Materials:
--Clear, plastic spoons
--Sharpies
Preparation:
1. Use one color sharpie to draw a note or rest on a plastic spoon. Use another color sharpie to write a corresponding number (value in beats.) The pair should be stackable; when stacked, both the note and the value in beats should be visible.
2. Make multiple pairs of notes you want students to know, and only a few pairs of notes you are less worried about teaching
Directions:
1. Dump spoons on floor, students see who can find most pairs.
Notes:
--Photograph is from Pinterest article, which uses white spoons for note values and clear spoons for number of beats.
--The number should be the total number of beats on the spoon, regardless of how many notes are present. (3 eighths bracketed in a triplet=1 beat, 2 quarter rests=2 beats)
--Use ties, sixteenth notes, etc. to help expand what students have seen. Even if they don't know a few pairs, they will be able to figure out by eliminating the pairs they do know.
--Works best with 1-5 students, so if using with larger class, do so with stations.
--Could use this same idea to teach various other musical concepts. I plan on doing with chords in root position, which would require triplets that match rather than pairs.
