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Holly Jolly Rhythms! - Body Percussion Game
By Jason Litt
In Holly Jolly Rhythms, your kids will be challenged to body percussion like never before!
Students will see familiar Christmas characters and items along with body percussion that go along with the characters. They will use a series of claps, pats, stomps, and snaps indicated by clip art in beat boxes read from left to right
If everyone in class performs the body percussion PERFECTLY, you will move onto the next character… and then… A Present will drop into Santa’s sleigh if the students perform a certain number of the Holly Jolly Rhythms correctly!
You will control the amount of time the students can do this. You can put on a holiday song (2, 3, or 4 minutes long) or set a timer, and upon the conclusion, see how many presents they've amassed at in Santa's Sleigh!
It gives the kids an ending goal to get as many presents as they can along with aligning syllabic language to modified notation.
Have a great time with this a cheers!
By Jason Litt
Ready to talk about Forte and Piano in any of your grades? Drum it up, Dynamically will get your kids reading dynamics like a pro!
First, we start off with an introduction to Forte and Piano with a clip from Music K8's animated series (included), and then get into the game:
Students are issued hand drums (or djembes, tubanos, orff instruments, rhythm sticks, whatever you wish!) and dynamics are shown on the screen. Sometimes just 4 dynamics, sometimes 6, and even up to 8. The teacher points to the dynamic (optional) as the kids play along on their instruments while the background music (included) helps them keep on beat! After the students master the dynamics, the teacher advances the slide and dynamic shifts get a little harder each time.
Halfway through the presentation are rests (indicated by blank white boxes) to get the kids to count the notes of silence in between.
Have a ball with this and let me know if you have any questions!
Three tracks at various tempi are included (slow for the little kids, and medium and fast for the bigger kids)
Throw Re Mi - Identifying Solfege Sylllables!
By Jason Litt
In a competitive solfege syllable naming game, you can practice your do-re-mi while getting out a little energy with your students! In Throw Re Mi, students will be split into groups (boys vs girls, colors vs colors, teams vs teams, however you wish) and one representative will stand in front of the whiteboard to represent their team. They will both use one suction cup ball to play the game (can be found at the dollar store or Target for a few bucks!)
They will be shown a solfege hand sign and see two or three corresponding circles above the hand sign. One of those circles will be the correct syllable (DO or RE, MI or TI, FA or LA, etc) -- encourage your students to throw their ball to the correct answer... whoever gets it the fastest wins (advance it to the next slide to reveal the answer in blue)
Also included is in an advanced round, called Throw Re Mi - Remix where it's flipped. The solfege hand signs will be on the top and the syllable on the bottom!
Have a great time with this and as always, leave questions in the comments if you need anything :)
By Jason Litt
Are you as hungry as I am? Let's eat! Identify rhythms in proper nouns with this fun activity. Students will see a food (or foods!) and their corresponding word (or words!) and given two plates on each slide. Have the students identify the syllables in the food and match it to either rhythm on plate number 1 or plate number 2. After kids lock in their answer, advance the slide and reveal the answer! Most are eighth and quarter note rhythms, but some have eighth note triplets and 4 sixteenths group in the examples You can also play it as an assessment and have kids work individual or in teams. There's a powerpoint and PDF included in this package and there are 13 sets of foods go through and can last up to 30-45 minutes depending on what pace you go in the activity. Have a great time and of course, BON APPETITE!
By Jason Litt
Reviewing solfege with your kids? This may be the game format you're looking for!
An authentic jeopardy game board with categories for "Give me a Hand", "Take a Look", "Scale it!", and "Extended Solfege" on the title slide. Students can elect to pick $200, $400, $600, $800, or $1000 answers. After clicking on the amount, the answer will appear on the next slide.
Give me a Hand - A description of the hand sign and students will have to guess which syllable
Take a Look - Students will see the sign and have to guess which syllable
Scale it - The following and preceding notes in the solfege scale
Extended Solfege - Lowered and raised versions of common solfege
A text answer will first be visible, but if you advance the animation, the solfege sign/syllable will enter the slide if your kids need a hint. Students (keeping in true Jeopardy! fashion) can answer in the form of a question
"What is a Do?"
"What is a Ti?"
"What is La?"
After the money is awarded (You can split sides of your class, boys vs girls, class vs class, however you want it!), there is a link in the bottom right hand corner to go back to the title screen and game board.
After extracting the ZIP file, make sure to install the Jeopardy! font included, or else you'll see random characters all over -- not good eats!
Email me at jasonlitt@gmail.com or leave a comment if you have any questions. Happy Jeopardy...ing!
By Jason Litt
Working on aural theory with your kids? With "Rhythm Mixup" students shuffle up notecards with quarter notes, 2-beamed eighth notes, half notes, and quarter rests to reflect the musical example being played! We start off the first lesson (level 1) with a brief overview of rhythm from Quaver's Marvelous World of Music, and then head right into rhythm mixup. Students will lay out their notation cards (you can either print these out or have the students draw them on a whiteboard, etc), and then a musical example will be played. Students will have to put the notes in the order that they hear the music example -- hence, the "mixup"! Level 2, goes into quarter rests and the students will have to place it appropriately (hint: it's never at the beginning or end of the phrase!) :) Students identify rhythms upon hearing them and use their aural skills to dictate where each rhythm is placed. Make sure to play these several times, especially for the younger ones so they can check their work! Designed in Powerpoint 2007, all animations and transitions should work on machines that support it. A file is included for instructions on how to install fonts. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me. Have fun!
By Jason Litt
Reviewing solfege with your kids? This may be the game format you're looking for!
An authentic jeopardy game board with categories for "Give me a Hand", "Take a Look", "Scale it!", and "Extended Solfege" on the title slide. Students can elect to pick $200, $400, $600, $800, or $1000 answers. After clicking on the amount, the answer will appear on the next slide.
Give me a Hand - A description of the hand sign and students will have to guess which syllable
Take a Look - Students will see the sign and have to guess which syllable
Scale it - The following and preceding notes in the solfege scale
Extended Solfege - Lowered and raised versions of common solfege
A text answer will first be visible, but if you advance the animation, the solfege sign/syllable will enter the slide if your kids need a hint. Students (keeping in true Jeopardy! fashion) can answer in the form of a question
"What is a Do?"
"What is a Ti?"
"What is La?"
After the money is awarded (You can split sides of your class, boys vs girls, class vs class, however you want it!), there is a link in the bottom right hand corner to go back to the title screen and game board.
After extracting the ZIP file, make sure to install the Jeopardy! font included, or else you'll see random characters all over -- not good eats!
Email me at jasonlitt@gmail.com or leave a comment if you have any questions. Happy Jeopardy...ing!
By Jason Litt
In 2nd Grade, we start learning about high and low notes and how they are represented in notation by being placed on the staff.
In stick it to the staff, we have students all sit on the floor with a pair of lummi sticks and sight read rhythms based on where they are put on the staff.
If they see a quarter note on the "E" line, they will click their stick above their head, if they see a quarter note on the bottom "F" line, they will hit their sticks on the ground.
This is a video game format, and includes 10 levels of sight reading rhythms (about 100 different rhythms!) starting out with basic quarter notes, adding in eighth notes, half notes, quarter rests, and rounding out with dynamics.
The class is awarded 50 points (you'll see the HI SCORE image embedded in the powerpoint) each time an example is playing correctly in unison. A fun and competitive way for your younger kids to practice sight reading rhythms!
I usually put a background track on (about 90-110bpm) so the kids can play along :)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!
Spooky Rhythms! (* Distance Learning Approved)
By Jason Litt
In Spooky Rhythms, right in time from one of your favorite October holidays, students will see a character, item, or a semblance of something from Halloween
They will then view a series of pumpkins with rhythms on them (all combinations of quarter notes and two eighth note pairs) and will have to identify which pumpkin matches the character displayed on the powerpoint.
Have the students select the answer and the correct pumpkin will turn green (maybe it's ripe)
There are three levels
One or two Halloween characters/items with 2 pumpkin choices
Multiple Halloween characters/items along with 4 pumpkin choices
Spooky Rhythms ReMix -- 1 pumpkin rhythm and 3 multiple choice characters/items
You can assign to distance learning and have the students select the 1st, 2nd (or 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th pumpkin) or play it in class (side vs side, boys vs girls, individually, or all together!)
Have a spooky time with this ;)
Who am I -- Identifying Music Terminology!
By Jason Litt
Was that Presto or Largo? Staccato or Tenuto? Forte or Piano? Use "Who am I" to reinforce the music terminology you've been working on in your class! After a brief review, 6 musical examples will be played with all examples ascribing to either Presto or Largo, Staccato or Tenuto, and Forte or Piano. Students can do this in a variety of ways: -- On whiteboards and dry erase markers -- Through collaborative grouping or partner activity (using pre-cut cards as an idea -- On a SMARTboard or brightlink -- As a race (maybe boys vs girls, side A vs side B) After the example is played, you can advance the slide in the powerpoint to reveal the answer! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave a comment in the Q&A or email me at jasonlitt@gmail.com!
Shamrock ROCK! (40 rhythm reading practice icons with Music!)
By Jason Litt
Getting ready for St. Patty's day, we bring to you Shamrock Rock!, a series of rhythm reading exercises for your elementary aged kids!
Each series of Shamrock Rock! has 10 rhythmic examples (in 4 different levels, 40 exercises in all) of quarter notes (1 four leaf clover), two eighth notes (2 smaller four leaf clovers in the place of one beat), and a quarter rest (pot of gold)
A link to music is provided for you below to listen to in the background while you perform these rhythms on boomwhackers, rhythm sticks, orff instruments, auxiliary percussion, body percussion, tubanos, handbells, or more!
2 Hours of Irish Jig Background Music!
Turn up the Aux! (Identifying Auxiliary Percussion Instruments)
By Jason Litt
Percussion instruments are anything that you either hit, shake, or scrape, but that's not limited to just drums, rhythm sticks, and Orff instruments! Want to see how well your kids can identify which instruments are which? Try "Turning up the Aux!" where a musical example will be played of an auxiliary percussion instrument. Students will see three different instruments and will have to select one of the instruments they think matches the musical example. On the following slide will be the answer! In this 10 question game, you can play this any way you want -- boys vs girls, team vs team, individually, or have students write answers down on whiteboards or even come up to the board to interact with the powerpoint. Have a great time with this and leave a comment below if you have any questions!
Up, Down, All Around (Melodic Direction)
By Jason Litt
Your Kindergarteners and 1st Graders may understand high and low (although they may think it's loud and soft, but this is why we teach them), but can they identify it which way it travels through non-traditional notation?
In "Up, Down, All Around!", your students get a brief introduction of melody, the most important aspect of a song or piece and will venture into the lesson where they will learn to identify melodic direction.
They will be given a multiple choice selection of 3 answers and then asked to identify which answer is UP, DOWN, or is a melody that STAYS THE SAME. Advance the slide and the correct answer will illuminate green!
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You can play this one of several ways
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Play some classical music in the background, and you have a win-win!
A Dynamic Duo (Forte and Piano) (*Distance Learning Approved! *)
By Jason Litt
A terrific way to work on soft and loud is with a quick review with our dynamic duo in music, Piano and Forte.
Students will review dynamics in music and watch a short video from Music K8 called "Forte Piano" with the Barnyard Orchestra!
They will then listen to 10 different examples of music (clips that range from 15-30 seconds long) and choose whether they think the music played best fits the term "Piano" or "Forte" by clicking on the screen.
The right answer will illuminate green the next slide.
Great practice for your young ones to begin the year (if you're distance learning) or good general review
By Jason Litt
So you've taught your kids their three basic solfege syllables (Sol, La, and Mi) and looking for a way to identify the pitches in an interactive game... look no further!
In Solfege Drag 'n Drop, students are challenged to identify Sol, La, and Mi in a series of musical examples. A static example of quarter notes (in groups of 4, 5, or 6) are placed on the "Sol" line, and then the example is played. Students will have to take the pen from the IWB to drag the remaining notes to reflect what was heard in the musical example. It can be dragged above to the "La" line, remain on the "Sol" line, or dragged below to the "Mi" line. After locking in their answer, the teacher will advance to the next slide to reveal their answer.
Although designed for an IWB, students can play on personal dry erase boards, on staff paper, or however you wish. You can even split the class up boys vs girls, team 1 vs team 2, etc, and have a race to identify the correct answer first.
There are 15 examples in the powerpoint ranging from beginner (4 quarter notes) to advanced (6 quarter notes). All examples are MM=100 or below
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below! Happy Solfeging!
Rhythm Espresso! (* Distance Learning Approved! *)
By Jason Litt
Something that'll satisfy your caffeine fix and your students understanding and mastery of rhythm!
In Rhythm Espresso, students will see an assortment of 10 famous beverages (by national coffee chains, of course) and accompanying coffee logos with rhythms in them. One of the rhythms match the rhythmic syllabes said in the beverage name.
Have your students select the rhythm they believe to be correct, advance the slide, and the correct rhythm will illuminate green!
Works well with boys vs girls, team vs team, individually, or even as a distance learning activity!
By Jason Litt
Learning the values of quarter and eighth notes are a good solid foundation to start off, but when it gets to rests, understanding a beat of silence is a little different! In "Give it a Rest!" students are introduced to the quarter rest, which is a note, but a note of silence. They watch "Give it a Rest!" from Music K-8 and then are given an activity -- try to decipher where the rest occurs in a musical example. The students will be told how many beats are in the example and then a four beat percussive introduction is played. Students will be asked to dictate the quarter notes AND quarter rests in the musical example. The teacher can play this again for reinforcement (but for kids in upper grades, playing it only ONCE can be a challenge!). There are 12 examples, each one getting a little more difficult than the last! You can run this activity in many ways: - Student can write on whiteboards with dry erase markers - Pairs of students can team up in a race to spell it out - Use as a whiteboard/smartboard/IWB activity - Print out cards of quarter notes and rests and have them line it up on the floor - Any other way you find creative! Enjoy this with your class and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
Rhythmania! - Identifying modified notation (Primary Music)
By Jason Litt
This is a terrific lesson for your younger kids in Kindergarten and 1st grade who aren't familiar with standard notation just yet! In Rhythmania, students are given two separate rhythms on the powerpoint. The teacher will play the rhythm back (embedded mp3 files included) on the powerpoint and the students will have to identify which rhythm the teacher played.
I cut out "1" and "2" cards and have the kids hold it up, or you can have them answer as a class, write it on whiteboards, or even race to see who can get it first! After the answer is locked in, advance the slide to see the correct answer!
In this lesson, you will see 7 different examples all of different "Levels". They are named levels like "3rd grade level", "high school level", "pro level" and such to get the kids thinking as it's a huge challenge. And of course, if they get it correct, how smart do they feel? :)
Have fun with this and if you have any questions or comments, please leave 'em below!
By Jason Litt
We know percussion instruments are anything that you either hit, shake, or scrape, but how well do you know them? Want to see how well your kids can identify which instruments are which? Try "Pitch Perfect 2!" where a musical example will be played of a pitched percussion percussion instrument. Students will see three different instruments and will have to select one of the instruments they think matches the musical example. On the following slide will be the answer! In this 9 question game, you can play this any way you want -- boys vs girls, team vs team, individually, or have students write answers down on whiteboards or even come up to the board to interact with the powerpoint. Have a great time with this and leave a comment below if you have any questions!
Hi-Low Rally Race (* Distance Learning Approved! *)
By Jason Litt
Working with your kinders and first graders on high and low pitches? Got a little bit of space in your classroom? WIth Hi-Low Rally Race, you can put two hula hoops (or taped off areas) in your classroom and designate one a "high" area and a "low" era.
You will play a short example of a melody (8 examples included) that's pitched high or low and students will walk "briskly" :) to the corresponding area which they think the pitch is -- high or low
You then advance the slide and show the correct answer!
Also works well for Distance Learning if your district has applied that. Just upload it to your Google Classroom and have the kids self pace it at home
Have fun with this!