Submitted by Laura Bryant, New Mexico

Idea posted March 24, 2006

Here are some Valentine's Day games that my students just loved:

  1. Two giant floor staffs and a relay game, perhaps with heart notes, are always fun and educational. Last time I did this, I got out the Big Foot Keyboard. Students who were the first to guess the note got to step on the correct note on the keyboard before getting back in line.
  2. Giant Scavenger Hunt: I numbered a sheet of butcher paper from 1-25 and listed brief descriptions, clues, or actual note letter names. Then, I made bright purple copies of 25 music notes and symbols that I wanted the kids to review. After laminating them, I hid them in easy places around the room. The students had a blast finding them and helping their friends place them in the correct place. When complete, we checked each one, which gave me the chance to verbally identify and/or explain. Then the kids hid the notes for the next class, so that I didn't have to rush around between classes.
  3. Memory or Concentration Game: At the beginning of last year, I made numerous copies of music notes, symbols, and terminology that I expected fourth graders to know. I cut them out, laminated them, and then set them aside. Then I cut various large shapes (8.5" x 11") and laminated them as well. I cut out leaves, snowflakes, and hearts, but you could also cut out apples, pumpkins, turkeys, Christmas trees, shamrocks, fish, flowers, etc.

I stuck double-sided tape to the backs of music symbols and taped them to the giant shape, making sets of two. (The lamination and double-sided tape make them reusable.) Then place the colorful giant cards on the floor in rows and let the kids take turns turning two over at a time, until a match is found. As each note is found, I call out the name or encourage the children to.

Although there is some prep time involved, these three simple activities have come in really handy and have given students one more opportunity to review, without realizing what they're doing. These all work great for subs too!