Submitted by Marcia Working, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Idea posted June 3, 2004
I create Boomwhacker® charts using three-quarters of an inch colored coding dots. I draw a large music staff (one inch apart on the lines) on a giant Post-It Note, so I can hang it easily. You could also put the staff on any large poster-sized paper. I put the appropiate colored dot on the correct line or space of the staff, then add the stem to make a note. I draw half-notes using colored markers. This allows students to match and follow their color of Boomwhacker®, but also reinforces reading notes on the staff. I use a laser pointer to help students follow the music. This process is not as time-consuming as it may sound. I did the "Whacky Chopsticks" (from Music K-8, Vol. 14, No. 4) chart in about an hour.
I did have to buy eight packages of colored coding dots from three different stores to get all seven colors. It was a $12 initial investment in the dots, but I now have either 300 or 1000 dots of each color (depending on packaging). I shouldn't have to buy more dots for quite a while. This method helps students follow the music and reinforces note reading.