Resources for Halloween

Here are some great free resources for Halloween:

Candy Match-Up: Worksheet to identify notes

Candy Match-Up
Witch's Brew:  Students pick a rhythm card and perform it.  If they pick a witch they get a piece of candy.
CLICK HERE FOR Witch's Brew Game

Also, check out my Halloween Music Games Volume 1 and Volume 2

Halloween Music Games Volume 2

Halloween Music Games Volume 2 has 5 new and exciting games for your students to help them improve at note naming, intervals, chords, rhythms and symbols.

Don't Eat Jack: A fun filled game that focuses on rhythm recognition. The game has five levels and is sure to be a favorite with your students.

Find the Ghost: Players race around to find the ghost cards and then identify symbols.

Haunted House Harmony: Students build chords or intervals in the haunted house

Pumpkin Patch Match: Players match notes. There is a Catch the Jack-o-lantern version as well.

Candy Corn Catch: Identify notes on the staff or keyboard using candy corn.

Check out Halloween Music Games Vol.1 for even more games and activities

Includes: Games, printables and instructions

Format: PDF

Printing: 8.5' x 11' - Grayscale or Color

Price: $10.00

Instructions for purchasing it with Paypal: Click on the Buy Now button. You will be asked to pay with Paypal. Once your transaction is accepted, an email will be sent with a zip of the games.

Peek inside Shooting for the Stars

My studio is in full swing and the students are loving Shooting for the Stars.  Here is how the incentive works:

Students earn stars for different things during their lesson.
I have chosen to give stars for the following items:

1. Sight Reading: Each week the students sight read a piece during their lesson.  If they are successful they earn a star.

2. Rhythm: Each week the students perform a rhythm by clapping, counting and then playing them on a note or chord.  They can also earn additional rhythm stars by counting while playing an assigned piece or performing a song with wonderful rhythm.

3. Note Naming: The students always play their rhythm to a note or chord I have them name.  I usually include notes they are struggling on.  If they get them correct they win a star.  I also have the students name notes in their assigned piece.  More stars!

4. Presentation: I give this star to students who come prepared with materials and present their assigned piece musically.  Dynamics, articulation, pedaling, artistry all can encompass the presentation star.

5. Practice: I assign goals for my students to accomplish each week and I can usually tell if they have practiced or not.  You could modify this if you assign a practice log.

6. Super Star: This is going to be stars students earn for special things like memorization, mastering a scale, performing, etc...

Each student then chooses an alien on my stars board.  The alien keep track of the stars they collect each week.  I purchased some foam stars to stick up on the board and the students write the number of stars they earned at their lesson and stick the star next to their alien.

It is up to you what the stars mean, but my students spend their stars on prizes.  Different prizes cost different amounts.  I have made several games revolving around this theme and hope to have them available soon.  Here are some pictures of the stars board.

New Theme for 2012: Shooting for the Stars

I am excited to begin a new school year with our new theme: Shooting for the Stars.  Students will collect stars as they explore the galaxy of music.  Here are some great pictures of my studio decorations.

New Incentive Cards: Star Wars and Legos

A reader requested some new incentive cards for Star Wars and Legos.  You can use these for just about anything.  I have used it for writing incentives for my son.  For each word he writes neatly, he gets a chip.  He loves it!



Star Wars Incentive Cards

Blackbeard's Revenge

Blackbeard's Revenge is a game from the Hidden Treasures Studio Kit.  It is a game fashioned after Old Maid.  You match up the cards and try not to be the one who get the cursed "Jolly Roger" card.  You can get all four version for $6.50 or buy them individually.

The Blackbeard's Revenge Kit: Includes note name cards, keyboard cards, interval cards, key signature cards and chord cards.

The Blackbeard's Revenge Note Names comes with 41 pirate flashcards of staff notes on the Treble and Bass Clef.  Keyboard cards are also included.

The Blackbeard's Revenge Intervals comes with 48 interval flashcards from 2nds to Octaves.

The Blackbeard's Revenge Chords comes with 50 cards with chords in root position.

The Blackbeard's Revenge Inversion Chords and Keys comes with 78 cards with inversion of chords and key signatures.

Summer Fun!

After 15 years of teaching I am taking the summer off for the first time ever!!  I am looking forward to doing some traveling and relaxing, but  I still want my students to continue to practice in the summer so I came up with a summer practice chart.

Each key has a specific goal to accomplish.  Some are just for fun and some require some concentration.  They are supposed to color the key in when they have completed the goal.  If they can bring back all the practice sheets colored in I will have a prize for them (candy) when they return.  I plan on writing some page numbers in on some of the keys to give them some specific pieces to practice.  The goal is to review the material they already know and keep their skills up.  I have included a blank one for you to modify.  Hopefully if you have students that take the summer off, they can use this to stay motivated!