Teaching Aids: Activities

Alphabet Scramble

Skill: White key names and music alphabet

Description: This teaching aid has a variety of applications at many levels, but my favourite is the scramble. We shake up the letters and see how fast the student can place them on the keyboard. If you had two sets you could have a scramble race with two students or use one set to play solo.

I use this teaching aid all the time with my advanced theory students who often need a keyboard reference as they build intervals, scales and chords.

How to Build: The board is a thin piece of 12¨ x 4¨ wood from a craft store. I painted it white then measured out 14 keys. The black keys are cut from craft foam with sticky backing. I also added a large piece of foam on the back of the board for a nicer finish. The discs are 3/4¨ wooden plugs found at a craft store. I bought a sheet of alphabet stickers for the letternames.

The Funny Farm Game

Skill: General review

Description: The Funny Farm Game is an excellent review activity for beginners in private or group lessons. The Funny Farm Activity Cards include basic rhythms to clap, white key naming, beginner level notes on the grand staff and basic musical signs.

How to build: I purchased a wooden picture frame at Michael's for $1.50, painted it white and added the black keys with sticky-back craft foam. The Funny Farm picture in the centre is a simple 4 x 6 which I included in the pdf file. Print the pdf document on white cardstock paper (back to back) and cut apart the cards. You could use a simple die to shake and move around the board, or make a special die using steps and skips. I found my animal game pieces in the button aisle at Michael's and stuck them into pieces of clay.

Download Funny Farm (1.7 MB)

Spooky Intervals

Skill: Move notes on the staff using 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th

Description: Follow the sequence of intervals on the game card by moving notes pieces up and down the staff. Check the answer on the back of each card to see if you arrived on the correct line or space.

How to Build:

• Print the pdf file back-to-back on 2 colored card stock pages. Cut apart the Spooky Interval flashcards.
• Find 5 Halloween shapes to use as notes.
• Build the staff board using a black foam sheet and a sticky white foam sheet, cut into strips for the five staff lines. Decorate with fun Halloween stickies.

Download Spooky Interval Cards (424 KB)

The Interval Star

Skill: Identify intervals 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th

Description: This is a quick review activity for children working on interval recognition. Take 5 minutes or less during private lesson time to sort the interval cards into unisons, 2nds, 3rds 4ths and 5ths. Most cards show notes on the grand staff and some test intervals by letter names or keyboard diagrams. There are 15 cards in the pack.

How to build:

• I found my unfinished wooden star at a craft store and painted it yellow. You could also use foam or felt. I used large adhesive numbers 1-5, but you could easily draw them with a marker.
• Print the pdf file (2 sheets back-to-back) on 100 lb card stock. Cut apart the cards.

Download Interval Star (809 KB)

Fishy Intervals

Skill: Build augmented and diminished intervals

Description: Learn how to take perfect and major intervals and turn them into augmented and diminished intervals by making them larger or smaller. Use dry erase marker on the staff to draw the notes and use pennies or magnets on the keyboard to visualize any interval.

How to build:

• Print the pdf file (2 pages back to back) on 100 lb card stock.
• Laminate for dry erase marker use
• Watch the Theory Tutorial for further instruction. View now »

Download Fishy Intervals (618 KB)

Build a Key

Skill: Order of sharps and flats in any clef

Description: Practice placing the order of sharps and flats in any clef. Why not use alto or tenor clef for more advanced students? Print two or more sets for partner or group activities.

How to build:

• Print the pdf file (1 page black & white) on 100 lb card stock.
• Laminate for dry erase marker use
• Back with sticky craft foam or magnets

Download Build a Key (71 KB)

Circle of Fifths Wheel

Skill: Place all major keys on the circle of fifths

Description: Students need plenty of reinforcement with the concept of key signatures and the cirlce of 5ths. This teaching aids requires students to match the number of sharps or flats to the correct major key.

How to Build:

• Purchase an unfinished wooden circle from your craft store. Paint it your favorite color.
• Add sticky craft foam on the under side plus decorative trim with a glue gun.
• Measure out the pie pieces and add lines with a black marker.
• Add numbers either by hand or by using 3/4 inch labels.
• Purchase 15 wooden plugs (3/4 inch) and add major key names either by hand or with sticky labels.

Ledger Line Speller

Skill: Draw ledger lines notes above and below the staff.

Description: Spelling words using ledger line notes above the treble staff or below the bass staff. Laminate the sheets so students can draw the ledger lines and then wipe them off.

How to build:

• Print the pdf file back-to-back on colored card stock. The treble staff is on one side and the bass staff is on the reverse. Laminate this sheet.
• Print the page of three-letter words and cut them apart.
• Use your imagination to find three items to use as notes. I used Halloween pumpkins, but you could easily use magnets, quarters or other seasonal goodies.

Download Ledger Line Speller (147 KB)

Enharmonic Snap

Skill: Match enharmonic equivalents

Description: This activity will test your students' understanding of enharmonic equivalents. Complete this activity with a private student or in a group by taking the 18 cards and creating enharmonic pairs with two names for the same key (E Flat & D Sharp).

How to build: Print the pdf file (2 sheets back-to-back) on 100 lb card stock. Cut apart the cards.

Download Enharmonic Snap (718 KB)

Major Minor Match

Skill: Identify major and minor triads or 5 finger patterns

Description: Students identify major and minor triads or five finger patterns by playing the note names on each card. You can decide whether to place the emphasis on visual, technical or aural pattern recognition.

How to build:

• Print the pdf file (5 sheets) on 100 lb card stock in full color.
• You may wish to laminate the major minor page for durability.
• Cut apart the Caterpillar and L'il Buddy cards.

Download Major Minor Match (670 KB)

The Practice Posie

Skill: Ten correct repetitions to practice a trouble spot

Description: The Practice Posie is a good teaching aid when a student needs a little extra motivation to do many correct repetitions on a challenging line, phrase or section of a piece. Place all of the bumblebees in the middle of the Practice Posie. You would say, "Let's play it for the flat sign" (the student plays, then moves a bee to the correct sign). "Now let's play for the fermata sign". And so on, until all ten bees have buzzed out to their petals.

How to build:

• I made my Practice Posie using an unfinished frame from Michael's. You can paint it any color you like. Think of musical signs that are appropriate for your students and draw them on each petal with a black marker. I already had my bumblebees prepared from the Spelling Bee Game.