Description
Make a themed playlist of at least 5 songs that includes music from at least three of the following genres: classical/traditional, rock, jazz, hip hop/rap, country, folk, blues, electronic. Do not just choose your favorite songs by Ariana Grande (you can use one of her songs, of course!). You may have to search around for songs in genres you don’t often listen to.
Your playlist must have some unifying idea or theme. That theme doesn’t necessarily have to be included in the titles of the songs, though. For instance, suppose you chose the theme of bells. This playlist could show its range by including AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” (rock), LL Cool J’s “Rock the Bells” (rap), the traditional Christmas song, “Jingle Bells,” and the folk-blues song “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,” in which Blind Lemon Jefferson sings the line, “have you ever heard a church bell toll?” and then makes his guitar sound like a chiming bell.
List and identify the genre of each of your examples.
What do I write about?
Start with an introduction describing what your theme is, why you chose it, and what relevance it has to you.
Write a short description of each piece of music you’ve included. Do not simply talk about the lyrics. Each piece’s description should explain the way it ties to the theme, but also explain each piece musically, using at least two of the chapter’s technical vocabulary terms to do so. Describe its melody, tempo, its degree of consonance and/or dissonance. What is the piece’s structure? Be sure and relate these ideas to how the song communicates an emotion.
Finally, there are a handful of limitations on the theme for this assignment. Since this exercise should entail a certain amount of light research, “love” is not an acceptable theme, on account of its too-common use in all genres. Other unacceptable themes are “heartbreak,” “happiness,” “relaxation,” or “energy”–I have read a thousand essays on each of those, and they all end up saying pretty much the same thing. Try to choose a theme that goes beyond the ordinary.
This essay should be at least 400 words. This assignment will be assessed on its formal clarity, the quality of the writing and editing, its degree of engagement with its topic, its creativity/inventiveness/originality of ideas, and the sophistication of thought it expresses.
Rubric
2020 Blog Post/Writing Rubric
2020 Blog Post/Writing Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeContentAbility to incorporate and synthesize learned material into written responses that are accurate and meaningful, and which reflect student’s grasp on, and ability to think independently about, course content.
35 pts
Exceptional
Student shows mastery of the relevant information and ideas, and demonstrates deep thinking on the topic. Response demonstrates creativity, synthesis, and/or incisive critical thinking on the issues at hand.
30 pts
Good
Student demonstrates a solid grasp of material and can convey responses to the material in a clear, accurate and thoughtful manner. Depth of student knowledge and thinking on the topic seems adequate but not exceptional. Response is solid but may not make new critical leaps, or synthesize information in unexpected ways.
25 pts
Adequate
Student demonstrates basic familiarity with material and adequately addresses the prompt. Conveys ideas in a coherent, though unremarkable, manner.
20 pts
Unacceptable
Student response lacks clarity, accuracy, or demonstrates a lack of thought and engagement about ideas/material, or an inaccurate grasp of ideas/material.
35 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar/MechanicsAbility to craft coherent thoughts in standard English, free from errors in diction, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and edited for flow and clarity.
35 pts
Exceptional
Writing is well edited and completely free from errors in spelling, grammar, diction and punctuation. Reads smoothly, clearly, and with careful attention to sentence rhythm, word choice, and thoughtfulness about overall flow.
30 pts
Good
Writing is clear, well edited and completely free from errors in spelling, grammar, diction and punctuation. Shows some awareness of word choice and overall flow.
25 pts
Adequate
Writing is largely free from errors in spelling, grammar, diction and punctuation, is largely clear, and demonstrates some attention to editing and reader experience.
20 pts
Unacceptable
Writing contains several errors in spelling, grammar, diction, and/or punctuation. Is unclear and shows little to no editing.
35 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStructureAbility to form a body of ideas on a topic into a coherent whole. Knowledge of how ideas flow together and how transitions connect passages logically to one another.
30 pts
Exceptional
Argument/exposition demonstrates mastery of form and flow, and overall awareness of the assignment as a written whole. Demonstrates creative, inventive or incisive solutions for presenting student’s thoughts and course materials in novel, meaningful and effective ways.
27 pts
Good
Argument/exposition demonstrates grasp of form and flow and awareness of the assignment as a written whole.
23 pts
Adequate
Argument/exposition is coherent and complete, but shows little to no thought to design. Ideas are presented clearly, but with no compelling logic or order.
20 pts
Unacceptable
Argument/exposition is haphazard and not logically presented.
30 pts
Total Points: 100
