Submitted by Becky Olson, Union Grove, Wisconsin
Idea posted July 16, 2002
I begin in Kindergarten getting them used to the letter names. As soon as the kindergarten has covered letters up through G in reading, I teach them this song, which I made up, to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle:"
A B C D E F G,
Use these letters musically.
When we sing or when we play,
Let these letters show the way.
A B C D E F G,
Use these letters musically.
I have the letters laminated in sets on 15 different colors of construction paper, and we play all sorts of games to arrange the letters, find the missing letter, etc., á la Music Mind Games. I always have a staff made from floor tape on the floor of my room (replaced often in different colors). My kindergarten and first grade students sit on the lines, and in second grade, when they graduate to the adult-sized folding chairs, they find out that they have been sitting on a staff for the last two years. In second grade, we play a lot of line and space identification games. Their favorite is throwing beanbags onto the staff and telling by number what line or space it lands on. Sometimes we play teams for points, and sometimes just for fun. For introducing the letter names on the staff, I don't think there is ANYTHING better than the song "Gee, Mr. Treble Clef" from the Sing and Learn Activities book. Even my 8th graders still sing the song when they need to figure out a note!