Note Name Centers

I LOVE using centers in my classroom. It is a great way to practice concepts using games instead of group questioning or worksheets. I usually create 4-5 centers, depending on the size of the class. I generally don't like to have more than 4 in a group. I recently completed a large center rotation for my 5th graders studying bass clef and they loved them so much, I duplicated them the next week for my 4th graders who were starting to learn treble clef. In my 5th grade class, I spent one day doing a group lesson on bass clef. After that, they worked completely independently in their groups. After they had finished all 5 centers, I gave them the test. Every single student passed with flying colors!!

Here are the centers I used for treble clef and bass clef. I created directions for each one so I wouldn't have to repeat them each day. I made the directions general so they can be used for either treble clef or bass clef.

Mad Minute: I always like to have one worksheet station so I make sure that every kid is understanding the concept being taught. I created a Mad Minute note name sheet at a great website I discovered: http://secondrunnerup.com/mmmusic/form.php.  After they have finished all 30 questions on the Mad Minute, they work on some kind of note-naming worksheet.  I got my worksheets for this station from www.makingmusicfun.net (I like the crossword puzzles the best). For treble clef, I also added in a worksheet that helped the students practice drawing treble clefs. For the bass clef, I added a worksheet that gave them a chance to create their own pneumonic devices for remembering the lines and spaces. They really have fun coming up with  new phrases!

Name That Tune: This is another worksheet I got from www.makingmusicfun.net . The group works together to name the notes and then plays them on the Boomwhackers. It is really fun to watch the kids work together to figure out each song. When we do this with bass clef, I put the octavator caps on them to make them sound lower.

 

Connect Four: This is another fun game I could never do with the whole class. There is a new version of Connect Four called Connect 4x4 that is a 4-player game instead of 2. Students must correctly answer a flashcard to get a turn. Fun, simple, and it makes them think strategically!

 

Goldfish Spelling: You can never go wrong bribing your kids to learn with food! This was definitely one of the most anticipated stations! I made a goldfish bowl template and stuck it in a plastic sleeve (I call them lap packs and they are actually filled with lots of papers that I use for different lessons). Each kid gets 7 goldfish and a pile of spelling words. They use the fish as notes to spell each word on the staff. And of course, once they are done, they get to eat them!!

 

iPad Station: I am always looking for ways to use the iPads. I downloaded the Noteworks Free app which has a really fun treble clef game on it. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the free version only covered middle C-G. On the plus side, they are getting lots of practice with middle C and low D, two of the most common notes students get wrong on the test.

Swat the Staff: Since I don't have an iPad game for bass clef, I use this game instead.  A large bass clef staff is projected on the board and two students race to swat the correct line or space with a flyswatter. The kids love this game and it sometimes gets very competitive.

Mitten Memory Match: I bought a bunch of bulletin board decorations at Target last fall with the hopes of making them into different games. I used the gloves to create a memory game ( I know- they're gloves and I called it Mitten Memory Match-it just has a better ring to it!). I wrote the note on the staff on one card and the letter name on another.

I also have a game called Musical Pairs that I purchased that uses sharps and flats. This is a little more challenging because there are more cards, but it does give the answer on the bottom, so they don't really have to figure out the note name.

If you haven't tried centers in your classroom, I highly recommend them! They are a great way to keep your students engaged. Once you have your centers created and set-up, the students are really doing all of the work, leaving you to simply walk around the room and monitor what they are doing! Everybody wins!!