Heidi’s Piano Studio: Halloween Group Lesson: Glow Cups, Candy Corn Notes and Paint Chip Chords

In addition to the Halloween Themed Activities and Crazy Chord Challenge I've been doing at private lessons this month, we had a Halloween Group lesson including some Glow Stick Cup Tapping, inspired by a recent workshop I attended by Leila Viss.
BUG TRIPLETS
I first introduced the concept of triplets
using my bug beat board and some silly putty and then students watched this demo video.

ADAMS FAMILY TRIPLET CUP TAPPING

After practicing some "Triple T Taps," while listening to The Addam's Family theme song, students tapped the rhythm from the Adam's Family Cup Tapping rhythm sheet. Then we flipped off the lights for a glow in the dark round.

KANDY KEYS NOTE ROLL

Using Susan Paradis's Kandy Keys Game Board I created a different game for students to play in pairs to practice note naming. They covered all the lines and spaces with candy corns and then took turn turns rolling a music alphabet die (A,B,C,D,E, F or G). They identified on the staff and collected (or ate) the candy corn matching the letter name they rolled.

CHORD DEGREE PERFORMANCES

To determine the order of student performances I randomly gave each student one of these paint chip chord strips. We discussed the scale degree symbols at the top and then started with performance number I (one).

Major Chord Degrees and Qualities

Since our focus for the month has been chords, I played Spooky Town for them and discussed the use of one, four and five chords. I love how the knowledge of a few basic (primary) chords unleashes their potential to play a more difficult sounding rote piece like this that allows them to use much more of the keyboard then basic notereading from the page would allow for a beginner.

Cat Prowl from Gold Star Performance 2B is another rote piece I love to teach. This student is just starting Level 1A but learning this more difficult piece really boosted her confidence and desire to practice.