Listening Challenge Worksheets
Use these colorful listening guides to help students identify musical “tools” or “elements” a composer uses in a piece to create a mood or tell a story.
A game to help students identify characteristic of music. Given a category (dynamic, touch, etc.), students must listen to an excerpt of music, then race to be the first to grab the appropriate card to identify what they heard.
Syncopated Clock Listening & Composing Activity
This listening activity guides students to discover the differences between the three “clocks” represented in this piece. Students fill out a worksheet page, describing the musical characteristics of each clock, as the teacher plays sample clips. Next, they “hang” clock manipulatives on the living room wall to diagram the form of the piece. To do this, students will listen for dynamic and articulation contrasts, and the placement of the melody.
(Note: You will need a recording of this piece, preferably a piano version. Visit the Syncopated Clock Listening Activity blog post for suggestions.)
Use this follow-up composition activity to let students create their own clock song. They’ll use different dynamics, articulations and melodic placement to create 3 unique clocks within their piece!
Melodic Pattern Signs
Each sign in these sets contains one or two measures of a song. Start with signs scattered through the room; students must recognize each melodic pattern and put cards in order. Signs print in landscape orientation and should be cut to 4.25″ X 11.” A great pre-runner to melodic dictation for beginning students.
Find My Mistake: Christmas Carol Edition
This set of four Christmas carol melodies is designed to help students discover their “inner music teacher ear.” Two cards are included for each melody. The first is printed correctly: students will follow the music as a teacher plays the song, and includes a few mistakes. Students compare what they hear and what they see, marking each measure or note that was played incorrectly.
The second card shows the same melody, but with “typos” in the music. Without any aural music, students must use their internal hearing to find the mistakes on the card and mark them.
Songs include Jingle Bells, Jolly Old St. NIcholas, Joy to the World and Deck the Halls. Cards print portrait style and can be cut apart to 8.5″ x 5.5″ half sheets.
Twelve Days of Halloween
Use these signs for rhythmic dictation and rhythm practice. Start with signs posted throughout your studio. Chant a set of words and ask your students to find the rhythm that matches.
Composing project using the rhythm cards. Students create a new melody for the 12 Days of Halloween and then use I, IV or V7 chords to harmonize it in the key of F Major.
Twelve Days of Halloween Composing Challenge.pdf
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Christmas Carol Rhythm Match-up
Use these signs for rhythmic dictation and rhythm practice. Students must match a card with words of a familiar Christmas carol to an appropriate rhythm card. Three levels of cards are included in the file.
