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"Gamify" Your Next Lesson with 5 Fun Activities Using Dice!

1/9/2022

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Are you still looking for ways to get your students back in the groove after winter break? 

Beat those winter blahs and try "gamifying" your lessons using a simple tool you probably have in your closet right now!

Keep reading for 5 fun activities you can do in your next lesson using dice!

1. Sight-Reading and Theory Review
Gamify your sight-reading and theory review using dice! Have students roll a set of dice and find the given measure in their music. Then, students can:
  • Name each note in the measure.
  • Count and clap the rhythm in the measure.
  • Name and define any terms or musical symbols they see in the given measure.
  • ​Sight-read the measure at the piano.
  • Copy the measure onto a blank piece of staff paper--a sneaky way to review notation rules!
2. Interval Practice
Review intervals up to a sixth using a single, six-sided die! You can have students roll, then play the given interval on the piano. 

​Or, use this handy "Roll the Dice" interval worksheet to have students practice drawing intervals on the staff. Click on the picture to download your free PDF.
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3. Review Practice Strategies
Help your students develop and use their "toolbox" of practice strategies with the help of this practice strategy worksheet. Identify a tricky section in a piece of music, roll a single die, and use the given practice strategy to work on the piece.

​Click on the picture to download your free PDF.

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4. Key Signature and Scale Review
Make scale review more fun using dice! Have students roll a single die and play the major and/or minor scale with that number of sharps or flats. 

​For less advanced students, you can assign a letter to each number on the die (for example, 1 = C, 2 = D, etc.) to have students review pentascales or white key major and minor scales. 
5. Composing Activities
Even the most reluctant student composer can successfully create a satisfying composition using one of these templates, dice, and a pencil! Students roll a single die and select the measure that corresponds with the given number to build their composition. Click on the pictures to download your free PDFs for each activity (including instructions and a staff template page).
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Don't have a set of dice? No problem! Quickly create a set of virtual dice using your phone or tablet! Just go to Google and type "virtual dice."

What do you think? Have you ever used dice as part of your lessons? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!
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    Chrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music.


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