Great as a lesson, end of lesson activity, or beginning the day’s lesson for Kindergarten – 5th. A great activity for the substitute teacher.
Use relay races to INTRODUCE ALL symbols, K-5th. After seeing the symbol drawn, hearing the name, drawing it themselves, saying the name themselves, seeing and hearing it drawn and said by every member of the class, in a very exciting activity, well, they always seem to work!Divide the class into two teams. Students race to the board drawing the music symbol, tagging the next person while SAYING THE NAME OF THE SYMBOL THEY DREW! (everyone draws the same symbol)
TEACHING THE GAME•Count out the number of your turn, 1,2,3,4, etc. (FOR EACH SIDE)•”Tag yourself and say ..(staff)……..”•”Tag your partner and say …(staff)……”•”When I say GO, tag the board and then tag the next person and say GO.” (Repeat until game is learned.)
*Points are given to the winning team AND to the team with the best looking symbols!
One can be as structured as needed. Team ONE can lose a point by being too loud, jumping out of chairs, mocking the losing team, etc. (we don’t just teach music ya know.)
Never stop the game for errors! At the end of the game check for the team with the best looking examples, they get another point. If there were too many problems, do it again, immediately!
Suggested Order of Symbol Introduction
Upper grades can progress to notes on staves, 5yr. olds draw notes “around lines” or “in spaces”, or, notes stepping up and down the staff, or, letter names of lines and spaces (not limited to just symbols.)