This notation game is played much like the famous "Twister" game. Prepare for this game by writing the musical notes A, B, C, D, E, F and G onto index cards (one note per card). Create another stack of four index cards on which you write "left hand," "left foot," "right hand" and "right foot." Use masking tape to create a large music staff on the floor. The staff should be about five feet long by three feet wide. Make a treble clef or bass clef symbol on the staff as well, depending on which staff you want as your focus. Divide your class into two teams. You can choose one or two players from each team to go at the same time. Have the players stand next to the staff. Draw an index card out of each deck and read them aloud. The player who goes first must successfully complete what the card says. For instance, you might read, "Left foot, G." The player must locate a G on the staff and place his left foot on it. If he does not find a G, he has to sit down. Another way that a player can get "out" of the game is if she falls, like in real Twister; only hands and feet can touch the staff. The last student standing earns a point for her team. Continue playing until all of the students have had at least one turn.
This game helps students to identify the locations of notes on the staff. Draw a set of staff lines on your board, along with a bass or treble clef symbol. After reviewing note placement on this staff, write a word on the board. The word must be composed of letters of the musical alphabet (A through G). Examples of words that you can create from these letters include, "deed, dad, bed, bad, cab, cabbage, fad," and "deaf." Divide your class into two teams. Call upon one player from team A and have her write in a note that represents the first letter of the word. For instance, if the word is "deed," she would have to draw a D note in the correct place on the staff lines. If the player draws the note in the correct location, he earns a point for his team. Then select a player from team B to draw in the next letter of the word. Continue alternating between team until one team earns a certain amount of points or a set time limit has expired.
This is an exciting, fast-paced game that helps students to learn notes on both clefs. Create two sets of musical staffs on the floor--one for the bass clef and one for the treble clef. Divide your class into two teams and line the teams up in single-file facing the clefs. Have the students about 50 feet back from the staffs if possible. Call out a clef and a note, such as "bass clef, E," and yell "Go!" Upon your signal, the first two players in line must race to see who can be first to stand on the correct clef in the correct space for the note that was called. There can be more than one correct place to stand for the note. Whoever gets to a correct position first wins a point for her team. The two players move to the back of their lines, and play continues with the next pair of students.