Submitted by Suzanne, Minnesota
Idea posted June 18, 2004
To assess that students are able to follow a simple melodic pattern, I use a fun flashlight game. The music piece the students studied was one we learned by rote on the xylophone, and it had an ostinato part that started and stopped throughout the recording. I made an extra large wall version of the ostinato pattern. I had student #1 from the circle sit in a chair in front of the wall pattern. Then, I turned out the lights and started the music. When student #1's part came in, they quickly turned on the flashlight and followed the pattern on the beat. When student #1's ostinato part stopped, they hopped out of the chair, turned off the flashlight, and handed it to student #2 (who was already in the chair and ready to start when their part came back in). We continued around the circle until everyone had a turn. The students had a great time!