A 10-Minute Entry Into Voice and Choice
It’s a simple way to experience student agency and decision-making.
It is open to anyone interested in fostering student agency, building ownership, and fueling engagement in real-world settings. It is especially effective in secondary music environments with mixed skill levels and instrumentation (“jazzy” ensembles).
Phase 1: Start Here
Before bringing anything to your students or colleagues, take a few minutes to experience the process yourself.
No changes to your flow. No pressure to get it perfect.
Just try the process and notice what happens.
- Make sure you have access to: → PlayTheGroove
- If this is blocked at school, request access from your tech team (see the School Access & Student Privacy page for a quick approval guide if needed).
What You’ll Do
You will…
- Listen to 4–5 song samples – limit to the first eight
- Choose 3 that stand out
- Narrow to 2
- Pick 1 that feels like the best fit
- Reflect briefly on your choice
That’s it.
This is the same process your students will use—just experienced this first from your perspective.
Where to Find the Music
- Browse and listen here: → PlayTheGroove Songs
If this is blocked at school, request access from your tech team - Choose any 4–5 songs that could work for your ensemble, or that you simply like
- Download this PDF
- Complete the form – as you do so, be aware of the unfolding process.
What to Notice
As you go through the process, ask yourself:
- Did this require active listening?
- What caused you to start comparing options more carefully?
- How did your final choice feel more intentional than a quick first pick?
- Did you notice your thinking and learning taking place?
- Could your students handle this process?
No need to analyze deeply.
Just experience it.
Time Commitment
- ~10 minutes on your own
- No rehearsal time required (yet)
That’s Enough for Now
You don’t need to plan the full class activity yet.
Just try this once.
If it clicks, bring it into your next rehearsal through Phase 2, or share it with a colleague or administrator.
Teachers – as this unfolds, see how students discovering their agency begins to shape your teaching approach. Try not to rush to adapt the process—allow it to guide what happens. You may notice outcomes you wouldn’t have planned for.
If you’d like to explore how this could work in your program, we’re happy to connect.
Run the same process with students—no rehearsal changes required.
Phase 2 — Try It With Your Students (10–20 Minutes)
Phase 2 — Try It With Your Students (10–20 Minutes)
What This Is
Take the same process you just experienced and run it with your ensemble—either during rehearsal or outside of class.
No restructuring. No new system. Just a short, focused activity that fits into how you already work.
- Make sure your school allows access to: https://playthegroove.com/songs/
- If not, contact your school/district’s tech team
Run It Your Way
Now, try it with your students (or recommend it to a colleague) using one or both of the customizable formats below:
Print Version (Analog format, suggested for first-time users)
- Ready-to-use, familiar, no setup (consider for a group activity)
→Open this PDF
→ Print or Download
→ For more analog instructions, or to customize the PDF, click here
Digital Version (Google Form – more involved)
- You control the form (easy to customize, best for individual, at-home assignments)
- Customizable per students’ development and learning goals
- Easy to distribute and collect responses
Need step-by-step help setting up or revising your Google Form?
→ For more Form options and instructions, click here
Remember your experience with Phase 1? Be sure to give students space to respond first, observe what emerges, and then use inquiry-based questions to deepen their thinking, and your understanding.
When To Use These
You have two simple options:
Option 1 — Use Print Version as an In-Class Primer (10–20 minutes)
Use this as a short, focused block at the start of rehearsal. Avoid over-explaining—just begin the process.
Use the paper version, share song samples on the PA, and song details on a whiteboard. Keep things moving and encourage individual responses.
This may work better the first time, so students understand the concept and process together.
Option 2 — Use Digital Version for Outside of Class (Use after students know the process, or are more experienced)
With the digital version, the form can be modified to align with students’ development and learning goals.
Encourage students to complete it individually, as this often leads to more student agency with independent and honest responses.
You can monitor responses, review results quickly at the next rehearsal, and move directly into discussion or selection.
Why and How This Matters
This is where student voice and choice become visible in real time.
Students often want to see immediate results. So, invite them to discuss the responses in class.
Instead of assigning music to play, you are observing how students listen, respond, and make decisions together.
You may notice:
- Increased attention during listening
- More discussion and peer interaction
- Clear preferences emerging across the group
- Increased engagement from students who don’t usually participate
This is not about finding the “right” piece.
It’s about seeing how students think and respond musically.
What To Watch For
You are not evaluating performance—you are observing behavior and engagement.
Look for:
- Who engages during listening
- Who speaks up (and who doesn’t)
- How choices are made individually and as a group
- How students reference musical elements (listening examples and data)
This may be your first real glimpse into student-driven musical thinking and prompt changes to future interactions.
You may need to repeat this activity a few times to adapt it to your own teaching groove and process, and enable students to find theirs (since this is very new in most cases).
Keep It Low Pressure
This is not a commitment to perform the piece—but it can become one.
You are testing a process, not making a program decision.
If it works, you’ll know.
If it doesn’t, you’ve only spent 15-20 minutes of student time.
What Comes Next
If this process feels useful, you can download the chart at no cost and move toward shaping this into a playable piece with your ensemble.
→ Phase 3 — Build Toward a Full Group Piece
If you have questions or comments, please:
What This Is
Take the same process you just experienced and run it with your ensemble—either during rehearsal or outside of class.
No restructuring. No new system. Just a short, focused activity that fits into how you already work.
- Make sure your school allows access to: https://playthegroove.com/songs/
- If not, contact your school/district’s tech team
Run It Your Way
Now, try it with your students (or recommend it to a colleague) using one or both of the customizable formats below:
Print Version (Analog, suggested first-time users)
- Ready-to-use, familiar, no setup (consider for a group activity) → Open this Google Doc → Options: Print, Download to Word to customize → For more analog instructions, click here
- You control the form (easy to customize, best for individual, at-home assignments)
- Customizable per students’ development and learning goals
- Easy to distribute and collect responses → Copy Google Form
Need step-by-step help setting up or revising your Google Form?
→ For more Form options and instructions, click here
Give students space to respond first, observe what emerges, and then use inquiry-based questions to deepen their thinking.
When To Use These
You have two simple options:
Option 1 — Use Print Version as an In-Class Primer (10–20 minutes)
Use this as a short, focused block at the start of rehearsal. Avoid over-explaining—just begin the process.
Use the paper version and share song samples on the PA and details on a whiteboard. Keep things moving and encourage individual responses.
This may work better the first time, so students understand the concept and process together.
Option 2 — Use Digital Version for Outside of Class (Use after students know the process, or are more experienced)
With the digital version, the form can be modified according to students’ development and learning goals.
Students should be encouraged to complete it individually, which often leads to more student agency and independent and honest responses.
You can monitor responses, review results quickly at the next rehearsal, and move directly into discussion or selection.
Why and How This Matters
This is where student voice and choice become visible in real time.
They want to see immediate results.
Instead of assigning music to play, you are observing how students listen, respond, and make decisions together.
You may notice:
- Increased attention during listening
- More discussion and peer interaction
- Clear preferences emerging across the group
- Increased engagement from students who don’t usually participate
This is not about finding the “right” piece.
It’s about seeing how students think and respond musically.
What To Watch For
You are not evaluating performance—you are observing behavior and engagement.
Look for:
- Who engages during listening
- Who speaks up (and who doesn’t)
- How choices are made individually and as a group
- How students reference musical elements (listening examples and data)
This may be your first real glimpse into student-driven musical thinking and prompt changes to future interactions.
Keep It Low Pressure
This is not a commitment to perform the piece—but it can become one.
You are testing a process, not making a program decision.
If it works, you’ll know.
If it doesn’t, you’ve only spent 15-20 minutes of student time.
What Comes Next
If this process feels useful, you can move toward shaping this into a playable piece with your ensemble.
→ Phase 3 — Build Toward a Full Group Piece
What This Is
Take the piece your students selected and let them shape it into something your “jazzy” ensemble” can actually play.
This is not about producing a polished performance. It’s about translating student choice into a shared musical experience – process over product.
For background, you will be using the Unison-Based Content framework.
Getting the Music
Once your group has selected a piece, the next step is to bring that same song into the room.
Since this activity uses PlayTheGroove content, the corresponding chart is available for your ensemble.
→ Get Your First Chart Free
- Create a free account
- Go to the PTG Song Choosing page, find the song
- Click on the song’s red box, select the ‘Buy Now” button under the image (you will not be charged!)
- Click the orange ‘Apply coupon’ button and add: PTGFirstTime
- Finish the registration details (the system still requires this. It’s private; we don’t see any data)
You will receive the content via email. Create a ‘PTG Content’ folder on your hard drive and save it there.
The goal is to get the music into students’ hands quickly—building on student choice and continuing the shift to guided, student-driven exploration experienced above (see pertinent guide).
Why This Matters
The process becomes tangible when students hear something, choose it, and then participate in bringing it to life.
They want an immediate payoff.
You may notice:
- Stronger investment in the music
- Increased willingness to problem-solve
- More ownership across the ensemble
- Greater connection between listening and performing
This is where engagement turns into action and motivation.
How To Approach It
Start simple. You are not building a full arrangement—you are creating an entry point.
- Play the recordings – a lot!
- Let everyone feel the basic groove or feel
- Have everyone play rhythm instruments to the song – in their own way.
- Have everyone tap, sing, and play the melody in unison (or octaves)
- Get the rhythm section grooving
- Put the whole song together
- Let parts evolve naturally based on your ensemble
- Use repetition to build comfort and cohesion
Need a more structured approach? We’ve got you covered with a flexible, step-by-step guide.
→ Recommended Flexible Rehearsal Flow and Lesson Plan Framework
Keep it flexible. The goal is participation, not precision.
What To Watch For
Focus on how students engage with the process, not how “accurate” it is.
Look for:
- Who leans in when the music starts
- How students adapt to their role
- Emerging ideas from within the group
- Willingness to experiment and adjust
This is where musical decision-making becomes visible.
Keep It Flexible
You do not need perfect instrumentation. Or consistent skill levels
Start with what you have and let the structure grow from there.
If the piece connects, you can develop it further.
If not, you can move on without losing momentum.
Let the Process Lead
No one needs to be an expert, or even familiar, with the style or groove to begin.
Use the recordings as your guide! Start with the core elements and allow the ensemble to shape how it develops.
Students will often respond in ways that are more current and connected than expected.
Your role is not to control every outcome—but to guide and refine what emerges.
What Comes Next
At this point, you can decide how far to take it.
- Keep it as a short in-class exploration
- Let the students develop it into a more complete arrangement, introduce improvisation, composition, and explore other performance opportunities
- Use it as part of a performance set
- Repeat the process with a new selection
This is not a fixed path—it’s a flexible progression.
Still Have Questions?
What This Is
Take the piece your students selected and let them shape it into something your “jazzy” ensemble can actually play.
This is not about producing a polished performance. It’s about translating student choice into a shared musical experience – process over product.
For background, you will be using the Unison-Based Content framework. Download the PDF 1-sheet.
Getting the Music
Once your group has selected a piece, give them a payoff. The next step is to bring that same song into the room.
Since this activity uses PlayTheGroove content with the Unison-Based Content framework, the corresponding chart is highly flexible and available for your ensemble.
- Create a free account
- Go to the PTG Song Choosing page, find the song
- Click on the song’s red box, select the ‘Buy Now” button under the image (you will not be charged!)
- In the top center coupon box, add: PTGFirstTime. Click the orange ‘Apply coupon’ button.
- Finish the registration address details (the system still requires this step).
You can download the content right there, and you will also receive the content link via email.
Unzip → Open folder to reveal all parts → select and print as needed. Add to your PTG folder.
The goal is to get the music into students’ hands quickly—building on student choice and continuing the shift to guided, student-driven exploration experienced above (see pertinent guide).
If you find this unison-melody-driven process unfamiliar, as it is unique, please:
Why This Matters
The process becomes tangible when students hear something, choose it, and then participate in bringing it to life.
Students often want an immediate payoff.
You may notice:
- Stronger investment in the music
- Increased willingness to problem-solve
- More ownership across the ensemble
- Greater connection between listening and performing
This is where engagement turns into action and motivation.
How To Approach It
Start simple. You are not building a full arrangement—you are creating an entry point.
- Play the recordings – a lot!
- Let everyone feel the basic groove
- Have everyone play rhythm instruments to the song in their own way.
- Have everyone tap, sing, and play the melody in unison or octaves
- Get the rhythm section grooving
- Put the whole song together
- Let parts evolve naturally based on your ensemble
- Use repetition to build comfort and cohesion
Need a more structured approach? We’ve got you covered with a flexible, step-by-step guide.
→ Recommended Flexible Rehearsal Flow and Lesson Plan Framework
Keep it flexible. The goal is participation, not precision.
What To Watch For
Focus on how students engage with the process, not how “accurate” it is.
Look for:
- Who leans in when the music starts
- How students adapt to their role
- What ideas emerge from within the group
- Who shows willingness to experiment and adjust
This is where musical decision-making becomes visible.
Keep It Flexible
You do not need perfect instrumentation. Or consistent skill levels
Start with what you have and let the structure grow from there.
If the piece connects, you can develop it further.
If not, you can move on without losing momentum.
Let the Process Lead
No one needs to be an expert, or even familiar, with the style or groove to begin.
Use the recordings as your guide! Start with the core elements and allow the ensemble to shape how it develops.
Students may respond in ways you did not expect. Encourage this
Your role is not to control every outcome—but to guide and refine what emerges.
What Comes Next
At this point, you can decide how far to take it.
- Keep it as a short in-class exploration
- Let the students develop it into a more complete arrangement, introduce improvisation, composition, and explore other performance opportunities
- Use it as part of a performance set
- Repeat the process with a new selection
This is not a fixed path—it’s a flexible progression.
Still Have Questions?
Phase 2 — Try It With Your Students
Run the same process with students—no rehearsal changes required.
Phase 2 — Try It With Your Students (10–20 Minutes)
What This Is
Take the same process you just experienced and run it with your ensemble—either during rehearsal or outside of class.
No restructuring. No new system. Just a short, focused activity that fits into how you already work.
- Make sure your school allows access to: https://playthegroove.com/songs/
- If not, contact your school/district’s tech team
Run It Your Way
Now, try it with your students (or recommend it to a colleague) using one or both of the customizable formats below:
Print Version (Analog format, suggested for first-time users)
- Ready-to-use, familiar, no setup (consider for a group activity)
→Open this PDF
→ Print or Download
→ For more analog instructions, or to customize the PDF, click here
Digital Version (Google Form – more involved)
- You control the form (easy to customize, best for individual, at-home assignments)
- Customizable per students’ development and learning goals
- Easy to distribute and collect responses
Need step-by-step help setting up or revising your Google Form?
→ For more Form options and instructions, click here
Remember your experience with Phase 1? Be sure to give students space to respond first, observe what emerges, and then use inquiry-based questions to deepen their thinking, and your understanding.
When To Use These
You have two simple options:
Option 1 — Use Print Version as an In-Class Primer (10–20 minutes)
Use this as a short, focused block at the start of rehearsal. Avoid over-explaining—just begin the process.
Use the paper version, share song samples on the PA, and song details on a whiteboard. Keep things moving and encourage individual responses.
This may work better the first time, so students understand the concept and process together.
Option 2 — Use Digital Version for Outside of Class (Use after students know the process, or are more experienced)
With the digital version, the form can be modified to align with students’ development and learning goals.
Encourage students to complete it individually, as this often leads to more student agency with independent and honest responses.
You can monitor responses, review results quickly at the next rehearsal, and move directly into discussion or selection.
Why and How This Matters
This is where student voice and choice become visible in real time.
Students often want to see immediate results. So, invite them to discuss the responses in class.
Instead of assigning music to play, you are observing how students listen, respond, and make decisions together.
You may notice:
- Increased attention during listening
- More discussion and peer interaction
- Clear preferences emerging across the group
- Increased engagement from students who don’t usually participate
This is not about finding the “right” piece.
It’s about seeing how students think and respond musically.
What To Watch For
You are not evaluating performance—you are observing behavior and engagement.
Look for:
- Who engages during listening
- Who speaks up (and who doesn’t)
- How choices are made individually and as a group
- How students reference musical elements (listening examples and data)
This may be your first real glimpse into student-driven musical thinking and prompt changes to future interactions.
You may need to repeat this activity a few times to adapt it to your own teaching groove and process, and enable students to find theirs (since this is very new in most cases).
Keep It Low Pressure
This is not a commitment to perform the piece—but it can become one.
You are testing a process, not making a program decision.
If it works, you’ll know.
If it doesn’t, you’ve only spent 15-20 minutes of student time.
What Comes Next
If this process feels useful, you can download the chart at no cost and move toward shaping this into a playable piece with your ensemble.
→ Phase 3 — Build Toward a Full Group Piece
If you have questions or comments, please:
Phase 3 — Build Toward a Playable Piece
Turn a student-selected piece into a playable ensemble experience.
What This Is
Take the piece your students selected and let them shape it into something your “jazzy” ensemble can actually play.
This is not about producing a polished performance. It’s about translating student choice into a shared musical experience – process over product.
For background, you will be using the Unison-Based Content framework. Download the PDF 1-sheet.
Getting the Music
Once your group has selected a piece, give them a payoff. The next step is to bring that same song into the room.
Since this activity uses PlayTheGroove content with the Unison-Based Content framework, the corresponding chart is highly flexible and available for your ensemble.
- Create a free account
- Go to the PTG Song Choosing page, find the song
- Click on the song’s red box, select the ‘Buy Now” button under the image (you will not be charged!)
- In the top center coupon box, add: PTGFirstTime. Click the orange ‘Apply coupon’ button.
- Finish the registration address details (the system still requires this step).
You can download the content right there, and you will also receive the content link via email.
Unzip → Open folder to reveal all parts → select and print as needed. Add to your PTG folder.
The goal is to get the music into students’ hands quickly—building on student choice and continuing the shift to guided, student-driven exploration experienced above (see pertinent guide).
If you find this unison-melody-driven process unfamiliar, as it is unique, please:
Why This Matters
The process becomes tangible when students hear something, choose it, and then participate in bringing it to life.
Students often want an immediate payoff.
You may notice:
- Stronger investment in the music
- Increased willingness to problem-solve
- More ownership across the ensemble
- Greater connection between listening and performing
This is where engagement turns into action and motivation.
How To Approach It
Start simple. You are not building a full arrangement—you are creating an entry point.
- Play the recordings – a lot!
- Let everyone feel the basic groove
- Have everyone play rhythm instruments to the song in their own way.
- Have everyone tap, sing, and play the melody in unison or octaves
- Get the rhythm section grooving
- Put the whole song together
- Let parts evolve naturally based on your ensemble
- Use repetition to build comfort and cohesion
Need a more structured approach? We’ve got you covered with a flexible, step-by-step guide.
→ Recommended Flexible Rehearsal Flow and Lesson Plan Framework
Keep it flexible. The goal is participation, not precision.
What To Watch For
Focus on how students engage with the process, not how “accurate” it is.
Look for:
- Who leans in when the music starts
- How students adapt to their role
- What ideas emerge from within the group
- Who shows willingness to experiment and adjust
This is where musical decision-making becomes visible.
Keep It Flexible
You do not need perfect instrumentation. Or consistent skill levels
Start with what you have and let the structure grow from there.
If the piece connects, you can develop it further.
If not, you can move on without losing momentum.
Let the Process Lead
No one needs to be an expert, or even familiar, with the style or groove to begin.
Use the recordings as your guide! Start with the core elements and allow the ensemble to shape how it develops.
Students may respond in ways you did not expect. Encourage this
Your role is not to control every outcome—but to guide and refine what emerges.
What Comes Next
At this point, you can decide how far to take it.
- Keep it as a short in-class exploration
- Let the students develop it into a more complete arrangement, introduce improvisation, composition, and explore other performance opportunities
- Use it as part of a performance set
- Repeat the process with a new selection
This is not a fixed path—it’s a flexible progression.