The

Ultimate
Music
Curriculum
Design
Toolkit
. c o m
f o r w a rd
s i ce d
m u

By Nyssa Brown
Music Ed Forward
 The Ultimate
Music Curriculum
Design Toolkitt

You have great ideas -

and you want the very
best for your students. 
But sometimes . . .

it is hard to pull
everything together in
the way you want!
Every curriculum artist needs a palette
. . . and that is just what you’ll find here.

A curriculum design palette - SPECIFICALLY for music teachers.  Finally, right?

Get ready to :
Get organized;
Prioritize . . . and let other things go;
Discover what else is possible;
Help students meet their futures more ready to succeed!

Let's continue the conversation!

-N ss
Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward
* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
1
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Table of Contents
Here are 20 pages of some of the most music-
education specific curriculum writing resources you
are ever gonna find! Let's get down to it!

Standards.......................................................................................3-4

Essential Questions/Enduring Understandings......5-6

"I Can . . ." Statements.............................................................7-9

Dispositions................................................................................10-11

Assessment................................................................................12-14

Schoolwide and Community Goals............................15-16

Opportunity to Learn Standards ........................................17

Resources...................................................................................18-19

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019 2
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Standards
Your standards were likely determined for you, unless your school
or district wrote their own. 

Perhaps you were on the team or committee who chose the

standards you use.

Many of us don’t feel like we own the standards we teach. 

The links below can help you really get to know your standards.

When we know our standards - and own them - we can give our
students access to high-impact, sequential learning.  (If your school
or district created their own standards, make sure you have access
to those.)

Links:
National Core Arts Standards
Link State-By-State Listing of Standards
(scroll to page 10)

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
3
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Standards Action Ideas

Action Steps:
Locate the standards that you are responsible for teaching
and your students are responsible for learning.

Bookmark the page for fast reference in the future.

Set a goal below for you standards next step (see reflection
section below).

Reflection Steps:
What am I currently doing with standards that is working?

How can continue that success?

Ideas: 
Dive deeper into other standards within the same grade level,
course, or ensemble;
Apply the same strategy to new grade level, course, or ensemble;
Find natural, supportive and/or creative connections between
standards in the same grade level, course, or ensemble that lead to
rich, authentic learning, assessments and units (see below for more
info on these).

What question/wondering do I have about standards currently?

Who can I ask or discuss this with?
When will I ask this question/have this discussion?

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 4
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Essential Questions
Enduring Understandings
As music educators, we are asked to create compelling, creative,
inspiring Essential Questions.  The rub?

*** Many of us were never taught how! ***

Here are the basics from the book "Essential Questions" by Jay
McTighe and Grant Wiggins, creators of the Understanding By Design
framework:
- Is open-ended;
- Is thought-provoking and intellectually engaging;
- Calls for higher-order thinking;
- Points toward important, transferable ideas;
- Raises additional questions and sparks further inquiry;
- Requires support and justification, not just an answer;
- Recurs over time; the question can/should be revisited again and
again.

Links:
What Makes a Question Essential?
NCAS Overview of Essential Questions and Enduring
Understandings
NCAS Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings for Music

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019 5
The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Essential Questions Action Ideas

Action Steps:
Find one EQ/EU from the links above that intrigues you.

Choose a grade level/course/ensemble you think this EQ would best

match.  It is possible it could match multiple grade levels.

If necessary, rewrite it in student language that is age-appropriate for

your students (especially if you teach younger musicians). Write it
here:

Reflection Steps:

What am I already doing in that grade level/course/ensemble that ties

in with the above EQ?

What might I add in terms of _________ (see below) to better build

learning around this EQ?
- Content
- Process
- Student inquiry

What additional questions do I have about implementing this?  Who

can I ask?

What additional resources do I need to implement my plan?  Where

can I find them?

What is my timeline for adding these new ideas into my practice?

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 6
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

"I Can . . ." Statements

"I Can . . . " statements are statement of learning, expressed in
student-friendly language.
They are sometimes called learning targets. "I Can. . ." statements
were initially created to break the Common Core Standards (pre
National Core Arts Standards) into more student-friendly bite-sized
pieces.

The State of Delaware has created “I Can . . .” statements for each of

their grade level/course standards, which mirror the content and
framework of the National Core Art Standards (NCAS).

Links:
Delaware Standards for Visual and Performing Arts

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 7
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

"I Can . . ." Statement Action Ideas

Action Steps:
Choose a grade level/course/ensemble from the list in the link above
(e.g., Grade 3 or High School Traditional and Emerging Ensembles).”

Find either ___________ (see 1 and 2 below) and notice the

corresponding “I can statement.
1) The Essential Question (EQ) you listed above), OR
2) A Performance Standard (see link) that you already teach in your
classroom

Write that “I can” statement here:

Reflection Steps:
What is the current role of “I can” statements in your classroom?

What are the expectations of “I can” statements or learning targets in

your classroom (per your school)?

What parts of your current practice would you like to retain?

What parts of your current practice would you like to change?

Who can you collaborate with if you have questions or want feedback?

What is your timeline for adding these new ideas into your practice?

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 8
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

"I Can . . ." Statements

N US
BO
Food for thought on the potential pitfalls of
"I Can. . ." statements

Links:
Why I Would NOT Post “I Can . . .” Statements
Should I Always Start with an "I Can . . ." Statement?

Please insert “learning targets” for the words “I can” statements

below, if that serves you best.

Action Steps:
Read both articles

Reflection Steps:
Are there ways in which you use “I can” statements to check a box?

Are your "I Can . . ." statements reflective of the most meaningful
learning your students are doing?  Or the parts of their learning that
are the easiest to capture in “I can” statements?

What “I can” statements are you currently using that might now be
most helpful to students?

What “I can” statements do you want to retire?  Revamp? Create?

How might using Essential Questions (EQs) change or adjust your
use of “I can” statements in the classroom?

With whom can you collaborate on this challenging topic?

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 9
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Dispositions ala NCAS

According to the National Core Arts Standards, dispositions are
qualities of character and mind. I hear so many music teachers say,
“Music is different.”  And in some ways, of course, it is. But, as
mentioned above, when talking about the idea of transfer,
connection and context are key for learning. (Yes, that is one of the
main reasons the NCAS are written in such an integrated way,
instead of listing out discrete skills.  Cool, right?)

So - I challenge you to find connections in learning for students

across their classes, not in content, but at a more meta level. 
Dispositions is a great place - but not the only place - to start.

Dispositions, according to NCAS:

Collaboration;
Flexibility;
Goal-Setting;
Inquisitiveness; 
Openness and respect for the ideas and work of others;  
Responsible Risk-Taking; 
Self-Reflection; 
Self-discipline and Perseverance.

** For definitions, see link below.

Links:
NCAS Dispositions (scroll to bottom of webpage)

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
10
The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Dispositions Action Ideas

Action Steps:
Choose a disposition above (or a similar one of your choice).

List some ways that this disposition is talked about/learned/reflected

on/etc in your classroom currently.

Reflection Steps:
How do students know this is important in the classroom? Does
someone tell them?  Do they discover it themselves?

Is this disposition integrated into the standards, essential questions,

learning targets, and assessments?  If so, would you change
anything to improve your process? If not, would you like to see it
included in the process?

Looking at the whole list of the dispositions above, is the disposition

you chose the most important?  Would you prioritize anything
above it? If so, how might that change learning in your classroom?
How would you have to change your planning to accommodate
that new learning?

Further Resources and Link:

The Visual Arts world has had a set of habits that mirror the music dispositions
below called “Studio Habits of Mind."

Take a look at these, if you are interested, and notice connections between art areas
beyond the content (the knowledge/skills of art vs. the knowledge/skills of music) we
teach in classrooms. Collaborate with a non-music colleague who also teaches arts.

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
11
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Assessment
Formative - Summative - Cornerstone . . . what does it all mean?
So, let’s be honest for a moment.  Have you looked at the Model Cornerstone
Assessments from the National Core Arts Standards?  I mean REALLY looked at
them? Like chosen one of the grade levels or courses you teach and sat down . . .
for at least 15 minutes. . . and poured over one?  If not - you are quite simply missing
out. I am not saying you have to use every part of the Model Cornerstone exactly as
presented. Here are some ideas on:
Specific Assessment strategies (and how they align with specific standards)
Assessment tools (like age-appropriate rubrics, checklists - many in editable
.doc format)
Teaching scoring devices
Student worksheets on 
Creating
Performing
Responding
Connecting
Planning
Self-reflection
Peer reflection
Refining for future learning

All the stuff in the NCAS standards you aren’t sure how to teach, much less
assess - like students selecting music and creating for a purpose? 
There are Model Cornerstones for that!

OF COURSE you’ll need to tweak, refine, add - maybe even overhaul the Model Cornerstones. 
But they contain a wealth of ideas, and I have never worked with a music teacher on Model
Cornerstone Assessments who didn’t walk away with at least one new idea. 
What do you have to lose?
Links:
Model Cornerstone Assessments, NCAS

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
12
The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Assessment Action Ideas

Action Steps:
Choose a Model Cornerstone Assessment for one of the Grade Levels,
Ensembles or Courses you teach.

Look at the overview of the Assessment (bottom of page 2 of the pdf).

Notice the things that you

Already do that are similar
Are new ideas

Read the Assessment Task descriptions on Page 3.

Take one of the “new ideas” from above and find more information on that
below in the pdf.

Reflection Steps:
Notice the resources in the pdf, including
Assessment tools (like age-appropriate rubrics, checklists - many in
editable .doc format)
Teaching scoring devices
Student worksheets

Choose one that you’d like to use or edit.  (Hint: Many of these are editable.
Look at the summary pages for each Assessment Task for .doc formats.
Otherwise, pdfs can be edited using a tool like Adobe Acrobat or similar.)

How could student learning, particularly in terms of reasoning and

creativity, be different using some of the ideas above?

Schedule a time to sit down with a colleague to go through some

possibilities.

Continue the conversation! * Musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 13
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Assessment US
ON
B
Further Assessment Resources and Links:
Tracking Student Data
My favorite app (I use the Apple version) is iDoceo.

Rubric Templates for Music

Check out Rubistar (under the music section) for ideas on what to
assess and how to assess it.  The models are mostly skills-based
assessments, with a bit of respond and create mixed in. NOTE: The
“Elementary General Music Rubric” does not correspond to the
Anchor Standards in the National Core Arts Standards, but the
ideas presented are helpful.

Interested in the Research done for Model Cornerstone

Assessments?

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019 14
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit
Schoolwide and Community Goals
Sometimes our school’s and/or district’s broader goals seem really distant
from us.  It is easy to dismiss them.
***After all, we have SO many other things to juggle.

But consider looking at school/district goals and finding 1-2 things that could
really help tie students musical learning into the rest of their learning.

As you have likely noticed, there is a strong movement toward “Transfer” in

education.  It is referred to as Conceptual Understanding, as well. In the
International Baccalaureate world, it has been the mainstay for years. 

Looking at Understanding by Design (backwards design) and other

conceptually-based models of education suggest that what students learn in
isolation won't be carried with them long term. In short, the learning we
attach to a broader context will, based on neurological research, remain
with students longer. 

For more info and on the power of Transfer, check out

“Upgrade Your Teaching: Understanding By Design Meets Neuroscience”
by Jay McTighe and Judy Willis
They also talk about using neurology to increase engagement, motivation,
and student effort.

Links:
Transfer Goals
International Baccalaureate (see pages 5-6)

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
15
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Schoolwide and Community Goals

Action Ideas
Action Steps:
Read the material above to understand the idea of “transfer” or
“conceptual learning” from a school- or community-wide perspective.

Find any similar documents or documentation that exists in your

school or district that addresses “transfer” or “conceptual learning.”

Reflection Steps:
Find the natural connection points between your school’s or district's
transfer-based/conceptual priorities and the teaching in your
classroom. 
**Note: You will find that some are a seamless match, and some may
not align at all. Also, you will have to look beyond - and above - the
basic knowledge and skills you teach in your classroom to find the
connections.  That is exactly the point! Well done!

Notice if there is something in the transfer/conceptual sphere that you

have wanted to try, but haven’t yet.  How could you make that
happen? Consider it action research - and don’t be attached to the
outcome. Just see what happens.

How can you communicate, on behalf of your program and students,

these marvelous connections you have found?  Parent newsletter?
Open House? Conferences? Meeting with the Principal to celebrate
these connections? A chat with the curriculum director to name these
items?

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
16
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit
Opportunity to Learn Standards
To me, using any set of standards, whether national, state, or locally
developed, can be a powerful advocacy tool. 

When we backwards design curriculum, based on standards, we can

accurately say how many standards students can master and at what level
of depth. 

Most of us can’t meet all standards for a grade level/course/ensemble based

on the time constraints (and sometimes performance expectations) placed
upon us.

The “Opportunity to Learn Standards” “identify the resources that need to

be in place so that teachers, schools, and school districts can give students a
meaningful chance to achieve at the levels spelled out in the Core Music
Standards.”

I hope this information helps you advocate for your students’ learning,
as well as your music program.

Sign up for the mailing list to be the first to know about

new resources and opportunities.
musicedforward.com

Transforming music education. . . together.

Let's continue the conversation.

-N ss
Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward
* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
17
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit
Resources by Topic
The following links are not live, but spelled out in case needed in full.
They are the same links that are live in the file above.
NOTE: You must cut and paste these links, in order for them to work.

Assessment
Applying Model Cornerstone Assessments in K-12 Music:
A Research-Supported Approach
https://nafme.org/my-classroom/standards/assessing-student-learning/i
Doceo - Assessment Tracking (and more)
https://www.idoceo.net
Model Cornerstone Assessments
https://nafme.org/my-classroom/standards/mcas/

Dispositions
Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions
https://nafme.org/my-classroom/standards/knowledge-skills-and-
dispositions/
Studio Thinking - The Framework
http://www.studiothinking.org/the-framework.html

Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings

Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings - “Need to Know Now"
https://www.nationalartsstandards.org/sites/default/files/NCCAS%20N2KN
%20Vol1%20Issue%205%20EU%27s%20%26%20EQ%27s.pdf
Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings for Music
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i96dzanoAS_wIqUwb-
DLgnxWzLIk6N56Ne57jt9SkUk/edit?usp=sharing
What Makes a Question Essential?
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109004/chapters/What-Makes-a-
Question-Essential%A2.aspx

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019
18
 The Ultimate Music Curriculum Design Toolkit

Resources by Topic
“I Can . . .” Statements
Delaware Standards for Visual and Performing Arts
https://www.deartsstandards.org/content/i-can-statements-create“
"Why I Would Not Post I-Can Statements”
https://turnonyourbrain.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/why-i-would-not-post-
i-can-statements/“
"Should I Always Start with I-Can Statements?”
http://making-teaching-visible.blogspot.com/2015/04/should-i-always-
start-with-i-can.html

Opportunity to Learn Standards

https://nafme.org/wp-content/files/2014/11/Opportunity-to-Learn-
Standards_May2015.pdf

Standards
National Core Arts Standards
https://www.nationalartsstandards.org
State-By-State Listing of Standards (scroll to page 10)
https://www.nationalartsstandards.org/sites/default/files/NCAS-
StateReport_2019_print.pdf

Transfer and Conceptual Learning

International Baccalaureate (see pages 5-6)
https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/what-is-an-ib-education-2017-en.pdf
Transfer Goals
https://jaymctighe.com/downloads/Long-term-Transfer-Goals.pdf

Continue the conversation! * musicedforward.com * FB - Facebook.com/musicedforward

* Insta - #musicedforward * Twitter - @musicedforward 19
Transforming music education - together. © Music Ed Forward 2019