I’m using an outside resource this week. It involves more cutting and laminating than I usually like, but all these little circles with notes on them could be reused in other games, which is why I was willing to do it.
The resource is Trim the Tree from Pianimation. Since I teach private lessons only, I had to adapt the rules slightly.
For my version, I first gave the students 1 minute and 30 seconds to see how many ornaments they could correctly get on the tree. That establishes a baseline. Then they try again to see if they can beat their own score.
Variations:
- To make it easier, sort out the notes the student should know and use only them. Or separate out treble from bass clef.
- To make it harder, don’t have them match the note itself. Specify an interval (such as a 3rd) and have them match the ornament to a spot that is a 3rd above the note.
- To cheat and make sure the student does actually improve their score, sneakily pause the timer while they are working to give them extra time.
Lori Davis Studio 