Narrative Prompt:​ You have been contacted by a school or community organization to create a unit for help

learners ​use ukuleles to make music​ and ​explore music to develop empathy and cultural competence​. The
organization has asked you to create a unit curricula that can be used by multiple teachers (including you) that will
be clear enough to allow for unity in the learning/activities of each class/group, but allow for adaptability for
specifics of each group of learners and each teacher.

Use the setting of your practicum placement (if you are JMUke, pick on setting) as the basis for this curricula. You
will turn in a completed and well-thought-out curriculum plan using the UbD template below. You may work alone
or in groups of no more than four. Feel welcome to use and adapt the songs/goals you have begun to generate
already in your leadership assignments. Also, you may want to draw on the readings you have done for your
Scholarship project to shape how you frame learning and teaching here.

Please copy and paste this guide into your own google document. Replace all text that is written in ​italics​. There
are multiple steps:
- 4/17 by 4:00PM: Context Statement and Stage 1
- 4/24 by 4:00PM: Stage 2 and begin Stage 3
- 5/3 by 11:59PM: All (complete Stage 3 and craft end assessment rubric)
-
The full project will be due May 2 by 11:59. To submit, create a leadership blog post and include the following:
- A textbox that describes what this is and what you have learned through the process of creating this
curricula.
- A link to the google document set with share settings as “Anyone with Link can Comment.”
- A PDF of the document embedded in the post using the Scribd tool.

Unit Name: Community Setting  

Context Statement:​ ​This curricula is designed for a group of gentleman at a halfway house. They are usually of
Caucasian, African-American or Hispanic descent, with various ages. Most of them men have had little music
experience, but some have worked with instruments such as guitar, bass and drums. In designing the curricula,
based on the demographics and setting, it is important that we do not teach the lesson the same way we would
teach children. As a group, they seem to be interested in three particular genres of music: Rap, Country and Rock.
Based on these two statements, it will be beneficial for them to learn basic chord shapes on ukulele, at a slow
pace, that will allow them to play their favorite songs.

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Standards: Goals:
HCI.8 The student will Unpack and restate standard content into “I can” ​SMART goals​. Identify each goal as a
analyze and evaluate Knowledge (K),
music by: Skill (S),
Understanding (M), or
1. explaining the Transfer (T).
importance of
cultural ● I can change the volume of my ukulele strumming. (S)
influences and ● I can deliberately vary the volume of my ukulele strumming to express
historical different emotions or ideas. (T)
 context for ● I can demonstrate different strumming patterns (rhythms) on ukulele. (S)
the ● I can read ukulele chord tablatures. (K)
interpretation ● I can play a song that has four chords. (S)
of works of ● I can receive musical criticism and apply it to current and future
music performances on ukulele. (T)
2. applying ● I can defend my musical decisions by explaining my intentions behind
accepted them. (M)
criteria for ● I can teach myself a song on ukulele. (M)
evaluating ● I can sing a song while playing ukulele. (S)
works of ● I can use music technology to enhance my music-learning and
music; and music-making. (M)

3. applying Please do not copy/paste these draft goals. Craft between 6-8 goals. You might
accepted fold standards together as you create goals. Please don’t just add “I can” to the
criteria for beginning of a standard.
critiquing
music
performances.

HIB.14 The student

will use articulations,
dynamic contrasts,
and phrasing as
means of expression.

HII.15 The student

will compose and
perform rhythmic and
melodic variations
based upon original
ideas or folk songs,
exercises, or etudes.

HGI.1 The student

will echo, read, and
notate music,
including:
1. articulation,
dynamics, and
other
elements of
music;
2. using chord
charts;
3. using guitar
tablature; and
4. singing
 selected lines
from the
music being
studied.

HG.7 The student will

investigate the role of
music in society by:
1. comparing
and
contrasting
the
development
of music in
diverse
cultures
throughout
history;
2. examining
various
opportunities
to experience
music in the
community;
and
3. describing
the role of
technology
and social
media in the
development
of music.

HG.11 The student

will investigate
aesthetic concepts
related to music by
1. explaining how the
context of a musical
work’s creation may
influence its meaning
and value;
2. analyzing and
justifying personal
responses to works of
music;
Identify at least 8
standards. At least 3
must be from outside
the Music
Theory/Literacy &
Performance standard
bands (so, they need
to come from “Music
History and Cultural
Context;” “Analysis,
Evaluation, and
Critique;” and/or
“Aesthetics”)

Generative (Essential) Questions:​ Broad questions that learner will word toward finding multiple and unique
answers. These questions encourage learners to dive deep (not easy to answer quickly and not answerable in only
one or two ways).

- How can we most meaningfully and effectively learn a new instrument?

- How do the different elements of music (volume, speed, timbre, and pitch) influence a song’s meaning?
- How does sharing musical experiences and creations fosters a sense of community? A sense of
individualism?
- How can an individual benefit from learning an instrument?

Stage 2 - Evidence 

Be as specific as possible to articulate what a quality piece of evidence will look like that will demonstrate that
learners grew related to each of the goals. Be clear and think about what specifics need to be addressed and which
ones don’t (use vagueness purposefully to encourage some aspect of learner agency).
Identify the​ format and qualities​ of each piece of evidence and how they relate to the goals.
Also provide specific adaptations to the evidence to allow for this curricula to be inclusive of learners with
different ability levels and body/mind constitution.
Develop rubrics, checklists, and informal assessments (like observation guides) to assess learners growth in your
setting. Develop a final

We will use informal assessments such as the following to ensure goals are met and “I Can” statements are
fulfilled:

● Students discuss the process(es) they could use to learn a song on ukulele. This demonstrates their ability
to:
- read a chord tab
- line up chord changes with song lyrics or time out chord changes in some way
- adapt musical suggestions to meet their needs

● Students perform their arrangement of a song on ukulele for their peers to demonstrate their ability to:
- change chords smoothly,
 - use different strumming patterns,
- sing while playing, and
- demonstrate varying musical expression.
● -Students may work in groups or alone. This adapts to different abilities; if a student is unable to
sing while playing, just playing will be sufficient enough because other group members will sing.
● Students will reflect individually, focusing on deliberate musicianship: What went well? What
didn’t? What did you do on purpose? What happened on accident? What would you change and
why?

● Students will practice and revise the song they will be performing as a group to demonstrate their
understanding of how to critique and adapt their performance as well as apply criticism received from
peers and or teachers. This will be addressed in the reflection and will be beneficial in crafting their future
performances of songs.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan 

Discuss the specific process by which learners will make progress toward the goals. Specifically address the ways
you, as a teacher, will support, challenge, and wind for the learners. What “workshops,” “lessons,” or “experiences”
will you guide learners in to help them develop tools needed to grow? How will you support individual learning and
growth? Identify when and how assessments occur throughout the unit. Your unit should be at least 6
days/meetings long (for 30-minute class periods in class settings) and/or 3 days/meetings long (for 1 hour-long
community settings). These will be sketches, not complete experience designs.

You may choose to sketch this out in a number of ways, including:

- A series of days (maybe this is a 10 day project) with the day noted along with the
- A vignette that tells what students and teacher are doing each day of the unit. These would be narratively
dense.

Day 1: ​The teacher will select four songs (that have four chords) and display the different options on some type of
screen via a powerpoint. The teacher will then play the songs for context and explain to the students that they will
be selecting one of the songs to learn in groups (can work alone if desired). There will be a picture or powerpoint
up on some type of screen that shows examples of chords they will likely encounter. The teacher will ask the
students to take out their ukuleles and will explain how to read a chord chart, starting with C as the
demonstration. Students will model the chord shape on their own ukulele, while the teacher walks around the
class to monitor their progress and see if anyone needs assistance. Once the entire class has their fingers in the
right position, the teacher will instruct them to strum once in a downward motion. This process will repeat for Em
as well until the students are comfortable. After this, students will break up into four groups based on the songs
they choose. In their groups, they should look up and learn the chords for the song, as well as decide how they
want to arrange it. Students should be encouraged to ask questions and reminded that they are supported by the
teacher.

Day 2: ​The teacher will ask the students to get into their four groups and will inform them that the focus of today’s
session is to perform for the teacher and receive feedback for improvement. The teacher can also add that
whenever a group is ready to perform their song, they may signal this to the teacher by raising their hand.
While groups are rehearsing, the teacher should walk around and check-in to see if anyone needs help at any time.
When a group performs for the teacher, he/she should pay specific attention to: the way the students change
chords on ukulele (with or without difficulty), strumming patterns, whether or not the students can sing while
playing, arrangement of the song, and overall group collaboration. After the performance, the teacher should give
feedback on the following: what they did well, what they didn’t, and how they can improve for their final
performance/future ukulele performances. Students should then reflect as a group on the feedback they received
and revise their performance.

Day 3: ​The teacher will ask the students which group wants to go first, second, etc. The teacher should then allow
15 minutes for the groups to rehearse their song one last time. Each group should receive feedback from their
peers about their performance before the next group performs. After all the groups are finished performing, the
teacher will facilitate a discussion with the students to debrief on their experience with group and individual work.
The teacher should encourage, but not force, students to participate. Once the discussion has come to an end, the
teacher will hand out sheets of paper to the student for their individual reflections. The reflection will ask specific
questions about their deliberate musicianship, such as “What went well/didn’t?” They should also be encouraged
to write down anything else they want to share about the experience. If students finish early, and the rest of their
group members are as well, they should be encouraged by the teacher to record their song, if they choose.

Final Assessment Rubric 

Goal/Quality No Evidence  Minimal  Meet  Exceeds 

Evidence  Expectations  Expectations 

1​ ​Playing chords in Struggles to correctly Plays most chords Correctly plays Correctly plays each
succession play chords. correctly on down each chord in time chord in time with a
beats. with a consistent consistent strumming
strumming pattern AND
pattern. smoothly changes
between them.

​ ​Musical
2 Perform is static with Performs with Performs with Performs with
expression no varying dynamics. some varying varying dynamics varying dynamics as a
dynamics. as a means of means of expression
expression. AND can articulate
their creative
decisions.

3​ Receiving and Practicing remains the Applies some Applies received Applies received
applying criticism same with no change. received criticism criticism to their criticism to their
to their practicing. practicing. practicing AND can
explain the revisions
they made.

4​ Group Does not contribute Contributes a small Contributes to the Contributes to the
collaboration to the crafting of the amount to the crafting of the crafting of the group
group performance. crafting of the group performance AND
group performance AND sings while playing
performance. occasionally sings ukulele during the
while playing entire duration of the
 ukulele during performance.
performance.

5 ​Reflection Individual reflection is Completes some of Completes Completes individual

not completed. individual individual reflection AND
reflection. reflection. answers are
thoughtful,
meaningful, and
extend beyond the
questions asked.