The free printable CR Irish Jig Composing by Chrissy Ricker provides the structure of a simple rhythm pattern in 3/4 time that elementary students can choose melody notes to create their own jig.
Intermediate Students could use this same resource but add left-hand 5ths for harmony, create a contrasting B section, or convert their piece in 3/4 time into 6/8 by halving the value of each note and doubling the measure length.
But why are there no sharps when it appears to be based around the key of G?
The Mixolydian Mode
Watch this Mixolydian in Irish Music to learn about why Irish music uses this unique pattern of notes.
This month at piano, the focus is on mastering keyboard skills, and there are TEN options for students to choose from to complete the keyboard skills challenge. Be sure to choose one that is challenging for you!
Keyboard skills, including learning to play scales, arpeggios, and chord progressions with speed and accuracy, are much like the "warm-ups" that athletes use in practice to prepare for a big game.
Typically my students start out lessons with a quick game like music term memory match. Instead of playing this typical memory style with cards face down, to introduce relatively new terms and signs I first play a face up version. I like how this variation combines both skill and an element of chance so that any player can win. If the teacher is playing with the student, I even the playing field a bit by saying the teacher doesn't get to "steal on sixes" because they have an unfair advantage of already knowing all the answers.
Divide the cards into 2 piles, one pile for the term or symbol and one pile for the matching answer.
Shuffle the cards and place them face up.
Students then roll a die to determine how many cards they get to collect by guessing the sets of cards that are a match.
If they roll an odd number (1,3, or 5) they guess just one match.
If they roll an even number (2 or 4) they guess two matches.
If they roll a 6 they get to steal a match from the opponent of their choice.
The winner is the player with the most card matches at the end.
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