Hopping Intervals: Level Five and Six

Hopping Intervals Level Five has the intervals 2nd through an Octave.  You can play the same as before, (See Hopping Intervals Level One for how to play) just with more challenging intervals.

Level Six is only minor and major 3rds.  I am constantly reviewing this concept with the major and minor chords.  This level and level three (whole steps and half steps) gets very repetitive unless you separate the cards into up and down piles.  I find that if we go up and then down, we aren't moving to the same two or three notes.  With this in mind, you can use just the "hop up" cards to race up the piano or the "hop down" cards to race down.

Usually when racing I start at the far end of the piano and race to middle C.  I put a little sticky flag on the note and whoever gets to the flag first wins.  Now "Hop" to it!

Google Docs: Hopping Intervals Level Five: 2nd-8th
Hopping Intervals Level Five

Google Docs: Hopping Intervals Level Six: Minor and Major 3rds

Hopping Intervals Level SIX

Hopping Intervals Level Three and Four

Hopping Intervals have been a big hit in my studio this week.  Here are two more levels that expand the game to whole steps/half steps and 6ths.

To play you need some type of token to represent each player.  I love using erasers and collect all kinds for this very purpose. 

You can start your player on Middle C.

Then I get seven Easter eggs, one for each note on the piano.  I then put an alphabet letter in each egg. I just write the letter on a note card or post it (no printing required).  You can open the egg to see the surprise letter at the beginning of the game, but I have found it is fun to be surprised at the end of the game.


Now for flat and sharp you can add more eggs or an easier way is to pick a card out of a hat that has a sharp or flat on it.  
Now you are going to need a place to record what notes you land on.  I use my ever handy white board, but you can use a simple piece of paper. You want to record how many times you land on a certain note.

Start by drawing an interval card and follow the instructions.  Record the letter you land on.  Keep playing through the cards as many times as you like.

Then at the end open your Easter egg and see what the secret note was. Whoever has landed on that note the most wins!  You can reward the student with jellybeans or a sticker.


Google Docs: Hopping Intervals Level Three: Whole Step/Half Step





Google Docs: Hopping Intervals Level Four: 2nd-6th
Hopping Intervals Level Four

Hopping Intervals: Updated with Staff Notation

I recently have been teaching intervals in Faber and Faber Level 1 Piano Adventures and wanted to review the 2nd, 3rd and 4th concept with my student.  I have used cards to move across the keyboard before, but this time I inspired by our Easter season with "Hopping Intervals."

To play you need some type of token to represent each player.  I love using erasers and collect all kinds for this very purpose.

You can start your player on Middle C.

Then I get seven Easter eggs, one for each note on the piano.  I then put an alphabet letter in each egg. I just write the letter on a note card or post it (no printing required).  You can open the egg to see the surprise letter at the beginning of the game, but I have found it is fun to be surprised at the end of the game.

Now you are going to need a place to record what notes you land on.  I use my ever handy white board, but you can use a simple piece of paper.  You want to record how many times you land on a certain note.

Start by drawing an interval card and follow the instructions.  Record the letter you land on.  Keep playing through the cards as many times as you like.

Then at the end open your Easter egg and see what the secret note was.  Whoever has landed on that note the most wins!  You can reward the student with jellybeans or a sticker.

Google Docs: Hopping Intervals Level One Steps and Skips
Hopping Intervals Level One

Google Docs: Hopping Intervals Level Two 2nd-5th
Hopping Intervals Level Two

Tough Turkey Scales

This is a fun activity where student write the name of the scale on the turkey's feathers.  I laminated my cards and students wrote on them.  You could also stick them in a sheet protector and have students write on them with a dry erase marker.  Another option is to use Bingo Chips with the letters on them and have the students arrange the chips in the correct order.

I also have a Tough Turkey Worksheet that has students write the alphabet and intervals.

Tough Turkey Scales
Example of how to complete a Turkey Scale:

Musical Mayflower Level Three

Here is another Thanksgiving worksheet that includes the intervals 6th, 7th and Octave.  Follow the directions to successful get the mayflower around the high seas.

Musical Mayflower Level Three

Musical Mayflower

Here is a music worksheet just in time for Thanksgiving, that helps reinforce the concept of steps, skips and intervals.  Just fill in the right letter on the ship and work your way to the end.  If you get all the correct notes, you should match up with the last letter.

Google Docs Version: Musical Mayflower
Musical Mayflower Level One

Musical Mayflower Level Two

Christmas Interval Worksheet

Here is an interval worksheet with a Christmas theme.  Help Santa get the presents to the right house by matching the intervals to the present.

Present Intervals

Tough Turkey

Here is a worksheet I use to reinforce the musical alphabet and intervals.  The student completes the musical alphabet on the turkey's feathers.  On the turkey's with intervals, the student completes the musical alphabet by 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths or 7ths.  With the interval turkeys you can start on whatever letter you choose or write a different letter in the first feather for group lessons.  I usually have the students go around to the left or up alphabetically, but they could also go around to the right going backwards or down through the alphabet.  I use my bingo chips to complete the turkey's feathers, but you could have your student write on the turkeys as well.

Google Docs: Turkey Worksheet

Here is an example of how to complete the worksheet

Piano Races

Our game this week is Piano Races.  I don't remember where I first heard about this game, but it is a great one to use, especially for keyboard recognition.  I have added on to it over the years.


1. Have the students pick a thing to represent them in the game.  I have a collection of erasers I use, though you could use anything that will fit on the keys.  You need two or more to play this game.
2. Start at the lowest or highest end of the piano and choose an alphabet card.
3. Move to that note and the first one to the end of the piano wins.


I have several variations of this game:
Variation #1: Use intervals, cards with word or staff notation, melodic and harmonic
Variation #2: Identify chord inversions 
Variation #3: Identify Keys
Variation #4: Identify or add up a rhythm


I don't have the students identify a note name on the staff, because the note they move to is not the actual note represented on the staff.


I am not sure where this idea originally came from but many teachers have this game on their websites.