Showing posts with label Rhythm. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Rhythm Challenge and Activities for Group Lessons

The online resources below include some options for this month's Rhythm Challenge and activities we'll try at group lessons.

Rhythm Practice Videos

At group lessons, students take turns choosing the movement for each of these rhythm practice videos.

Stomping your feet with a steady beat while you choose a hand motion helps you keep a steady pulse.

Do you want to

slide hands?
windshield wipers?
snap?
tap thighs?
chopstick finger tap?

Remember to count aloud using the smallest note pattern found in each example.
Eighths: 1 & 2 &, etc.
Sixteenths: 1 e & a, 2 e & a, etc.

Elementary

Musical Minds: Quarter, Half, Eighth Notes and Rests.

Rhythm Challenge You Be the Teacher

Every month I invite my students to complete a musical challenge. The online resources below include some options for this month's Rhythm Challenge.

You Be the Teacher Videos

Choose a video below to watch and prepare to teach a 1-minute lesson about the musical concept at the group lesson. You can create a poster, a short game, or explain the concepts in a memorable way.

You Be The Teacher

One option for this month's rhythm challenge is to watch a rhythm concept video below and come prepared to teach a mini-lesson (about 1 minute) to the other students during group lessons. Students could create a poster or game, use examples from music, or just explain it the concept in a memorable way.

Elementary Rhythm Concepts

Basic Note Values Video QHDW

PA Primer: Come On Tigers and Quarter Rests

This post includes activities that correlate with "Come on Tigers" in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

AL Page 68

PA Primer: Petite Minuet and 3/4 Time Signature

This post includes activities that correlate with "Petite Minuet" in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

AL page 47

Listen to the Classics for Kids podcast About Minuets.

Rhythm Ear Training Game Capture the Stars

One of my piano students' favorite new games to play this year at piano lessons is Teach Piano Today's Don't Catch Cats!" When I first introduced it at group lessons, some creative piano students decided to choose crazy names for each of their pet cats or dogs which was accompanied by plenty of laughs and giggles.

Since I teach students on a variety of levels, I wanted a game with simpler rhythms for new beginners and a challenging game for more experienced students.

PA Primer: The Dance Band and 4/4 Time Signature

This post includes activities that correlate with "The Dance Band " in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

PA Primer: Alouette and Rhythm Ear Training

This post includes activities that correlate with "Alouette" in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

AL page 33

Listen to this Alouette Animated Variation

PA Primer: Hey Mr. Half Note Dot and Dotted Half Notes

This post includes activities that correlate with "Hey, Mr. Half Note Dot" in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

AL page 32

Supplementary Music

When I Am Baptized in Layton Music Simplified Primary

Piano Safari Mister Bo Beaver Reminder

PA Primer: Men from Mars and Measures

This post includes activities that correlate with "Men from Mars" in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

AL page 29

PA Primer: Old MacDonald and Whole Notes

This post includes activities that correlate with "Old MacDonald " in Piano Adventures Primer.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos play along with backing tracks or try the super student challenges.

AL page 21

AL page 22

PA Primer: Walk Song and Tightrope, Quarter Notes

This post includes activities that correlate with "Walking Song" and "Tightrope" in Piano Adventures Primer Lesson Book.

Music Sample

Click the links below to watch the Adventure Learning Videos or try the super student challenges.

LPM Connections 4 Rhythm and Counting

This post includes activities that correlate with Let's Play Music Connections 4 Lesson on Rhythm and Counting.

Rhythm Practice Videos

Choose a video to Count, Tap Clap, or Stamp along with each rhythm sample in the videos.

Remember to count aloud using the smallest note pattern found in each example.

Eighths: 1 & 2 &, etc.

Sixteenths: 1 e & a, 2 e & a, etc.

Musical Minds: Quarter, Half, Eighth Notes and Rests.

Thanksgiving Piano Group Lesson Plans 2023

Fall Piano Teaching Games

Scarecrow Stomp by Susan Paradis

Elementary: Identify Note Names on the Staff and Piano Keys
Intermediate: Name the Sharps or Flats in the Major Scale of the Staff Note, Identify Interval # and Quality (Major, Minor or Perfect?), Identify Key Signatures

Tips for Tricky Rhythms - Disciple of Christ

I was delighted to discover the new 2024 Youth theme song for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is now on the Sacred Music app. The vocal solo/piano sheet music is in a different key than the music on the app, but I love how it includes chord symbols so my piano students can play the melody over varying levels of left-hand accompaniments.

Disciple of Christ

Let's Play Music Bridge #24: Medieval Journey, Relative Keys and Mahler

This post includes piano lab activities that correlate with Let's Play Music Bridge Lesson 24.

Theory: Relative Keys and More About 6/8 Time Signatures

Watch the Piano Anne Video About Relative Keys.

Watch the Winter Song Video to hear the difference between 4/4 and 6/8 Time Signatures.

Music History About Gustav Mahler

Listen to the Classics for Kids podcast About Mahler or watch the Short Bio video.

Listen to Symphony #1 by Gustav Mahler.

Supplementary Music with 6/8 Time Signature

Simplified Hymns Come Unto Jesus or Love One Another

HL 4 Jig

Pronto 2 Medley of Scottish and Irish Tunes

Discovering Piano Mysterious Traveler

Discovering Piano From Foreign Lands and People

More Resources About Relative Keys

Teach Piano Today Relative Keys Free Printable Game

4 Types of Scales Video and Free Printable

Saturday, September 9, 2023

Piano Adventures 3B: Adagio and Allegro, Mordent/Sixteenth Rests

This post includes lesson plans for J.C. Bach's "Adagio and Allegro" in Piano Adventures 3B.

Music Sample

Listen to Bach and Ricci's Adagio and Allegro as you color all of the 16th rests in your music.

Piano Adventures 3B: Rhythm Puzzles and Sixteenth Notes

This post includes lesson plans for "Sixteenth Notes" in Piano Adventures 3B.

Music Sample

Tap the rhythm as you listen to Rhythm Puzzle. Write the "rhythm bug" words above the measures in your music. (Bug? Beetle? Grasshopper? Caterpillar? Butterfly?).