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
