Music Theory Fun Sheets – Module One
(formerly Instant Print Music Lessons)
Mrs ___________Your Name Here_________, Can we do a treasure Island Game Today?
This is what you are likely to hear from your music class once you´ve introduced them to “Instant Print Music Sheets” first module “treasure island games”.
In Treasure Island Games you´ll have twenty different handouts that all do essentially the same activity – finding the answer to a hidden trivia question from a “map” of letters like this:
The trivia questions are all interesting tid-bits of information which are related to music, but that the students are unlikely to know straight away. If they do there is no problem – they will still need to complete the exercise to confirm that they are right!
For example:
trivia question from instant print music lessons
do you know the answer to this trivia question?
Using the theory sheet the students will have to complete the questions to get the directions and the number of steps to take on the “map”, to get each letter of the of the answer
The clever part is that each set is different and requires different theoretical knowledge. There are five different “sets”, and each set has four “levels” with different concepts covered.
Here is what is covered within each set:
Level 1 – Doing simple “beat sums”, counting the number of crotchet beats in a phrase and identifying notes on the treble stave
Level 2 – Completing the barlines in a phrase, and naming simple Major Key Signatures
Level 3 – Completing Bars with rests, and naming Minor Key Signatures
Level 4 – Working out the time signature and completing bars, and then naming scales (simple Major or Minor scales)
Set One covers basic information that most junior high music programs require. Being able to identify Key signatures is an important concept, as is knowing the correct number of bars in a phrase.
Even the most inexperienced students should be able to do Set 1, Level 1 after only a few lessons. Level 3 and 4 is more suited to slightly more experienced students, who know about Key signatures and scales.
The same “Map” used for each of four levels in each set Saves on photocopying!
Level 1 – counting the number of a basic interval, and identifying one of the notes
Level 2 – Counting the number of a basic interval, and identifying its Key Signature
Level 3 – working out an interval and identifying its key
Level 4 – Working out an interval and its quality (major, minor, perfect)
Many students struggle being able to know the interval between two notes, and this is an essential skill before attempting intervals as an aural activity. The only thing that is going to help them is practice, practice, practice, and that is what Set 2 of this module achieves. If your students complete all four levels of this set then you can be confident of their knowledge of intervals. They don´t need to aurally identify them – that comes later!
Four Levels in each set means that there is something right for any class
Level 1 – Counting the number of TIES within a short melody, and identifying its final note
Level 2 – Counting the number of SLURS within a short melody and identifying its final note
Level 3 – Counting the number of SEMITONES within a melody and identifying its KEY
Level 4 – Counting the number of TONES within a melody and identifying its KEY
TIES and SLURS! How many students get confused between them! How silly to have a musical notation system that has the same symbol ( a curved line) for two different functions!
We can´t change the musical system that has been used for hundreds of years, but we can find a new way of helping children to understand the difference, and that is what level 1 and 2 of this series will do.
Level 3 and 4 are far more advanced – in these activities students identify the tones and semitones within a melody, taking note of the key signature. These are probably the most advanced of any within this module. I even got some of these wrong during our testing procedures! If your students are getting over-confident these ones will test them out!
Ideal for large classes – but also useful for individual theory lessons
Scales and technical names – How BORING!
Not with this set of Handouts!
Whether you like it or not – its still important for students to KNOW the scale technical names (like dominant, subdominant etc) How else as musicians are they going to know what to play when another musician tells them to play a Dominant 7th chord?
They might be outdated terms, but in the opinion of the majority of music teachers I´ve talked to they are still important.
This set also addresses a major issue with theory examinations – writing scales with accidentals OR key signatures. When sitting exams countless students have been tricked and got wrong answers because they didn´t read the question correctly! These worksheets cleverly address this!
Level 1 – Adding a Clef and Key signature to a given scale, then naming the scales leading note.
Level 2 – Adding a Clef and Accidental to a given scale, then naming the scales dominant note.
Level 3 – Writing a two octave scale with accidentals (major and harmonic minor only), and then naming the mediant.
Level 4 – Writing a one octave scale (major and natural minor), and then naming the subdominant note.
Interactive activity for the class gives you a truly “instant” music lesson
Q. How much practice does your music class need with recognizing intervals aurally?
A. As much as they can get!
This set requires your students to use their EARS as well as their brains!
There is a teacher resource included that allows you to play a CD to the class and they will have to identify the interval played, and if they get it right then they´ll be able to find the awnser to the trivia question – just like all the others!
Here is the intervals covered:
Level 1 – Perfect 4th, 5th, Octave, Major 3rd
Level 2 – Major 2nd 3rd, 6th and 7th, Perfect 4th, 5th and Octave
Level 3 – Major and Minor 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th, Perfect 4th, 5th and Octave
Level 4 – All of the above, plus the tritone.
Along with the purchase of Module 1 “Treasure Island Games” you get a set of MP3 files which match these four levels exactly. This way you can simply burn the files to CD, and you can give the CD to your relief teacher. You don´t even need to be there!!!
How do you play the Aural examples?
Bonus #1
A self contained Computer Program to play the aural examples!
What if you want to challenge your class a bit more by having them played only ONCE?
What if you need them played more times than it is played on the CD?
Wouldn’t it be GREAT if you could simply have a little button that would play the example as many times as you need for your students?
Well.. You can!!
Along with the purchase of Module One you get a self contained computer program that you can run on your own computer in the classroom, and play the intervals in your own time.
This little program is supplied in both Windows and Mac Versions, and it is super easy to use!
Test it out right now!
If you click the little adobe flash icon here you’ll be able to see how the computer program is presented, and play one or two of the samples. (the preview requires adobe flash plugin, which most computers have installed.)
You can also use it to help teach the intervals and have additional practice, prior to doing the actual worksheet activity if you wish.
Therefore it is your choice….
There are three ways you can do the activity in Level 5
- you can use the included mp3 files, burned to a CD
- you can play the examples yourself on the piano
- you can use the included computer program to play them
Bonus #2
Fully completed and answered versions with included teaching notes
We know that YOU wouldnt have to think too hard to find the answers to these questions…. but what if you wanted to leave one of these activities with a fill-in or relief teacher?
Unless the teacher knows about music, any worksheet that you give the class is going to present a few issues..
BUT we’ve made this as painless as possible by providing a fully completed version of every single worksheet, so that if you have a fill-in or relief teacher you simply print one copy of that along with the class set.
This will save you hours of headaches as well, particularly if you don’t know:
How do I download them and get started?
Let’s Recap what is included:
| module 1 set 1 | Set 1 – Rhythm and Key signatures Four Worksheets + Map Sheet |
$9.95 |
| module 1 set 1 | Set 2 – Intervals Four Worksheets + Map Sheet |
$9.95 |
| module 1 set 1 | Set 3 – Melody Four Worksheets + Map Sheet Works on Ties, Slurs, Tones and Semitones in Melodies |
$9.95 |
| module 1 set 1 | Set 4 – Scales Four Worksheets + Map Sheet Works on writing scales, plus identifying scale degrees |
$9.95 |
| module 1 set 1 | Set 5 – Aural Four Worksheets + Map Sheet works on aural identification of intervals, from Perfect 4th, 5th and Octave, right through to major and minor intervals and the tritone. |
$9.95 |
| module 1 set 1 | Super Bonus #1 mp3 files AND computer program for Set 5 Makes it super-easy to play aural examples in your music class. |
$19.95 |
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Super Bonus #2 Full Set of completely answered versions with teaching hints for non-music teachers |
Priceless! |
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Super Bonus #3 “Music Education News” The Fun Music Company Monthly e-newsletter |
Priceless! |
| Total Value Included: | $69.70 | |
| Individual Teacher Version Costs: Instant download |
$39.90 $29.90 |