Submitted by Sandi Augsberger

Idea posted August 23, 2001

Kristin Lukow wrote, "I use pipe cleaners for making musical notes. We bend them into the shapes of the notes. It is THE BEST way for me to teach note types to my little ones."

I use the pipe cleaners for notes, too. We make them into note skeletons for Halloween. The body is a whole note, the head is a half note, the two arms are each quarter notes, the legs are two barred eighth notes, and the ribs are a quarter rest. I have been thinking about adding an upside down eighth rest for the nose. We make the head and body out of one pipe cleaner, each arm is another (two more total), the legs are one more, the ribs are one more, and each pipe cleaner is a different color. I do this with fourth graders ( I teach fourth - sixth). This is their first exposure to note reading in our district, and it reinforces the concept very well. I do it right after I have introduced the notes using the "Gee Mister Treble Clef" song, and the Cheryl Lavender rhythm CD. The students love all three of these!