Web viewFor more information about the contents of this document, please contact:

AssessmentOSPI-Developed Performance

Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionSeptember 2015

A Component of the Washington State Assessment System

TheatreThe Arts

Poetry Month Grade 8

Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionOld Capitol Building

P.O. Box 47200Olympia, WA 98504-7200

For more information about the contents of this document, please contact:

Anne Banks, The Arts Program SupervisorPhone: (360) 725-4966, TTY (360) 664-3631

OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at (360) 725-6162 or P.O. Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200.

This work is licensed as a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike product by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. For more information on this license, please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.

Table of ContentsIntroduction...................................................................................................................................................ii

Overview.........................................................................................................................................................1

Test Administration: Expectations......................................................................................................1

Description of the Performance Assessment..................................................................................2

Learning Standards....................................................................................................................................2

Assessment Task.........................................................................................................................................2

Teacher’s Instructions to Students.................................................................................................2

Accommodations....................................................................................................................................3

Student’s Task..........................................................................................................................................3

Supporting Materials and Resources for Teachers......................................................................8

Preparation for Administering the Assessment.......................................................................8

Recommendations for Time Management...............................................................................10

Glossary....................................................................................................................................................11

Poetry Month: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 8 Page i

OSPI-DOSPI-D EVELOPEDEVELOPED P P ERFORM ANCEERFORM ANCE A A SSESSM ENTSSSESSM ENTS FORFOR THETHE A A RTSRTS

IntroductionTo Washington educators who teach theatre:

Welcome to one of our OSPI-developed performance assessments and this implementation and scoring guide. This document is part of the Washington assessment system at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

The assessments have been developed by Washington State teachers and are designed to measure learning for selected components of the Washington State Learning Standards. They have been developed for students at the elementary and secondary levels. Teachers from across the state in small, medium, and large districts and in urban, suburban, and rural settings piloted these assessments in their classrooms. These assessments provide an opportunity for teachers to measure student skills; they can both help teachers determine if learning goals have been met, and influence how teachers organize their curricula. They also provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have gained.

These assessments:

Provide immediate information to teachers regarding how well their students have acquired the expected knowledge and skills in their subject areas.

Inform future teaching practices.

Provide resources that enable students to participate in measuring their achievements as part of the learning experience.

Included in this document are:▪ directions for administration

▪ assessment task

▪ scoring rubrics

▪ additional resources

Our hope is that this assessment will be used as an integral part of your instruction to advance our common goal of ensuring quality instruction for all students.

If you have questions about these assessments or suggestions for improvements, please contact:

Anne Banks, Program Supervisor, The Arts (360) 725-4966, [email protected]

Poetry Month: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 8 Page ii

POETRY MONTH TheatreGrade 8

An OSPI-Developed Performance Assessment

OverviewThis document contains information essential to the administration of Poetry Month, an OSPI-developed arts performance assessment for theatre (Grade 8). Prior to administration of this assessment, all students should have received instruction in the skills and concepts being assessed. Please read this information carefully before administering the perfor-mance assessment.

This classroom-based performance assessment may be used in several ways:

As an integral part of instruction.

As a benchmark, interim, or summative assessment.

As a culminating project.

As an integral part of a unit of study.

As a means of accumulating student learning data.

As an individual student portfolio item.

Test Administration: Expectations The skills assessed by this task should be authentically incorporated into

classroom instruction.

This assessment task is to be administered in a safe, appropriately supervised classroom environment following district policy and procedures.

All industry and district safety policies and standards should be followed in the preparation and administration of OSPI-developed performance assessments in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.

Poetry Month: Arts Assessment for Theatre, Grade 8 Page 1

Synopsis ofPoetry Month

Having chosen a poem from a selection provided by the teacher, each student performs the poem vocally, sustaining focus throughout the performance and paying close attention to vocal skills (articulation, pronunciation, breath support, and projection) and vocal expression (including inflection, word emphasis, use of pauses, and rate). The student performs first for a partner, who offers feedback. The student’s final performance is recorded by the teacher.

Accommodations based upon a student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan may require additional modifications to this assessment.

Additional modifications to the administration of this assessment may be required to accommodate cultural differences, diversity, and religious mores/rules.

Description of the Performance AssessmentPerformance prompts ask each student to create and present a solo performance based on the criteria outlined in the prompt. The teacher should record (film) the student’s performance both to document it and to facilitate scoring.

Learning StandardsThis assessment addresses Washington State Learning Standards for Theatre, including the GLEs from the Options for Implementing the Arts Standards through Theatre by Grade Level document.

GLE 1.2.1Grades 7–8

Applies his/her understanding of given circumstances in a script to create a character’s facial expressions, gestures, body movements/stances, stage positions, blocking, and business in a performance.

Depending on how individual teachers build their lesson units, additional Washington State Learning Standards can be addressed.

Assessment TaskTeacher’s Instructions to Students1. Say: “Today you will take the Grade-8 Washington OSPI-developed arts

performance assessment for theatre. This assessment is called Poetry Month.”

2. Provide the class with copies of the student’s section of the assessment (which may include the student’s task, response sheets, rubrics, templates, and glossary), along with any other required materials.

3. Tell the students that they may highlight and write on these materials during the assessment.


4. Have the students read the directions to themselves as you read them aloud. We also encourage you to review the glossary and scoring rubrics with the students.

5. Answer any clarifying questions the students may have before you instruct them to begin.

6. If this assessment is used for reporting purposes, circle the scoring points on each student’s notes page.

AccommodationsRefer to the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan.

Student’s TaskThe following section contains these materials for students:

The student’s task: Poetry Month (Grade 8)

Assessment rubric

Notes page


Student’s Task

Poetry MonthPoetry MonthYour local public library has called for student performers to perform during an evening of poetry to kick off the library’s annual Poetry Month. Each student is to perform a vocal presentation of a poem. You will perform your poem in front of a panel of librarians, who will decide which students will be part of the poetry evening.

First, you will select a poem from the variety of poems provided by your teacher. You will then memorize and rehearse your poem, paying close attention to vocal skills: articulation, pronunciation, breath support, and projection; as well as vocal expression (including inflection, word emphasis, use of pauses, and rate). You must sustain your focus throughout the entire performance. You will perform first for a partner (assigned by your teacher), who will give you feedback. You should use this feedback to refine your performance. Once you have rehearsed, you will give your final performance, which will be recorded by your teacher.

Your Task

First, create your performance—

Your teacher explains that you must meet the following requirements when preparing for and giving your performance in front of the librarians:

Choose a poem of at least eight lines from the selection provided by your teacher.

Memorize the poem and rehearse: Use vocal skills and vocal expression to demonstrate to the audience the emotion and meaning of your poem.

Use appropriate voice skills, including the following:

o projection

o articulation

o breath support

o pronunciation

Use appropriate vocal expressions to show meaning, emotion, and/or character:

o rate/cadence


o inflection/pitch

o use of pause

o word emphasis

Sustain your vocal skills throughout your entire performance

Second, rehearse; then give your final performance—

After you select and memorize the poem, develop and rehearse your performance.

Perform your poem for the partner assigned by your teacher and receive your partner’s feedback. Then, refine and rehearse your performance based on the feedback.

Begin and end your performance with a three-second neutral pause to indicate a clear beginning and a clear ending. You may end “off stage” or “off camera.” (Your final performance will be recorded.)


Assessment Rubric

Poetry Month4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point No Score

Crea

ting

(voc

al sk

ills)

The student meets all four of the following requirements, thereby demonstrating a thorough under-standing of voice skills: Uses appropriate projection, so

that the entire audience can hear. Articulates clearly, so that the

audience understands. Uses adequate breath support. Uses accurate pronunciation.

The student meets three of the four require-ments listed at left, demon-strating an adequate understanding of voice skills

The student meets two of the four require-ments listed at left, demon-strating a partial understanding of voice skills.

The student meets one of the four re-quirements listed at left, demonstrating a minimal un-derstanding of voice skills.

The student meets none of the four re-quirements listed at left, demonstrating no under-standing of voice skills.

Crea

ting

(voc

al e

xpre

ssio

n)

The student meets all four of the following requirements, thereby demonstrating a thorough under-standing of how to use vocal expres-sion to show meaning, emotion, and/or character: Uses a variety of

inflections/pitches. Uses appropriate pauses. Uses a variety of appropriate

rates/cadences. Emphasizes words appropriately.

The student meets three of the four require-ments listed at left, demon-strating an adequate un-derstanding of how to use vocal expression.

The student meets two of the four require-ments listed at left, demon-strating a partial understanding of how to use vocal expression.

The student meets one of the four re-quirements listed at left, demonstrating a minimal un-derstanding of how to use vocal expression.

The student meets none of the four re-quirements listed at left, demonstrating no under-standing of how to use vocal expression.

Perf

orm

ing

The student sustains character with zero interruptions and lapses in the performance.

The student sustains charac-ter with one interruption or lapse in the performance.

The student sustains charac-ter with two interruptions or lapses in the performance.

The student sustains character with three inter-ruptions or lapses in the performance.

The student sustains char-acter with four or more inter-ruptions or lapses in the performance.

Student’s Notes

Student’s Name/ID# _____________________________________________ Grade Level _________

(circle number) Creating Score (vocal skills) 4 3 2 1 NS

Creating Score (vocal expression) 4 3 2 1 NS

Performing Score (sustaining character) 4 3 2 1 NS


Notes

Use the space below to write notes about your performance, including the feedback that you receive from your partner and how you will use it to refine your per-formance. (Your notes will not be scored.)


Supporting Materials and Resources for Teachers

Preparation for Administering the Assessment

Tools & Materials

Teachers will need the following materials and resources to administer this performance assessment:

copies of the task, including the glossary of terms (one set for each student)

copies of the notes page (one for each student)

a variety of poems (the teacher should supply an age-appropriate list or selection)

a marked performance space

one pencil per student

an audio/video recording device

Guidelines

This assessment is an individual performance.

Copy the student’s task, rubric, notes page, and glossary of terms. Make one set of copies for each student.

Props and costumes should not be used in this assessment; chairs may not be used either.

Provide a variety of poems and allow each student to choose one for his/her performance. This may be done prior to the day of the assessment. Alternatively, you may:

Allow students to use poems that they have written.

Allow students to use poems that they have previously memorized.

Assign a poem to each student, or have all students perform the same assigned poem.

Assign to each student a student-partner who will watch the student’s performance and provide feedback to the performer.


When you are administering the assessment, students may ask questions to clarify the process. You should encourage students to ask questions at any time throughout the administration of the assessment.

Each student’s performance must be recorded for this assessment.

Video set up should be in a defined space so that the performer can be seen at all times. Place the camera so that it records the performance from the audience’s point of view.

Coach students to face the audience while performing. The performer’s face must be seen so that her/his facial expression can be assessed.

The performer should have a three-second neutral pause at the beginning and ending of the performance to indicate a clear start and clear end. The student may end “off stage” or “off camera.”

Prompt the student to say her/his name, number, and current grade level into the recording device before beginning the performance.


Recommendations for Time ManagementStudents may have as much time as they need to complete the task. The timeframes suggested here are meant only as a guide, and you may shorten or lengthen them to suit the individual circumstances of the class and students.

The following is a two-day suggested timeframe:

DAY 1

15 minutes: The teacher provides the class with the task and reads it aloud. The students may ask questions. The teacher answers any questions.

25 minutes: Each student selects and memorizes a poem. The student chooses how she/he will use the vocal skills of projection, articulation, pronunciation, and breath support, as well as vocal expression (through word emphasis, pause, rate, inflection, and use of pauses) to portray the meaning and emotion in the poem. The student develops a performance and rehearses.

10 minutes: Each student performs the poem for a partner (assigned by the teacher) who provides feedback about the performance.

DAY 2

10 minutes: The students rehearse and refine their performances based on the feedback that they received.

40 minutes: The students perform their poems for the teacher, who records each performance.

All students who remain productively engaged in the task should be allowed to finish their work. In some cases, a few students may require considerably more time to complete the task than most students; therefore, you may wish to move these students to a new location to finish. In other cases, the teacher’s knowledge of some students’ work habits or special needs may suggest that students who work very slowly should be tested separately or grouped with similar students for the test.


Glossary acting skills—the use of voice, movement, improvisation, and characterization.

action—events within the play that move the plot along.

aesthetics—an idea of what is beautiful or artistic; a set of criteria for judging something to be beautiful or artistic.

articulation—the use of all of the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palettes, larynx, and glottis)to deliver speech or language clearly.

audition—a tryout for a theatrical role.

balance—the arrangement of design elements and actors to create visual stability on stage.

blocking—an actor’s traffic pattern on stage.

business—movements that mime or make use of props, costumes, and make-up to strengthen the personality of a character that the actor is portraying.

character—a person, animal, or thing in a scene, story, or play.

character development—creating from a text a character who uses tactics to overcome obstacles to achieve objectives; portraying this character by choosing physical actions, vocal qualities, and believable emotions that are sustained throughout the performance

conflict—a struggle between two or more opposing forces, events, ideas, or characters in a scene or play.

costumes—the clothing an actor wears to create a character.

creative dramatics—a teacher-led dramatic enactment of story, setting, and/or characters; an experiential process-based activity, not a performance for an audience. The teacher may assume a role.

cue—1. a signal for a performer or technician to perform an action or say a line; 2. a signal from a side-coach to perform an action or say a line.

design—a purposeful plan for the spectacle of a play (such as costumes, set, props, lighting, sound) based on an overall concept.

design concept—the overall visual theme for a combined theatrical design in which features such as lights, sets, costumes, make-up, props, and sound work


together to tell the story. A design concept is a visual way of expressing how the technical elements will illuminate the central theme of the play.

dialogue—a conversation between two characters in a theatrical performance.

diaphragmatic breathing—using the diaphragm muscle to support the breath.

diction—choice and use of words.

drama—a literary composition (a play) intended for a performance before an audience.

dramatic structure—the composition of a theatrical work (such as a play, scene, or improvisation) that includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution.

elements of theatre—setting, character, conflict, dialogue, plot, and theme.

ensemble—a group of actors working together cooperatively and responsibly to achieve the group’s goal by means of problem solving and creativity.

enunciation—saying the vowels and consonants correctly.

event—something that happens at a certain place and time.

expression—the way the character says words to convey meaning and emotion.

facial expression—movements of the face that show feelings or ideas

focus—1. the intended point of interest on stage; 2. the actor’s ability to concentrate and keep attention fixed on the matter at hand.

genre—a type or category of theatrical work that is defined by a particular style, form, or set of characteristics and is often associated with a specific historical period or culture.

given circumstance—in the text of a play, the information that the playwright gives concerning character, setting, and relationships.

haiku—an unrhymed Japanese verse that consists of three lines, the first containing five syllables, the second containing seven syllables, and the third containing five syllables.

improvisation—a spontaneous performance during which the actors establish a story (including objectives, setting, character, and relationships) with minimal preparation.

improvisational blocking—refusing/denying/ignoring/rejecting an offering.


improvisational theatre—a structured, yet non-scripted scene or play.

inflection/pitch—the use of high and low sounds in speech to convey meaning and emotion.

levels—1. the placement of an object or person on the stage from upstage to downstage; 2. the vertical height of an actor or set piece from the stage floor.

lighting—using a variety of instruments to illuminate both the actors and sets on stage.

make-up—cosmetics applied to the face and body to enhance character.

mime—to act out a movement or the use of an object without words or props (totally silent).

monologue—a speech within a play delivered by a single actor alone on stage.

movement—physical action used to establish meaning and emotion to create character, including:

blocking—an actor’s traffic pattern on stage.

business—movements that mime or make use of props, costumes, and make-up to strengthen characterization.

facial expression—movements of the face that show emotions and/or ideas.

gestures—movement of a body part (arm, leg, hand, etc.) which is used to communicate.

posture/stance—the position of the limbs and the carriage of the body as a whole that communicate character.

whole-body movements—locomotive and non-locomotive uses of the body that communicate character.

nursery rhyme—a short song or poem for young children.

objective—the character’s wants, needs, and desires.

obstacle—what stands in the way of the character achieving his/her objectives.

offering (offer)—a suggestion (conveyed verbally or by means of movement) that is given by one actor to another to initiate or further an improvisation.

open—maintaining a body position in which the character’s face/frontal body can be seen by the audience in a proscenium or thrust-stage setting.


pantomime—conveying a story by use of expressive body and facial movements without speech, props, costumes, or sounds (instrumental music can be used as background).

pause—the moment of silence within a speech; used to show meaning or emotion and/or to develop character.

performance—a structured presentation of a theatrical work in front of an audience.

phrasing—the use of punctuation, pause, and word- or phrase-emphasis to create meaning and emotion.

play—a form of writing intended for live performance.

plot—a storyline that includes exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution of a conflict.

production—a structured performance created and presented for an audience.

props/properties—objects used by an actor on stage.

projection/volume—the appropriate use of loud and soft sounds to convey meaning and emotion to the entire audience.

pronunciation—the correct way to speak or articulate a word.

rate/cadence—the speed with which words are spoken to convey meaning and emotion.

readers’ theatre—an orchestrated reading that relies primarily on vocal characterization and does not include the elements of visual theatre (such as costuming, sets, or blocking).

rehearsal—the period of time used to prepare a play for performance in front of an audience.

resonance—fullness of voice created by vocal vibrations.

scene—a subdivision of a play, characterized by a single situation or unit of dialogue.

set—the on-stage space and its structures (scenery), within which the actors perform and that represent the setting of the play.

setting—the time, place, and atmosphere in which the scene or play occurs.


side-coaching—comments made by the teacher during an activity that affirm or correct students in the achievement of objectives, especially in creative dramatics.

sound—the process of using music, audio effects, and reinforcement to enhance setting and mood.

stage—the place where the actors perform.

status—the importance (or lack thereof) of a character or object on the stage.

subtext—an implied meaning or unspoken complication that generally runs concurrently with the main plot.

sustainability—an actor’s sustained portrayal of a character—with no noticeable break or lapse—throughout a performance.

stage geography—physical areas of the stage labeled center stage, down center, up center, stage right, stage left, up stage left, down stage left, up stage right, and down stage right.

stage picture—a visual image created by using any combination of set, costume, props, lighting, and character placement.

style—the distinctive characteristics or techniques of an individual artist, group, or period as seen in a work of theatre.

tactics—the possible ways the character can overcome obstacles.

technical design—the plan (based on an overall concept) for costumes, set, props, lighting, sound, make-up, and special effects in a production.

text analysis (script)—the examination of the theatrical elements of a text to gain greater understanding both of the theme and of the character which the actor portrays.

theatre (or theater)—1. the place where plays are presented to an audience; 2. the art of creating performances.

theatre etiquette—appropriate behavior of audience, performers, or technicians in a variety of theatrical settings.

theatre text (script)—any written text used as a script.

theme—the central idea of a play.

three-dimensional character (round)—a character that is developed emotionally, psychologically, and physically.


venue—a place where a performance is held.

vocal placement—resonating the voice in different parts of the body, such as chest, head, nose, throat.

voice—vocal qualities that are used to convey meaning and emotion in order to create character; these include:

articulation—the clear delivery of speech or language utilizing all of the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, soft and hard palettes, larynx, and glottis.)

breath support—the use of the diaphragm in correct breathing.

enunciation—saying vowels and consonants correctly.

expression—the way the character delivers words to convey meaning and emotion.

inflection/pitch—the use of high and low sounds in speech to convey meaning and emotion.

projection/volume— the appropriate use of loud and soft sounds to convey meaning and emotion to the entire audience.

rate/cadence—the speed with which words are spoken to convey meaning and emotion.

pause—the moment of silence within a speech; used to show meaning or emotion and/or to develop character.

pronunciation—the correct way to speak or articulate a word.

word emphasis—selection of the most important word or words in each phrase or sentence to create meaning, show emotion, and convey character (pointing up the word).

Note: The entire glossary for theatre is included here as a resource for teachers and students.


Documents

Web viewFor more information about the contents of this document, please contact: