Sunday, February 6, 2011

Valentine Letter Game

In this Valentine Game, students pretend to mail letters or valentines out while matching staff cards to their letter name.

Take some envelopes and write a letter on it from A to G.  Pass out the Staff cards so that each student has an equal amount of cards.  Place the envelopes face down.  Turn over the first enevelope and whatever letter is on the envelope, is the one the student must place in the envelope to mail.  If they do not have a card that matches the letter, then they don't get to play.  The first student(s) to get rid of all their cards win. 

A fun idea I had was to put the notes on foam Valentine's.  I got these last year at a great discount after Valentine's Day.  Be on the look out and you may find a good deal on these as well.  I used my labels and stuck the notes on them.
As we played this game this week, we tried to think of exciting places that the letter was going to.  A for "Atlanta" or D for "Dallas."  You could even add these places to the envelope if you wanted.

You could also play this with keyboard cards, chord cards and key cards.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY



 

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Valentine Songs

Five little valentines
Five little valentines, I bought at the store.
gave one to Mother, now I have _____.
Four little valentines, pretty as can be.
I gave one to Daddy, now I have _____.
Three little valentines, red, white and blue.
I gave one to brother, now I have _____.
Two little valentines, enough for everyone.
I gave one to sister, now I have ______.
One little valentine, what should I do?
I know what, I'll give this one to you!

Teaching Idea: 
1. Have Hearts cut out or foam ones to give to five children.  During the song they give their valentine to a fellow classmate.
2.  Ask the children who else could they give a Valentine to and put it in the song.
If you Love me and you know it Sung to: "If your happy and you know it"
If you love me and you know it, Clap your hands.
If you love me and you know it, Clap your hands.
If you love me and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you love me and you know it, Clap your hands.

Other Verses: Say "I Love you" Blow me a kiss, Give me a hug
The Postman Brings a Valentine Sung to: "Mulberry Bush"
The postman brings a Valentine, a Valentine, a Valentine.
The postman Brings a Valentine, It says that I love you!
Teaching Idea:
1. Play a game similar to "Duck, Duck, Goose"  the children sit in a circle with their eyes closed and the postman walks around with a valentine or letter.  One the word "you" the postman drops the letter behind someone.  That person opens their eyes and runs after the postman.  If the postman can get back to the same spot and sit down they win. 

Counting Valentines Sung to: "Ten Little Indians"
One red, two red, three red Valentines
Four red, five red, six red Valentines
Seven red, eight red, nine red Valentines
Ten red Valentines.
Ten red, nine red, eight red Valentines
Seven red, six red, five red Valentines
Four red, three red, two red Valentines
One red Valentine.

Teaching Idea:
1. Have ten red hearts to count
2. Write the numbers or number words on the hearts to help with word association

H-E-A-R-T Sung to: "B-I-N-G-O"
To show you like your special friends,
Just give them each a heart.
H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T
Each heart says I like you!

Clap on the X

To show you like your special friends
Just give them each a heart
X-E-A-R-T, X-E-A-R-T, X-E-A-R-T
Each heart says I like you!

Keep taking away letters and clapping them.
You are my Valentine Sung to: "You are my Sunshine"
You are my Valentine, My special Valentine,
And I love you, yes I do.
You are my Valentine, My Special Valentine,
Please say you love me, too!
A Valentine....Sung to: "Skip to my Lou"
I have a Valentine just for you.
I wrote on the card, I love you true.
I wrapped it and mailed it yesterday
Close to your heart I hope it will stay.
Love, Love, Love Sung to: "3 Blind Mice"
Love, Love, Love Love, Love, Love (Clap hands on love)
See how it grows, See how it grows. (Point to eyes on 'see' then hands up on 'grow')
I love my friends and they love me, (Hands out then cross hands over heart on 'me')
We love others and then, you see, (Hands out then cross hands over heart on 'see')
There's more than enough for a big family (Hands out then cross hands over heart on 'family')
Love, love, love, Love, love, love (Clap hands on love)


Thursday, January 27, 2011

Music is Fun!

I found this wonderful video showing an experiment using music as a way to motivate exercise.  I have enjoyed showing this to my students as well.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Tic Tac Toe Game for the Keyboard

Here is a Tic Tac Toe Board using the keyboard names.  Students pick an Alphabet card and place a chip/token on the correct note.  If they get three in a row they win.




Sunday, January 16, 2011

New Way to Learn Note Names: Drill Cards

I have a new way of drilling the note names with students with simple spiral bound index cards.

Many times students will struggle with certain notes, but those notes are not always in the music they are playing at the time.  Flash cards are great tools, but sorting them out at every lesson can become a hassle.   So index cards that are spiral bound for each student becomes a great solution.

First I find out what notes the student is struggling with by asking them to name the note as fast as the can.  I only give them a couple of seconds, because I want them to instantly know the note.   I also ask them to play the note in the correct place on the piano.  The notes they have trouble with go in the Drill Book.


Then at every lesson I ask them to name the note and play it.  If they do it correctly, they get to put a sticker on the card.  When they get ten stickers, they have successfully learned the note.



I have my students participate in the One Minute Club, so any notes they miss while doing this exercise also go in the Drill Book.  Any new notes we learn can be added as well.

I use the Drill Book for chords and keys.  You could even use it for rhythms, intervals or vocabulary words.

You can keep the books safe in the studio or send the books home for the students to practice with.

You can find a set of 36 spiral index cards at Amazon for $28.39 which ends up being .79¢ each if you get free shipping.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Finger Independence for Beginners

I recently saw a post on the Piano Club Forum about a student who was having trouble with finger independence.  When she presses the key down she doesn't release it.  She leaves it down and plays the next finger and then the next, until all fingers are pressed down.   This is a habit some students develop that with some work can be corrected.

First I would work on with the student on finger number recognition with some finger exercise cards, making sure the student has the proper technique.

Finger Exercises Google Doc
Finger Exercises

Then I might get out some finger puppets and have the student go back and forth between fingers, holding the puppets upright.  We may use some funny voices or animal sounds alternating between the fingers.

For example:  I might say "Have the dog talk to the pig. Roof, oink, roof, oink"  The student would bend the 3rd finger and the 2nd finger alternating.  I would have the student do this with the puppet book upright.  The fingers naturally wants to retract, but if the student doesn't retract the finger, I would point out that only one animal can speak at a time.

Then I would have the student place the book on their hand in a playing position, but switch the book around so they can see the puppet faces.  This means the book would be on the student's hand backwards or upside down,  For single finger puppets, just turn the puppets face around.

I would alternate between fingers tapping on a tabletop, making sure the animal lifts back up when the next finger is played.  You can do animal sounds or use the cards above or make up your own exercises.  The animals really help the children see whether they brought the finger back up or not.

Then have the student try the exercise without the puppets on the tabletop and lastly transfer to the keyboard.




You can find the Old MacDonald Finger Puppet Book at Amazon for $9.35.
I found the other finger puppets at the dollar store (4 for a $1.00)

One post suggested pretending to place chocolate chips in play dough, like making a cookie.  There is a song in Faber's My First Piano Adventure that goes well with this idea.  This would also be a fun activity.

Monday, January 10, 2011

FootNotes Staff Rug

Here is a great rug for your studio or classroom:

The rug is sold by Wenger and retails at
$399.00 and is 6' x 8'.

Though expensive, it could be used for many activities and would be a nice centerpiece for a studio.

A girl can dream at least :)

I can imagine throwing bean bags on the rug, having children stand on different notes and go up or down different intervals.

If the rug is out of your price range, (it's out of mine) then a simple white table cloth could be used as a floor staff.  I have also seen a plain white shower curtain be used as well.  Just get some electric tape and measure out the lines.  Draw on the clef and there you have a inexpensive floor staff.