Jump It (all grades)

 

Author: Lindsey Meyer, Flaherty Elementary, Kentucky

 

Subject: Music

 

Objective: Build music reading

 

Materials and Preparation: Floor staff (a white shower curtain liner with black duct tape strips arranged to look like a staff)

 

Student Grouping: Teams of 4-6 students each. (I break into teams based on which row they sit in to make it fast and easy)

 

The Play:

1. Break students into teams and line up the first person in each team behind the "E" line at the bottom of the staff.

2. Name a line or space note. For example, I say, "Jump to line b."

3. The student who jumps to that note first receives a point for his or her team. He or she goes to the end of the line and the next student is up. Repeat #2.

4. You can either choose to play to a certain point total or a certain time span.

 

Comments or Variations: I will admit that I do allow the team with the most points at the end of the game to get a prize from my prize box. I also allow the student who scored the most points to get a prize, too, so they could possibly earn two prizes.

 

This is a high energy game that the students really enjoy. I noticed that some students who are low achievers really get a chance to shine when they are able to jump to the note more quickly than the higher achievers.