLO scoring template. After receiving the pre-assessment data, the district will set the score ranges (tiers)
and then teachers will set the individual growth targets.
SETTING GROWTH TARGETS
While it is the most desirable to have all students move up to proficient or advanced OR at least to move up to the next level, that is not
always possible and might even be unrealistic. Expected growth needs to be set using 4 criteria:
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
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Knowledge of student's academic skills
Knowledge of student's musical skills
Knowledge of special accommodations such as IEPs, special needs, or personal situations
Knowledge of student's Pre-Assessment Score
Here are some examples:
Sally Smith scored 20 on the Pre-Assessment. She usually does pretty well but she was not feeling well the day of the pre-test. I know
from her classroom teacher and from my own observation that she is shy and does not like to perform in front of others. Although she
might score in the Advanced level, her Growth Target probably should be set at 26.
Jim Thorne scored a 33 on the Pre-Assessment. He is a very musical student who gets good grades in 7th grade and in music. He tries
his best and will probably do very well in the Post-Assessment. His Growth Target could be set at 37.
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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Tom Thomas scored 3 on the Pre-Assessment. He has an IEP with accommodations for reading so his teacher's assistant will have to
read the test to him. I know that he doesn't communicate well when writing so his Listening and Analysis scores will be low but he loves
to clap rhythms. His Growth Target probably should be set at 10.
Rationale for Growth Target(s)
What is your rationale for setting the above target(s) for student growth within the interval of instruction?
Music teachers’ assignments can change year after year. This can include changing schools, grade levels, and even changing the courses that
we teach. This makes is especially difficult to really get to know our students and their situations in order to set proper growth targets. By
using four criteria, teachers can feel confident that they are setting goals that are developmentally appropriate.
TEACHERS-PLEASE CHOOSE #1, #2, or #3 OF THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS AND DELETE THE OTHERS OR ADAPT FOR YOUR
SITUATION
#1
Because I have taught most of these students for many years, individual growth targets were set using four criteria:
Knowledge of student's academic skills
Knowledge of student's musical skills
Special accommodations such as IEPs, 504s, or special needs
Student's pre-assessment scores
#2
Because I am new to this school, individual growth targets were set using these criteria:
Consultation with last year's regular education teacher
Consultation with last year's music teacher
Knowledge of special accommodations such as IEPs, 504s or special needs
Student's pre-assessment scores
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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#3
I am not new to this school but I will be teaching most of these students for the first time, so growth targets were set using these criteria:
Consultation with last year's regular education teacher
Consultation with last year's music teacher
Knowledge of special accommodations such as IEPs, 504s or special needs
Student's pre-assessment scores
Both the Ohio Academic Content Standards for music (developed in 2012) and the Akron Public Schools Standards and Benchmarks (developed in 2004)
stress the importance of the higher level music skills of producing/ performing and perceiving/knowing/creating. To that end we have chosen this SLO.
The mastery of this skill at the middle school level will help ensure a basic knowledge of vocal performance that will enhance and promote middle
school and high school musical excellence.
Students at Buchtel CLC come from an urban community that is varied in income levels and in musical opportunities outside of the school day. The
majority of our students are low income ( ) and have few opportunities for private lessons or concert attendance. Those few students who are
studying a musical instrument privately should perform higher on the formative tests. Students who score in the less-than-typical range on the preassessment will be given guidance and support as needed to ensure all students make at least a year's growth.
It is the mission of Akron Public Schools to "ensure that each student in our diverse population achieves his or her fullest potential in a safe and
affirming learning center characterized by an extensive, student-focused collaboration of all segments of the community, with an emphasis on preparing
students to live and excel in a global environment". YOUR SCHOOL’S MISSION STATEMENT GOES HERE___________________________. Music ties
these ideals together as it offers students a way to explore hands-on the many aspects of the world through the arts and the joy of learning.
Attaining early music goals will set the foundation for beginning musical literacy and pitch accuracy as well as equip students for vocal and instrumental
performance in later years. Arts education assist students in becoming well-rounded individuals who contribute to a global society
MUSIC SLO Grade 7 GM, 2013-2014
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