Submitted by Judy Schneider, Kettering, Ohio
Idea posted July 2, 2002
At some point in my long career, I learned (or made up) the following, sung to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle":
A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Music letters STOP at G!
If you want to name a space, just remember they spell F-A-C-E
(Point to spaces on hand staff.)
If you want to learn the lines, just say "Every Good Boy Does Fine" - OR -
Ernie Gives Bert Dead Fish - OR -
Empty Garbage Before Dad Flips - OR -
Elephants Go Belly Dancing Fridays
(Point to lines on hand staff.)
And, I ALWAYS point out to them how it all fits together and goes on FOREVER - "To infinity! And Beyond!" (thanks, Buzz Lightyear!) - and how technically they COULD figure things out if they could remember just one line or space... (I was amazed when I realized they did not "automatically" figure out the sequence part.) I usually start this with 3rd grade in preparation for recorders in 4th and 5th.
They love to do "mystery words," or figure out what words can be spelled with only "music letters." My Beanie Baby collection all start with only "Music Letters" and we throw them onto my big shower curtain staff - one game is they have to land on their own "home" to score a point. Another game is they have to name the line or space they land on. And then there's "Staff Twister," also using my shower curtain staff.
We also make our own flash card sets, and use them to play games like "Memory," "Go Fish," and "War." Great end-of-the-year stuff.
1st and 2nd learn to identify the signs and symbols needed for my velcro ball game and music bingo games.
Enjoy!