Paint Chips

I came across this idea on Pinterest.

Teachers we're using paint chips to test sight words and math facts.  I decided to put my own musical twist on it.  Instead of words, I used different rhythms.  The students are to match the rhythm to the correct time signature.  You will need to put all the time signatures you want to test on one paint chip.

I also found this unique Better Home and Gardens paint chips at Walmart with a hole in them.  If you get these you could play "Find the missing rhythm."  Students have to put the hole on top of the rhythm that completes the measure correctly.

Jelly Bean Bingo:Level One

Who doesn't love jellybeans?  They are usually gone within seconds of me putting them out.  The rhythms in level one use the quarter note, half note, dotted half note and whole note.  Using jelly beans to cover your bingo board creates a fun way to play this game and of course after it is over you can eat your jelly beans.

Google Docs: Jelly Bean Bingo: Level One
Jelly Bean Bingo Level One


Google Docs: Jelly Bean Bingo Cards: Level One

Jelly Bean Bingo Cards Level One

Easter Egg Rhythm Worksheet

This is a Easter Egg Worksheet is just like my Pot of Gold Game.  I got a request to make different themed worksheet that would go with my Rhythm Addition Cards.  I made some different colors so that you could play this in a group game as well or just choose you favorite color.

To play you fill up the easter egg with tokens: bingo chips, pennies, M&M's or Jellybeans.

You use the Rhythm Addition Cards and add up the correct amount of tokens to place in the Easter Egg.  I have different levels of cards to fit most students.  The first one to fill up their egg wins!

I also used this in a regular classroom setting for math concepts.  For Kindergartners I just had them simply recognize the number in different forms: 3, three,  * * *.  For older students you could do math addition or subtraction flashcards.

Google Docs: Easter Egg Rhythm Game Green, Pink, Yellow, Blue

Easter Egg Rhythm Game Green

Easter Egg Rhythm Game Yellow

Easter Egg Rhythm Game Blue

Easter Egg Rhythm Game Pink

Tricky Turkey

These worksheets have students fixing Mr. Tricky Turkey's mistakes.  I find students love correcting things and pretending to be the teacher.

  Tricky Turkey Level 1

Tricky Turkey Level 2

Witch's Brew Game Level Two

Here is a great game around Halloween Time.: Witch's Brew Game.

I plan on picking the cards from a cauldron and then using a witch's finger to count and point to the rhythms.  The witch's finger is just a fake witch finger you can find at a party store or Halloween store.

Witch’s Brew: Players draw cards and perform the rhythm on each card.  When the Witch Card is drawn they get a little prize: sticker, candy, Halloween treat.

You can keep adding on to the cards you have drawn, making an extended rhythm.

You can clap the cards, perform them on a rhythm instrument or piano.

Another idea is to use some Halloween words to say the rhythm.  For example, a triplet could be "Halloween" and eighth notes could be "Pumpkin" or "Mummy".  I have more ideas in the directions on page four.

CLICK HERE FOR Witch's Brew Game

Witch's Brew Game Level One

Here is a great game around Halloween Time.: Witch's Brew Game.

I plan on picking the cards from a cauldron and then using a witch's finger to count and point to the rhythms.  The witch's finger is just a fake witch finger you can find at a party store or Halloween store.

Witch’s Brew: Players draw cards and perform the rhythm on each card.  When the Witch Card is drawn they get a little prize: sticker, candy, Halloween treat.

You can keep adding on to the cards you have drawn, making an extended rhythm.

You can clap the cards, perform them on a rhythm instrument or piano.
CLICK HERE FOR Witch's Brew

Rhythm Labels for Level One

Here are some rhythm exercises that correlate with the Faber Level 1 Lesson Book.

Labels Level 1 Rhythm Exercise  

Faber Primer Rhythm and Finger Exercises

I have decided to make some rhythm and finger exercises based on the Faber Primer book.  I got the idea of making them label from Susan Paradis.

I am assigning the student these exercises to have some extra practice with counting and playing rhythms and coordinating fingers.  I have placed page numbers on some exercises because the correlate with that page.

Though some are the exact pattern found in the song, some are combinations of patterns.  I am assigning these exercise one to two weeks before the student gets to that page, so they have done the preliminary work on the song already.

There are many possibilities with the rhythms, playing hands separately, hand together, clapping, stomping, patting, snapping, playing with instruments, counting out loud, playing on the keyboard, etc. .

I use Avery labels 48860 with a measurement of 1" by 2 5/8'

Faber Primer Level Rhythm and Finger Exercises

If you have trouble printing them, email me and I will email you a pdf file

Group Lesson Stations

These week I will be having group lessons and I am trying a new thing: STATIONS.  


Usually I have game and activities and all the students play together at group lessons.  This has gone well, but when I have different levels of students, it can be a challenge.  I have been substitute teaching lately and many school teachers use stations for math or reading.  The kids have assigned groups and they go to the station and complete the activity either together or by themselves.  The kids really enjoy stations and I thought I would try it in a group lesson.  


I have four stations and each has a game or activity for the students to complete.  Each activity has different levels for the students to choose from, so that they will be reviewing concepts they have learned.  The material and instructions for the activity is at the station and they are all games we have played before in our lesson time.  The students are paired up other students on their same level.  Every ten minutes we will rotate to a new station.  This format allowed me to have students of different levels and have more students come to one group lessons.  


I usually like to keep group lessons to 5 or 4 students, but this week one group lesson will have seven students!  I think the rotation will keep all the students busy, while keeping the groups small at each station.  I have attached an example of the instructions I have for  "Chutes and Ladders"  I have made rhythms on different colored note cards that students add or subtract.  Since then I have added Rhythm Addition Cards to my site, which would be an easy way to play the game in different levels.  A great way to review rhythm with a game the students love.   Enjoy!

Chutes and Ladders Directions

Rhythm Puzzle

Rhythm Puzzle

Rhythm puzzle is a game designed to help students with note values, counting and playing rhythms.

1. You set a times signature

2. You have cards with note values on them ranging from quarter note, to triplets, dotted rhythms and sixteenth notes.  

3. You place the card in four lines so that each line has four beats.

4. Then mix up the cards by switching them.  You cannot add any cards to a line or take away cards.  In other words, each line must have the same number of cards it started with.  Some lines may have 5, while other may only have one card.

5. The student must switch the cards to get each line to equal the correct amount of beats, according to the time signature.

6. When completed, I have the student point and count and then clap and count.

The fun part of this game is that the solution to the puzzle can be different each time, depending on which cards you switch.  I have played this in teams where the kids take turns switching cards.  

The first picture is of the cards arranged in four rows, each row equaling four beats.

I believe this game originally came from Music Mind Games.

The second picture is of the cards mixed up.

Rhythm Dictation Christmas Style

We are taking the Christmas music (that started right playing on the radio stations right after Halloween) and using it this week for rhythm dictation.  Using some familiar Christmas songs, the students will write the rhythms symbolically.  Beginner students use chips to represent the different rhythms.  


If I clap one half note and two quarter notes then the student would put a chip on the 1st, 3rd and 4th beat.  For more advanced students I have them write the correct rhythm in the ornament.  I use a page protector and a dry erase marker so that I can use the sheet over and over again.   You can use whatever song you like, but here are some songs with simple rhythms:


Jingle Bells
Up on the House Top
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Little Drummer Boy
Here Comes Santa Clause
I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause
O little town of Bethlehem

Rhythm Dictation

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.