Our third, fourth, and fifth grades students helped to create a xylophone scale so that they can self assess their performance. How did we create it? We used a High Five Jigsaw Activity. Students chose their groups by giving a high five to a student with whom they could work well. Next the teacher invited a another pair of students to join another high-fives group (Thanks Mr. Zimmerman for the great idea!). Next, groups were given one part of the scale to discuss (i.e. Look 3 / Sound 2, etc.). Groups were given a few minutes to discuss. Groups then shared out one criteria they discussed and we added it to the scale. After all classes had added to the scale, it was rewritten and now it looks like the image below.
Here is what each Grade Level has been working on:
- Kindergarten and First Grade - Exploring Xylophones with Glissandos (Up and Down)
- Hickory Hickory Dock
- Wee Willie Winkie
- Cuckoo in the Clock (striking on numbers)
- Second Grade - Mallet Techniques, Chord Bordun, Alternating Bordun, and Level Bordun
- Hop Old Squirrel
- Third Grade - Mallet Techniques, Crossover Bordun
- Fourth Grade - Mallet Techniques, Moving Bordun
- Page's Train
- Chattanooga Choo Choo
- Engine Engine Number Nine - Mallet Exploration
- Fifth Grade - V-I accompaniments and vii-I Accompaniments; Soprano, Alto, and Bass Xylophone Identification/Description of Range
Mallet Techniques
- Mummy Mallets - Rest position
- Motorcycle Mallets - Play position
- Hands Together / Alternating (Mallet Madness by Artie Almeida
- Beanbag Challenge - How long can you keep a beanbag on your wrist while playing?
Xylophone Rubric
Modified Four Corners Assessment - Soprano, Alto, Bass Xylophones - Grade 5
- Students move to the card that matches....
- visual - an instrument or picture of an instrument.
- aural
- description
- the lowest instrument
- the highest instrument
- the longest instrument
- the smallest instrument
