Canon Blast

Here some pictures I captured of a fun game we played this week:  "Canon Blast"

First I have students pick a color for their pirate ship.  I have magnetic chips, or "magic notes" in a variety of colors for the students to choose from.  I love using this magnetic chips, but any bingo chips will do.  Don't have bingo chips?  Try placing a colored sticker on a penny.  You will need at least 20 of each color.

Students identify their notes with flashcards and if they identify it correctly they get to put a chip on the matching ship.  "Fire Canon One"

For a quick game you can have the student win the ship by placing one chip on the ship.  For more teaching opportunities, make it three chips. Whoever has blasted the most ships wins!

 

Great Gems: Aspects of a Great Musician

Each week I am going to focus on a different aspect of a great musician.  These will be my "Great Gems."


My different aspects will be

*  Notes: Good Reading and Listening
*  Rhythm: Steady Counting and Accuracy
*  Dynamics: Observes Louds and Softs
*  Articulation: Observes all markings
*  Focus: Listening to directions, Paying attention, 
                Keeps hands in lap
*  Prepared: Brings all materials, Completes assignments
*  Technique: Good Posture, Good Hand Position


Each week I plan on focusing on a different aspect.  We will talk about why this aspect is important and how to improve in our lesson time and practice.  


This week our "Great Gem" is FOCUS.  It really helped the students, especially the younger ones, understand what I mean when I say "Let's Focus".  I rewarded the student with a extra jewel to go with my Hidden Treasures Theme if they kept their FOCUS throughout the lesson.  If you are not doing an incentive you could reward them with a small piece of candy.  It really worked great!


Here is a picture of my "Great Gems" in my studio!  

Hidden Treasures Practice Assignment Record

I have modified my assignment sheet to record the progress of the students as they sail the high seas.

There is now a place to record how many jewels they have collected each week.  The graphic to the left is placed at the bottom of the assignment sheet.  For some reason it shows up a little blurry in the preview below, but it prints out clear!

For more information on this year's theme click: Hidden Treasures.

Google Docs: Hidden Treasures Piano Assignment Record

Treasure Map: Reward Incentive

Ahoy Mateys!  I have been swabbing the deck (cleaning my studio) and preparing to embark on our pirate journey this week!  I am using this treasure map as an incentive chart for my students.

For my treasure map, I will have students collect hidden treasure (jewels) for different accomplishments.

1 Jewel

·      Accomplishing a practice goal

·      Mastering a technique

·      Mastery of a piece

3 Jewels

                        ·    Memorizing a piece

·      Improvement in One Minute Score

·      Perform outside studio

·      Finish drill card

·      Complete 10 sight reading drills

·      Complete 10 rhythm drills

5 Jewels

·      Participate in Festival

·      Complete 10 pages of drill sheets

Here are the jewels I am giving away:  Just little tiny beads I got at Walmart.

When the student collects 5 beads I will mark them off on their Treasure Map.  When they reach a landmark and are promoted, I am going to reward them with a little pirate duck.  I got these from Amazon as well.  

I am thinking of making a big chart on the wall to chart everyone's progress along the map.  When and if I get this together, I will post about it.

At each group lessons student will spend their booty (jewels) in the treasure chest.  I have lots of goodies, big and small that will cost various amounts of jewels.  This way we only shop one time.  If students want to hold on to their jewels till the end of the year, they can, but they have to spend all their jewels at the last group lesson.

BONUS FIND!

I also made a super find at Office Depot during some back to school shopping:

These mini reward charts are from Eureka and come with gold coin stickers.  I found them on sale at these websites as well:

http://www.k12schoolsupplies.net/Treasure-Hunt-Mini-Reward-Charts-p/eu-837016.htm

Amazon

I plan on using the little charts for group lessons!  

Teaching Theme for 2011-12

Ahoy Mateys!  For the first time I am going to attempt a piano theme for the year.  Many other teachers center their teaching around a theme for the year to promote excitement and incentives for the year.  After working this year in a Music Camp where I used a pirate theme, I decided to take that theme and run with it.  So the theme for my studio for 2011-12 is


                                       Hidden Treasures!

I am already thinking of games and activities around the theme, but the first thing I wanted to do was make an incentive chart for the students using none other than a Treasure Map!  The students are going to collect jewels (inexpensive beads) to spend in the Treasure Chest and they can chart their progress on the map.

The map could be used in a variety of ways:
1. Mark off a dot for each goal reached
2. Mark off a dot for each piece (measures) memorized
3. Mark off a dot for each new technique mastered
4. Combination of any or all
5. Other incentives for the year

Each time the student meets a special symbol on the map (ship, pirate or treasure chest) they are promoted to a new position on the ship.

I am throwing around the idea of collecting a different pirate goodie each time they reach a symbol on the map.  I am either going with pirate silly bands or rubber duckies that look like pirates.  This would be in addition to the jewels they get to spend in the treasure chest.

I haven't worked out all the details, but I think they will need 5 jewels to cross off each dot on the map. Any ideas you guys have are more than appreciated!

Here is a look at the treasure map if you are interested in sailing the high seas with me: