An Easier Version of Easter Bunny

Easter Bunny

I promised yesterday that I would post a shorter version of Easter Bunny. This version came about when I realized that I wrote the original too difficult for my preschool student. While the version I posted yesterday was great for another student, teaching preschool children often requires short songs that repeat. She was so happy to get this, just in time for the Easter bunny!

Be sure to set your printer orientation to landscape when you print this version.

One of the reasons I wrote this tune was to give students a little extra practice with the 4th finger. Beginners often get the 2nd and 4th fingers mixed up. It takes even longer for preschool children to get the concept. I have a bag of plastic rings in all kinds of cute shapes that I bought from the dollar store. She chose a color and put a ring on each 4th finger. That made the biggest difference in her ability to enjoy playing this little song. Here is a picture of the rings on finger 3. You can see how it helps to put the rings on finger 4 as they play this piece.

If you want some even easier seasonal music on the black keys that can be used at a student’s first lessons, check out my left and right hand versions of Hot Cross Buns. The left hand version is here. Children who celebrate Easter enjoy learning about the tradition of  hot cross buns. I have also posted some sacred pre-reading and level 1 versions of hymns suitable for the Easter season. You can look at them in the music section of my website, www.susanparadis.com.

A Fun Pre-Reading Easter Bunny Song

Easter Bunny

I wrote a little song about the Easter Bunny in several different levels of difficulty. This is the first version. It is suitable for young beginners who are comfortable with the thumbs on the white keys. I have an 8-measure version in landscape orientation and I will post that tomorrow. I also have an on-the-staff version for students in their 2nd method book (Level 1 in most methods, Level 2 in Hal Leonard)  that I am working on. This is the reason I like to self publish. I can customize music for different levels.

To help students who get their hands mixed up, I like to highlight the right and left hands with 2 different colored highlighters. If you have never done this in their lesson book you will be surprised how helpful it is. Students enjoy picking out the colors and that adds a little motivation. (Try to find a set with purple. It’s very hard to come by!) We all have students who focus on one hand and need some extra help to get them together. Some students always get the left and right hands mixed up, as well as some adults, such as me! Simple songs like this can really help that problem before they move on to reading on the staff.

Blogging is a spare time activity for me, and I have not had time to post all the spring time material I’ve made. Sometimes things sit in my files for years before I have time to modernize, revise, and post it. Thank you for all your suggestions, and thanks for understanding! I really appreciate and have learned so much from my readers and the blogging community.

Do you find it helpful for me to highlight the hands like this? Leave a comment if you do. You may remain anonymous!

Flashnote Derby – a Great App for iPhone and iPad

http://www.FlashnoteDerbyApp.com

If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad, there is an excellent app available to help students learn note names, Flashnote Derby. After using it for quite a while now, I have decided this is the perfect iPhone or iPad game for piano teachers because it is easy to set up and play and my students love it. Plus, it really works, and makes drilling notes a lot more fun.

Screenshots used with permission

In order to play the game, select the notes you want to work on. You can select one note, or up to 34 notes, shown above. The notes are fun to select. Just touch the notes you want to use and they change color as they are selected. Touch the “gear” icon and you can select how many flash cards you want to use in your game, and the speed they will be shown. Touch the “thumbs up” icon and the race begins. As 2 horses race across the screen, one flash card at a time is shown above the horses. Students select the name of the note at the bottom of the screen. At the end of the game there is an opportunity to review the missed notes. If the student gets enough correct answers, he wins.

For my beginning students I select 2 notes, usually middle C and G, and 10 questions, at the slowest speed. Beginners always win a game this easy and this give them the confidence to want to play more. I add more notes gradually over a period of weeks, often corresponding to the notes they are learning in their method book. It is very easy to change the level of difficulty for the next student.

The horse racing sound track can get annoying, so I often turn the sound off on my device. I wish there was a way to turn off the sound in the game. I also would like a way to start over if I make a mistake when I first select the settings. [Ed:There is a way to start over. I am embarrassed I didn't know it!  This is from Luke Bartolomeo, the developer:

I just wanted to mention that there is a way to stop a race in the middle if you find that you used the wrong settings, or have made the drill to difficult or too easy for a student. Once the race has started, tap the screen on either side of the actual flashcard, but not on the flashcard itself. A red X will appear in the upper left portion of the screen. Tap the X and the drill will immediately stop and return you to the settings screen.

Thanks so much, Luke for clearing this up.]

Flash Note Derby was designed by a music teacher and I think that is why I find it so successful in my studio. The developer emailed me recently with news of an update that features a dozen instructional video lessons about the grand staff, as well as a way for teachers to create custom drills for their students and send them to students by email.

This app works on the iPhone 3 and 4, iPod touch, and iPad. It seems like every student I teach now has at least one of those in the family.

This app is only $.99 in the Apple iTunes store, and at that price it is a real bargain.

You can read more about it at the website:  http//www.FlashnoteDerbyApp.com

Disclosure: I receive no compensation for my reviews and the ideas are my own. The screenshots are used by permission.

Color the Egg Puzzle

Color the Egg Puzzle

Today I am posting a black and white puzzle to identify notes around middle C. I plan to use it as a coloring sheet to send home in their binder because I don’t have time to do this at a lesson. However, I think students might enjoy cutting it out after they color it. With Mom or Dad’s help they can put the pieces back together as they name the notes.

Another way to use this printable is to make it a game for a group lesson. Cut out enough puzzles for the students who are playing and put the puzzle pieces in a bowl. Students draw puzzle pieces one at a time and try to be the first one to put the egg back together. If they draw a note they already have, they have to put it back. Students can stick the piece down with double-sided tape. This game requires the teacher to do a lot of fine cutting, which my hands doesn’t seem to like nowadays! But it would reinforce matching skills that would be helpful for beginners. If you want to do this, email me and I’ll send you a color version you can cut out.

I use inexpensive double-sided tape that is a lot less messier than glue, so you might want to pick some up.

Objectives

• To reinforce note names around middle C
• To enjoy a seasonal activity

Ages

• All elementary age children who have learned the notes around middle C

Material

• Worksheet
• Crayons (brown can be substituted for pink)

If cutting out and using as a puzzle, you need these materials:

• Double sided tape or glue
• Scissors
• Colored construction paper as the background to stick down the puzzle

I have received so many nice emails and comments lately. Thank you so much! Sometimes my readers find mistakes and let me know about them. I appreciate that, too, because I am not a very good proof-reader!

Coming up soon are several new Easter bunny songs for primer and elementary students. Subscribe to this blog if you want to be notified when I post new material. Simple click on the subscribe button above. You will remain anonymous.

Bunny to Color Piano Keys

Bunny Keys

The younger the beginning student, the more they need reinforcement on concepts they have learned. Just because they know it today doesn’t mean they will remember it tomorrow! This is why some piano teachers get frustrated teaching younger children. You have to set your frustration meter very high!

With that in mind, I created a little puzzle for students to color in order to reinforce the names of the keys. One of my students loves bunnies, and around the Easter season is a good time for coloring bunnies.

This worksheet is in black and white for those of you without access to a color printer, or if you want to save ink. (The green watermark is not on the copy you will print.) I hope your young students enjoy coloring this. I know I have one who will!

Objectives

• To reinforce the names of piano keys
• To practice fine motor skills and writing letter names
• To enjoy a seasonal activity

Ages

• Preschool and elementary age children to about 3rd grade

Material

• Worksheet
• Crayons (brown can be substituted for pink)
• Pencil

Note Drop, Write, and Play – a game from Cecilly

Today we have a guest post from Cecilly. Be sure to check all her games under the category “Cecilly’s Games.” Thanks, Cecilly, for sharing.

Note drop, write, and play activity

I tried out a new idea in the studio this week to help a student reinforce her
ability to identify, recall, and play the notes in her reading range. It proved
to be a good one.

Materials needed:

Large staff board and note foamy to fit the lines/spaces,
Smaller staff board and marker or magnetic board and note, piano.

Objective:

To identify (using landmark/measuring or other tool) individual
notes, recall them again by writing or marking them, and then playing them where
they live on the piano.

Set up:

Place large staff board on the floor at somewhere behind the piano bench
with the foam note. Place the smaller staff board on the piano music rack with
the marker or magnet note.

To Play:

Ask the student to stand over and in front of the large staff board
with the foam note, extend arm, and drop the foamy onto the staff. Have her
identify by name the line or space that the note falls onto (adjust the foamy to
the nearest line or space if it doesn’t fall squarely onto one or the other).
Encourage her to picture the note in her memory quickly and then go to the piano
and write the same note on the smaller staff saying its name. Finally ask her
to play and say the note’s name again on the piano. Return to the large staff
and drop the foamy for another note round. Repeat as many times as desired.

The secret in this activity is in the student having to recall the note to be
able to write it on the small staff. This (hopefully) will help implant it into
the brain.

Enjoy,
Cecilly

Bunny Basics

Bunny Basics

One of my students has a pet bunny, so I made a music note story worksheet for her. I am sharing it with you in case you are looking for something for the Easter season. You can use it at a group lesson or give it to an individual student.

I learned some new facts about rabbits while I worked on this and maybe you will, too!

The NoteBoys Present Roman Numerals

Roman Numerals Presented by the NoteBoys

I’ve finished another NoteBoy cartoon in my theory series. I made this one simply to explain Roman numerals to students. I discovered a long time ago that some students haven’t heard of Roman numerals, so they don’t get the concept that Roman numerals are simply another way to write a number. Even high school students often don’t know what Arabic numbers are. It makes it hard to explain that inversions use a Roman numeral followed by an Arabic number. I hope this helps explain it to them in a humorous way.

I took Latin, and being kind of a history buff, I thought I’d also put in a few references to Caesar. Maybe some students will read up a little more about the history of the Roman Empire.

List of St. Patrick’s Day Material

Some teachers asked for a list of my St. Patrick’s Day material. I’m listing it today in case you need something quick for next week. This material is designed for elementary age children.

To use these printables do not click on the picture. Click on the link below the picture and when a new window opens, click on the download link. Make sure you have the latest (free) version of Adobe Reader.

Shamrock composing activity   I recently put new graphics on this because I like the softer look. Let’s Go Marching is a pre-reading activity that even beginners can do. Use either finger numbers or note names.

Let’s All Go Marching, a composing activity on-the-staff  Young students write notes in the staff for this composing activity. It is suitable for students who have learned a five-finger position.

Shamrock Keyboard Game   This is the one I posted recently. It is teacher vs. student in this fun game on the piano keys!

Shamrock Notes for St. Patrick’s Day    This is good way to review all the notes on the grand staff.

Shamrock Rhythms Game   I recently completely re-made the graphics on this game to save a lot of green ink. Students draw cards to find missing rhythm values in a measure. There are some circle shaped cards to cut out. It is game for older elementary students who are comfortable with note values. It can be used as a theory class game. Print on cardstock and laminate for durability.

Clover Full of Notes Rhythm Worksheet    I posted this a few days ago, but here it is again! You can print one copy of this and either laminate it or place it inside a sheet protector and use dry or wet erase pens. I made this as a review for students who have already learned rhythm values.

St. Patrick’s Day Card for your students   I’ve been passing these out to my elementary students and I they really like them. (I tell them a little leprechaun dropped them off!) I ask them to guess what the card turns into when they open it. They also like the little chocolate coin!

Have Fun!

Find the Starting Notes (With Accidentals)

Find the Starting Notes

Do you remember when I posted a easier version of this worksheet back in June? It has been a very popular worksheet because students actually have to figure out how to place their hand so they can start a piece. [The easy version uses only fingers 1,2, 3 and does not contain accidentals.] Sometimes students get a little lazy in trying to work out music on their own and need some help in learning how to get started.

Teachers asked if I would make a more difficult version, so I am posting it today. Click on the link under the picture to print it. This version is a lot more challenging, but I’ve tried it with my students and it is very helpful. It is also a good diagnostic tool, so I like to have the student work on it at the lesson.  I made it short, because we all have limited lesson time.

Simple things like having them wiggle their starting finger and fly it around in the air before landing on the key is very helpful with students who never seem to bother with finger numbers. This is especially true of students with small learning disabilities.

It is important to not only write the finger numbers on the worksheet, but to find and play it in the correct position on the keyboard. I encourage students to try this on the little keyboard that is printed on their assignment sheet. In the past students who had perception difficulties dropped out of formal music study, but now we know a lot more about how to modify our teaching to reach all children.

There are two pages in this document, one for the right hand one for the left hand.

Objective

To identify and play several different starting positions containing accidentals on the keyboard.

Level

Students who are familiar with and can identify notes on the grand staff containing accidentals. Students should be comfortable with chromatic signs.

Fun Ways to Learn Keys

I want to share with new teachers a way to make sure your young students never forget the names of the piano keys! Over the years I’ve collected a lot of tiny toys that fit on the keys. These little guys are erasers, but I have all kind of trinkets in my collection. First we learn C, then F, and over several lessons we gradually work up to all the keys. In this photo, my little student picked any item out of my collection that started with the same letter as the key. So that students won’t just count up from C, we let our little animals hop around to all the C’s, all the F’s, etc. I mix up the order, and the time it takes to learn all the keys depends on the age and ability of the student.

We also play the Keyboard Note Race games that I have posted with several different graphics on my website. This week we’re playing the one with the shamrocks. Click on the link below the photo to print it out. For older beginners I don’t use toys, but we play the keyboard race games. Older beginners are notorious about trying to play the piano before they learn the names of the keys, maybe because we move faster and they don’t have as much time for it to sink in. This game helps with that.

Shamrock Keyboard Race

In this game you and your student sit on each end of the piano, draw cards, and try to be the first one who passes either Middle C or Middle E. The original blog post is here, and I even have a version for German teachers! I guarantee you students will quickly learn their keys with this game. I’ve made it with pumpkins, snowflakes, hearts, and I can’t even remember what else, to make it more fun for students. Colored pencil erasers make good tokens for older students.