One of my objectives this summer in my piano camp for elementary students was to build better reading skills. In addition to other activities, I decided to try this different approach to note identification and intervallic playing. I emphasized using Cs as landmark notes and then playing intervals from those landmarks. (This is not geared toward developing fluent sight-reading skills as much as it is just to note identification and interval application.)
We covered one interval at a time. The student would open up to the appropriate page in their Piano Camp workbook and would begin by writing in the names of each note. Once completed, the students were paired and sent to the piano or keyboard to play the patterns for each other. One played while the other observed and checked for accuracy. Since doing this, several of the students have a much more solid understanding of notation and can much more readily identify and play the correct notes.
Here are the different worksheets that I developed for this purpose:
Click here to download Across the C’s.
Click here to download Just a 2nd.
Click here to download 3rd Time’s the Charm.
Click here to download Go 4th and Play!
Click here to download The 5th Has It!
Click here to download 6th Sense.
Click here to download 7th Inning Stretch.
Click here to download Crazy 8ths!
Natalie,
I just want to thank you for these great worksheets. I remembered them recently(waking up in the middle of the night if you can believe that) and I was frantic when I couldn’t find them. Luckily another teacher on one of the message boards remembered where they were. Thank you so much for all the great resources you have for us teachers!
Hi Jennifer!
I certainly didn’t intend to cause anyone sleepless nights with these worksheets…
Glad that you have found them useful! Thanks for letting me know.
~Natalie
I’ve used these with several of my students now and love them! I decided to use them when my students get to the Faber 2B Lesson book, since the first unit is on the 5 C’s. I assign 2 a week and it’s the best reinforcement ever. Thank you so much!
I’ve thought about making some that use the other landmark notes (F and G). Maybe even use this concept when introducing a student to a new key. But, maybe that’s stealing your idea too much. lol