I typically don't like music teaching aids that require me to do a lot of printing, cutting, and laminating. I'm far too lazy for that. However, I make an exception when it's a teaching aid that I'll be able to use in lots of ways with lots of students at lots of ability levels. Hence, the musical alphabet cards.
These cards print up the musical alphabet 15 times, in various colors and fonts. They include sharp and flat signs. Here are just a few ideas for using them that have worked well for me:
Naturally, there's no limit to the different ways you could use these, which is the only reason I was willing to go to the effort of creating them. Enjoy!
These cards print up the musical alphabet 15 times, in various colors and fonts. They include sharp and flat signs. Here are just a few ideas for using them that have worked well for me:
- Student draws a card out of the bag and plays that note on the piano.
- Use sticky tack and hide them around the room. When they find one, they play that note.
- If I'm on the ball, I have them hidden before the student arrives. If I'm not, no worries. I have them play their song for the week while I hide them. They're too busy to see exactly where I'm putting them.
- If it's taking too long, we play Hot and Cold to find them.
- It's also possible to have them hide a few for me. Then I find them and play them, but they have to watch to make sure I don't make any mistakes.
- Student draws several cards out of the bag and lays them out. Then they play the sequence of notes they have drawn.
- Very young students can practice putting the cards in order on the floor.
- We practice it both forwards and backwards.
- We also try building a tower that is longer than they are. (If you do this, make sure that A is on the bottom of the tower and build up, just like the notes on t he staff work.) Periodically, they lie down on the flower next to their tower to see if they need to build it any higher.
- More advanced students can play a major or minor scale starting on the letter than they draw.
Naturally, there's no limit to the different ways you could use these, which is the only reason I was willing to go to the effort of creating them. Enjoy!