For this activity, take a simple folk song and print it out without the words. (Like Bingo, Miss Mary Mack…) Then divide the students into two teams. You can then have the students look over the song to familiarize them with it. Ask them to find how many quarter notes?, half notes?, rests?, what’s the time signature? The correct answer gives that team a point.

Next clap the rhythm as a class to help them get to know the song better. When the students feel confident you can collect the music sheets from them. Before the lesson print out the song on colored paper, cut it apart by measures and laminate each piece (like a puzzle). Create two identical puzzles in two different envelopes.

Choose a member from each team, have them come to a table in the front and hand them each an envelope with the song in it. When you say “Go” the first student to solve the puzzle gets their team a point. You can keep going with a new student until everyone gets a turn or you run out of time. A small token prize like a candy or a sticker as a token prize for the winning team is sure to go down well with this game.

Idea Submitted by Kelley Hutzley