8th Grade Other (Music) Activities (by date, oldest first)

With “Rhythms Around the Horn”, students will see four rhythm squares on the powerpoint (or PDF), all of them containing different rhythms.

For starters, have the entire class perform rhythm 1 (with instruments, vocalizing, clapping, patting, etc), then rhythm 2, then 3, and then finally 4.

After students understand the rhythms, then you can have the rhythms all be performed several different ways...

• Assign an instrument to each number and have them repeat their rhythm
• Example: #1 will be shakers, #2 will be tambourines, #3 will be hand drums, #4 will be guiros
• Example: #1 will be bass xylo, #2 will be soprano xylo, #3 will be alto xylo, #4 will be glockenspiel
• Example: #1 will be C and D boomwhackers, #2 will be E and F boomwhackers, #3 will be G and A boomwhackers, #4 will be B boomwhacker
• Assign an instrument to each number and have them rotate throughout the numbers (1, 2, 3, 4)
• Assign an instrument to each number and have them repeat the rhythm 2 times, 4 times (or however long you wish) and move to the next number to do the same thing
• Assign all instruments to start at the beginning, but at different times (a canon or a round).
• Example: Instrument 1 will play #1 first, then #2 consecutively, then the second instruments begin on #1 when the first are on #2, and so forth
• Go backwards, 4, 3, 2, 1
• Or maybe a free for all – have students pick their favorite number and repeat

There are 4 levels of rhythms all with increasing difficulty

• Quarters and Eighths
• Half Notes
• Eighth Note Rests
• Triplets

Have a great time with this!

In "Zimbab all the Wae", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos (along with tambourines), learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands and adding different timbres in with the tambourine

Included is the key for tubano and tambourine notation

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

We now offer you a new twist on our best selling bucket drumming arrangements, here is the "The Imperial March" from John Williams' Star Wars played as a DUET!

There are five color coded slides with the left portion of the slide being the 1st part of the arrangement and the right portion of the slide being the 2nd part part of the arrangement. Both colors are played simultaneously, (as you would read them horizontally) and then go to the next line of the phrase simultaneously.

Teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 2 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

This is a great arrangement to talk about different timbres, rests and empty space, and have students practice independence from other parts of the ensemble.

Here's the track so you can play along... (recorded by the LSO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3SZ5sIMY6o

TREBLE CLEF FOUR CORNERS!

· To play Four Corners, ensure all students understand the lines and spaces of the staff (bottom line E to top line F).

· Number each side of the room 1, 2, 3, and 4 (or alternatively, color code it green, blue, red, or purple with floor tape)

· They will hear a 9 second timer. Students will have a chance to walk to one of four corners and stay there for the duration of the round.

· On the next slide, the treble clef notation will appear in each corner and you will see a letter name from the Treble Clef Staff

· The students will have to guess which treble clef notation it is by showing it with their fingers (1, 2, 3, or 4)

· The teacher then reveals to the students which treble clef note it was (#1, #2, #3 or #4) and the students who are in that corner are OUT!

· Keep repeating until no kids are left!

Included are 12 examples (you can switch it up each time and do different notation each time), the 9 second timer embedded in the powerpoint file, and instructions

Down, Set, HUT!

In Bar Line Blitz, student will see a meter with several beats of music – except the bar lines are missing to separate the measures from each other!

They will will see 2 or more line placeholders (small grey lines) in between notes. One of the placeholders is where the bar line should go… but which one is it?

Identify where the bar line should be placed and the correct area will illuminate
green if it is accurate!

Play team vs team, A vs B, or individually... and enhance it by playing some fun football music in the background (search NFL themes or college football fight songs on YouTube) ;)

There are 4 levels (4 quarters if you wish) of varying difficulties. The last quarter, they students will need to identify where it should be placed without any small grey lined hashmarks

Have a great time with this one!

No need to have drums, recorders, or even auxiliary instruments for this one! If you don't have access, are traveling to rooms, or want to give a change to your curriculum try "Body Percussion Dynamic Challenge"!

There are nearly 30 Dynamic rhythm in each level with CLAPS, PATS , STOMPS, and SNAPS, and CHEST PATS, all indicated on the powerpoint slide with icons. Count your kids off with a few prep beats and watch them go!

If the kids master the rhythm with the appropriate dynamics, advance the slide and see how far they can get! (scoreboard included!)

• I usually put a 2-3 minute song on and see if they can get the highest score before the end of the song and track it for next time

Also terrific for reading in some of the younger grades who are not familiar with standard notation and need a warmup to reading using these icons.

Use the included background tracks (90bpm to 110bpm) or put on your favorite music so the kids can jam along (or choose your own)!

Here are the 4 levels:

• Level 1 - Piano and Forte
• Level 2 - Adding in Quarter Rests
• Level 3 - Crescendo
• Level 4 - Diminuendo

Ready to talk about Forte and Piano in any of your grades? Drum it up, Dynamically II 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. 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.

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)

Looking for a fun, exciting, challenging, and engaging way to reach students in your upper elementary or lower middle school grades? Try this all-inclusive lesson that will get your kids racing against the clock and each other with **The Great Escape!

**This MEGAPack includes Escape Rooms from Instruments and Instrument Families, Rhythm, and Notes of the Treble Clef Staff

You can view each individual lesson here, but purchased all together as this resource, you save 25%!

MUSIC ESCAPE ROOM - Instruments and Instrument Families

MUSIC ESCAPE ROOM - Super Rhythm Rally!

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MUSIC ESCAPE ROOM - Notes of the Treble Clef Staff!**

There are five rooms, and in each room are several "tasks" students will have to perform (either individually, as a class, A vs B, side by side, or however you wish). As soon as the task is completed, advance the slide for the correct answer (the teacher will control the game).

After a certain number of tasks, a key will be issued to exit the room and head into another room with a different set of tasks.

If students complete all tasks and open the door to all five rooms they win the game!

You can play this one of four ways

• Set a timer (5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc). You can designate how long students should receive to complete the entire game
• Keep track of time to beat another class or grade level
• Keep track of time and try again during another class to name it faster
• Play it side vs side, boys vs girls, and see who can get to the end the fastest (or before time ends)

If you would like music to accompany this to make it a bit more engaging, try using this in the background:

Escape Room Background Music

Working on alternating hands and reading down true percussive stickings? Try on "Stick it to the Buckets" with 30 great exercises that will get your upper elementary and lower middle kids reading with ease!

All regular notation is to be played on the middle of the buckets (the head of the drum) and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as side clicks on the bucket (or on the rim, however you choose!)

In this resource, there are multiple levels of rhythms along with percussive background tracks to get your kids grooving (or you can select any song of your choice in common time!)

• Level 1: Quarters and Eighths in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 2: Adding in Quarter Rests in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 3: Adding in X Notation (side clicks) in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 4: Adding in X Notation Eighth Note Pairs in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 5: Eight Beat Patterns in Four Beat Patterns

A game that will keep your students entertained, engaged, and competitively charged with identifying chord quality, here's One "Minor" Imposter inspired by "Among Us"!

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IN ONE MINOR IMPOSTER, YOU WILL LISTEN TO 2, 3, 4 EVEN 5 CREWMATES PLAY MAJOR CHORDS ONE BY ONE. ONE OF THE MAJOR CHORDS IS ACTUALLY NOT THE MAJOR CHORD PERFORMED!

YOUR TASK IS TO DECIDE WHICH CREWMATE IS THE IMPOSTER BY SELECTING THE CREWMATE WHO PLAYED THE MINOR CHORD INSTEAD OF THE MAJOR CHORD

HERE WILL BE ONLY ONE CREWMATE WHO IS THE IMPOSTER

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In each example is a piano/guitar/harpsichord mix with different background percussion tempos to keep the kids engaged. Each crewmate, lined up on the powerpoint (1, 2, 3, etc) will be representative of the musical example played.

Included in this resource are

• Mp3 examples embedded in each question (15 questions)
• A printout where you can replicate and cut out cards (if you want the students to place on the floor or hold up to show which one was the imposter)
• 3 levels of rhythms with 3 crewmates (2 major crewmates, 1 minor imposter), 4 crewmates (3 major crewmates, 1 minor imposter), and 5 crewmates (4 major crewmates, 1 imposter)

Have a terrific time with this while your kids study chord quality!

A game that will keep your kids entertained, engaged, and competitively charged, here's SOLFEGE IMPOSTER inspired by "Among Us"**!

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_IN SOLFEGE IMPOSTER, YOU WILL SEE MULTIPLE CREWMATES ASSIGNED WITH DIFFERENT SOLFEGE HAND SIGNS.
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_YOUR TASK IS TO DECIDE WHICH CREWMATE IS THE IMPOSTER BY SELECTING THE CREWMATE WHO IS HOLDING UP THE WRONG HAND SIGN

THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE CREWMATE WHO IS THE IMPOSTER?

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Included in this resource are

• A printout where you can replicate and cut out cards (if you want the students to place on the floor or hold up to show which one was the imposter)
• Solfege Hand Signs
• 3 Levels of Solfege Identification (3 crewmates, 4 crewmates, multiple syllables)

Have a terrific time with this while your kids study and reinforce solfege!

Need a resource that is a creative and intuitive way to work on the notes of the treble clef staff?

In “Fully Staffed” students will see several notes on the Treble Clef staff. They will then be asked to identify one specific note out of all of the notes shown. By process of deduction, or even using previous knowledge, they’ll have to find the note as fast as they can, either individually, as a class, or team vs team, boys v girls, however you wish! As soon as they’ve locked in their answer, advance the slide, and the correct note will be revealed by illuminating green

I like to have the students challenge either other and see who can be the first student to name the note

Included in this 55 slide resources are 5 levels:

• Level One: Find one note out of 3 listed (ex, find the “E”)

• Level Two: Find one note out of 4 listed (ex, find the “F”)

• Level Three: Find two notes listed out of a melodic figure (ex, find “A” and “D”)

• Level Four: Backwards! Find the note that is NOT “F” or NOT “D”, etc

• Level Five: Find one note out of 8 notes listed (ex, find the “G”)

Get ready to get FULLY STAFFED!

The follow-up to "Rhythm Wind Up and PITCH!"
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This one will get the kids on their edge of their seats!

You will need 1 thing for this particular game:

• A sticky suction cup ball (or maybe a soft squishy ball)

The students will see a melody at the bottom of their screen and memorize the melodic direction or say it back in their head (just make sure the melodic is not sung out loud). They will then hear a musical example of an endless loop of melodic figures separated by 4 beats each in between rhythms. (Teacher will click the speaker icon to play)

Take a listen...

....

....

One of the melodic figures will be the melody that is on the screen. AS SOON AS THEY HEAR THAT MELODY, they throw their suction cup ball at the target. The first kid who gets it correct is the winner (and make sure you advance the slide to make the target turn green) :)

Obviously, we cannot play this as a class because of

1. The amount of suction cup balls tossed at the screen would be insane

2. Team A v Team B would be a bit more competitive and only two balls would be launched at once

If you don't have a whiteboard/projection screen, you can alternatively have the students raise their hand when they hear it and choose the kid who has their hand up the fastest.

Have a great time with this fast paced game!

Reviewing the families of instruments with your kids? In Instrument Pick-em, students will hear a musical example of a woodwind, brass, percussion, or string instrument. They will then see a multiple choice listing of an assortment of instruments. They will then have to decide which instrument on the screen best matches the example being played.

Great for class, boy vs girl, individually assigned, or even for Distance Learning!

Have a great time with this and let us know how it goes in the comments :)

Working on melodic direction with some of your upper level students in elementary? Lock your eyes and ears onto Melodious Masterpiece, an activity which engages the kids to think, listen, and use their knowledge to determine the direction of melody!

A melody, the main tune of the piece will be played on each example (10 examples included, ranging from 3 note melodies to 8 note melodies) along with 4 corresponding trapezoids. Students will have to select which trap best represents the melody being played and the answer will illuminate green on the following slide

Students do not need to know lines or spaces of the staff or even note names -- their previous understanding just rests with melodic direction (up and down!)

Can be great as a class activity, boys vs girls, or even assigned as distance learning!

The all-encompassing Solfege mastermix!

Solfege Back-to-Basics includes 55 separate solfege etudes which range from 3 to 6 solfege syllables all arranged colorfully on a 5-lined staff!

Below each exercise has highlight syllable names so your students can focus on the syllables that will be displayed on the screen

Sing along with this ear training exercise, accompany the students on piano, or just perform it acapella!

There are 7 levels included in this powerpoint from 3 solfege syllables all the way to 7

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments -- ENJOY!

Taking a break from our arrangements is the Bucket Drum Battle, a series of 8 different bucket drumming etudes that will work your kids silly! With a cutting edge template with modern fonts and a wide array of colors, this will be sure to get your kids hyped up for this coming year!

From the Grey Drum all the way to the Black Drum, your students will learn rhythms, sticking, and work individually to ace their rhythms. After you review the rhythms, sticking, and procedure with your students, play one of the accompaniment tracks (slow, medium, or brisk) and have them all perform together.

Then, ask students individually to play the battle piece. If they master it, add a bucket onto their name chart (included!). Play one, play all! Think of it like the "Recorder Karate" for bucket drums :)

Included you receive:

• 8 color coded rhythm etudes on PowerPoint and PDF
• Accompaniment mp3 files (slow, medium, brisk, 80-120bpm)
• Record keeping chart to for tracking student progress
• jpegs of each rhythm for printing
• Tips and techniques to watch out for printed on each slide

Don't have bucket drums? Try StickStations, hand drums, tubanos, rhythm sticks, or Orff instruments! Anything you can do a rhythm on!

In Stick it to the Rhythm, we used popsicle sticks to identify quarter and eighth note notation in our classrooms. What happened if we didn't give the kids a blank slate and they had to use eyes, ears, and minds? In this follow-up, "Stick it to the Rhythm Part II", students are instructed to put a number of sticks on the floor (6 to 12 'quarter notes') and will listen to a musical example made up of quarter and eighth notes. They are then to interpret that example and use the last sticks and place them where they think they heard the eighth notes... In essence, they are taking the quarter notes at the end of the phrase and making them into eighth notes by beaming the quarter notes together -- this will really get your kids thinking! There are 10 examples (all with an 8 beat count off to establish tempo) and the examples range from easy to difficult with the mp3 embedding into the file. Have a great time and let me know what you think in the comments :) As always, any questions or concerns, you know where to find me!

We got notes, yes we do, missing notes, all the way through! This is terrific on reinforcing aural training in the upper elementary students. Students are to listen to a short phrase of music made up of 5-9 beats. The music will be displayed on the powerpoint with several beats missing. Their job? Fill them in! I cut out paired eighths, quarters, and half notes and allow them to build them out on the floor and see if they can dictate what I'm playing. Only difference between regular dictation is there are a few cheaters in... but as we go through the examples (10 included), more beats disappear. Fill 'em in! If you have any questions or comments, you know where to leave 'em! Enjoy!

Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through general music? Involve them in bucket drumming with Our #1 selling Imagine Dragons' hit, "Believer"!

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4, 6, or 8 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wtfhZwyrcc

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

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