If you have a 25mm button badge maker, you can use these templates to produce your own badges to give to pupils when they master each of the Piano Safari techniques. Pupils will enjoy working hard to collect the whole set!
When I started my ukulele club I wanted an easy way of getting pupils to find key finger positions as a basis for learning chords. This sheet was really useful as I could say ‘fish’ or ‘snake’ and see if they could find the positions correctly. Tey then took it home to practise too.
I designed these cute pianos to help beginner pupils develop their use of piano practise strategies. I grouped the strategies into three stages and have included a platform so each panda can be stood up on top of pupils’ pianos.
Best laminated, printed onto card or stuck onto a cereal packet, cut carefully around the end of each panda, including the feet, and crease each side of the piano keys at the bottom so that they stand up correctly.
Use these chord prompts to help piano pupils learn the structure of major and minor chords. They can be placed behind any starting note and are best either printed onto card or laminated.
I use these for extra reinforcement with my pupils as they begin to understand the mechanics of scales. They’re also really useful to aid discussion and to practise the patterns on the fallboard.
I use these games as a quick fun activity to help reinforce key concepts. Best laminated and each sheet printed four or five times. Then played as a typical game of ‘snap’ and as quickly as possible!
Print and cut out these pentascale prompts to help piano pupils learn the structure of major and minor pentascales. Best printed onto card or laminated, they can be placed behind any starting note.
Here’s a simple game you can use to inject a bit of fun when consolidating and assessing pupils’ understanding of key terms, symbols, notes and intervals. Print out the game template (best enlarged to A3) then print and cut out the little question squares. Put these in two piles according to their colours. Use small counters (e.g. buttons) as game pieces.
As the game can be quite quick to play I’ve included a ‘make your own’ die which only has the two options of moving either one or two spaces ahead each time.
This can be used as a quick recall/retrieval practise activity in a piano lesson where pupils match up the musical terms and definitions by ticking/crossing them out. I will use mine laminated with a white board pen. I have included key vocabulary from Piano Safari 1 and 2.
This can be used to help pupils practise recognising their Landmark Notes in the Treble and Bass clefs. I use the following approach:
Pupil chooses a colour - e.g. ‘green’ - spell out the letters as you open the Chatterbox in and out.
Pupil chooses a number (4 will be shown so call them out for the pupil to pick one).
Ask the pupil to identify the note shown by their chosen number.
Print this onto card (or on paper then stick onto card) and use glue and/or sticky tape to make into a cube.
Use to inspire improvisation and creativity within your music lessons.
Use this Chatterbox to help pupils with their recall of musical symbols.
Instructions…
Ask the pupil to choose a colour then move the Chatterbox to the required number of letters as you spell the word out. Next they should choose one of the 4 numbers shown (read these out to them). Test them on the symbol shown.
Print onto card (or onto paper then stick onto card) then make into a cube using glue and sticky tape.
The prompts will hopefully inspire pupils to be creative with their improvisations and are a good starting point for discussing the different musical elements and playing techniques/articulation.
Use this cube at the start of a music lesson for a quick warm-up activity. Best printed onto card or laminated, then use sticky tape to make into a cube.
Use this game to help pupils practise recognising 2nds and 3rds (steps and skips). Pupils pick up a card - if they can recognise the interval then they move the correct number of circles on the board (2nd = 2, 3rd = 3).
Best printed onto card or laminated.
This cute sheet can be used in a number of ways to guide pupils in their improvisations. It includes suggested rhythm patterns, dynamics and articulation, and will encourage good discussion between teacher and pupil as well as a chance to focus on technique too.
Use this colourful picture to help inspire pupils with their improvisations. The suggsted rhythmic patterns could be used along with the tempo and dynamics, or pupils could adapt as they wish. Lots of opportunity for musical conversation and revision of key techniques and terms.