Games for When You Can’t Sing!

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Games for When You Can’t Sing!

Games for When You Can’t Sing!

by Kristin Pugliese

 

  1. “What instrument am I?” ~ Choose an instrument without telling anyone and think of 3-5 facts about instrument. Tell kids each fact and they need to figure out what instrument you chose.
    1. For little ones, you could easily show them the possible choices and after describing it, have them choose.
    2. The winner can be whomever answers the most questions correctly, several kids can win when they answer correctly OR you can call on one student to answer and he/ she becomes the next leader.
  2. “5 Second Rule” ~ I just discovered this game and I love the idea! In order to play for music trivia, you have 5 seconds to:
    1. Name 3 composers (from a certain time period for the most knowledgeable!)
    2. Name 3 songs or chants we sang this year
    3. Name all of the instruments in the string family
    4. The winner can be whomever answers the most questions correctly, several kids can win when they answer correctly OR you can call on one student to answer and he/ she becomes the next leader.
  3. 2 Truths and a Lie ~ Think of a concept that you covered this year, such as the instruments in the brass section. Then come up with 2 truths and a lie:
    1. Trumpets are in the brass section
    2. Flutes are in the brass section
    3. Tubas are in the brass section
    4. ~ which is the lie?
    5. The winner can be whomever answers the most questions correctly, several kids can win when they answer correctly OR you can call on one student to answer and he/ she becomes the next leader.
  4. Play and Move ~ Choose 3-5 instruments. Have kids assign a body part to shake when you play each instrument. Play each instrument and see if kids remember which part goes with which instrument. If a student shakes a different part than was assigned, he/ she can be out. Keep going until the last student is standing!!
  5. Move and Play ~ Divide the class up into 3-4 groups with each group assigned a different instrument. Again, assign a body part that you will shake to each instrument. When you shake your body part, such as your head, the assigned instrument group plays. Kids can take a turn being the leader. 
    1. (Adapted from lessons of Mary Knysh and Dave Holland)
  6. The Sub It Out Game: Virtual Adaptation ~
    1. Use your Note Knacks 
    2. A quick review of the 1st quarter beat, the 2nd quarter beat etc… so when a student asks to change a quarter, they need to be specific (a great learning opportunity!)
    3. You can put kids into teams or you can also do this as a chain. Student #1 subs out a quarter or 2 (if they want to sub in a half note), student #2 says it and changes it for the next person. If you break the chain, you lose a turn. Then the next person changes a quarter and so on. In this version, there won’t necessarily be a winner, but kids will try and trick their peers!
  7. Decode-A-Rhythm ~ Using Mr. Vincelli’s Rhythm Clock as a guide:
    1. Decide a length of time to play game.
    2. Create a rhythm using decimals, percentages, degrees etc… and see if kids can decode them. You can do a simple chain where one student creates and the next says the rhythm, then that student created and so on OR you can divide the kids up into teams. Each student in each team has a chance to create a rhythm and decode one. Points are won when said correctly and lost when they are said incorrectly.   
    3. When time is up, the team with the most point wins (provided that each team had the same number of chances.)
  8. Dice:

Game 1:

·                Up to 5 players can participate

·                Each player gets a Note Knacks Set.

·                Roll the time signature die to choose the time signature frame

·                Player 1 chooses either the note die or the rest die and rolls

·                Whatever is rolled, he/ she needs to pick out the correct Note Knack and the correct side and place it on his or her time signature frame.

·                Player 2 chooses either the note die or the rest die and rolls

·                Whatever is rolled, he/ she needs to pick out the correct Note Knack and the correct side and place it on his or her time signature frame.

·                If a note or rest is rolled that cannot fit into the players frame, then that player needs to wait until the next turn to roll again.

·                Continue with Players 3-5.

·                The first one to complete his/ her frame has the first chance to win. A player only wins if he/ she can say the rhythm created correctly.

Game 2:

·                Up to 5 teams can participate

·                Each team gets a Note Knacks Set

·                First team rolls the Time Signature die and sets a timer for 3 minutes

·                Each team creates and writes down as many combinations (either using just notes or adding rests as well) as will fit into that time signature frame. Teams will need to keep 2 eighth notes together and 4 sixteenths.

·                The team to complete the most combinations has the first chance to win. A team only wins if they can say each rhythm created correctly

Game 3: (This is a great game for assessment!)

·                Unlimited players in teams of 2

·                Each team chooses a #1 player and a #2 player

·                First team to start: the #1 player rolls the note die and the #2 player has to show on the rest die which rest matches the note that the #1 player rolled. On the next turn, the teams switch roles.

·                The game continues for as many rolls as the teacher would like. It will depend on how much practice the students need.

·                The team that has answered the most correctly, will win. In this game, there will be a lot of ties, so the teacher can create a lighting round.

 

  1. Rhythmic Hot and Cold Game - Note Knacks
  2. Note Length Trivia ~ If 2 sixteenths = an eighth, and 2 eighths = a quarter, how many sixteenths = a quarter? Your math teachers will thank you for this one!!
  3. Bingo” ~ This has so many possibilities!!! …from rhythms on the bingo sheet (click here for an example) to notation to composers!
  4. For little ones, small non-pitched percussion that they used in your classroom is perfect! (click here for sheet 1 and here for sheet 2). The sheets I have made do not look exactly like a BINGO sheet, but the goal can be either 4 down or 3 across only. Here are possible questions: What instrument sounds like this? (if you have instruments in your house) or what instrument starts with the letter “W”? What instrument is in the shape of a triangle? Or which instruments do you shake to make sound? …I could go on and on!!
  5. BONUS LESSON ~ Rhythm Charades ~ I LOVE this one!

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