Skeleton, Human or Monster? (How to Drill Anything)

This is one of my student’s favorite Halloween activities. We use it every year, which is the only reason I was willing to do all this cutting and laminating. This year I used it to drill rhythms, but it can be used for anything.

What You Need:

• A giant skeleton, like this printable one here.
  • It will last longer if you laminate the pieces.
• Flashcards for whatever you want to drill.

How to Play:

• Ask the first flashcard. If the student gets it right, with or without coaching, they have earned one bone. The bones can be laid out on the floor as they earn them.
• Some of my students want to create a human skeleton, so they need to go in the right arrangement. (The link above provides a helpful diagram.)
• Most of my students prefer to get creative with a monster skeleton, in which case they place that bone wherever they feel like it.
• Repeat.

Variations:

• To make it go faster, award two or three or four bones per flashcard.
• To make it go slower, award one bone for every second or third correct flashcard.
• If you’re using rhythm cards, you can place two or three in a row for a multi-measure challenge.
• If you’re using note cards, you can place two or three on the piano for a multi-note sight reading challenge.