Submitted by Lisa Lohr, Maryland
Idea posted April 10, 2006
To turn this game into a musical review game, I added a few twists:
Grades 3-5 - I have a poster in each corner to review whatever concept we are working on (i.e., dynamics, tempo, note values, staff notation, etc., and a combo of each for a complete review).
- Example: Dynamics
- One poster has the following vocabulary: dynamics, crescendo
- Poster 2 has: mezzo, piano, forte
- Poster 3 has: fortissimo, decrescendo, piano
- Poster 4 has: mezzo forte, pianissimo, sforzando
I use index-sized cards. If you make index cards in different colors, they can be a visual clue as to which stack goes with which version you are playing. I have more than one card for each definition, and I allow the older kids to shuffle the cards. When the music stops, the person who is "it" has a stack of cards. Without looking, they pull a card off the top and read the definition. The groups must decide if the music vocabulary is on their poster. This is a great way to jump-start a concept because they like to play this game!
With the older kids, I have given structured rules. If you raise your hand and can point to the correct symbol, you can stay in, and the rest of the kids in that corner are out. This adds a definite quiet rule!
K-2 - I've done this as a listening game. I play "Peter and the Wolf" in the background, and in each corner is a different instrument (i.e., violin, bassoon, French horn, and flute). In this version of the game, the cards list the characters' names. I've also played this game using each of the four instrument families in a separate corner.
Once you've established the rules, this is a great activity for substitutes, and for days when students have tested all morning and you have them in the afternoon!