Lesson #2: Roaming the Sea! Learning C through E

How to teach piano:  This is the 2nd lesson plan for 1st years. Learning to play and recognize C through E on the keyboard and the staff.

Time Needed: 30-40 mins (adaptable)

Audience: intended for elementary ages, can adapt to individual or class

Materials:

• Printable lesson plan here
• Although not necessary, a simple pirate costume can be worn by the teacher
• Also not necessary, but very fun — pirate hats for each of the students
• Large floor staff (such as is found here)
• Ledger lines to add to the staff (created in Lesson #1)
• Large coin – with “step” written and taped on one side and “skip” on the other
• Arrow spinner printed on thick paper (see page 3), attached to a sturdy piece of paper or cardboard and with a brad pin in the middle for it to be able to spin
• White board, or paper for writing
• Percussion instrument (or hand clapping would do)  see my favorite percussion drum here
• Treasures (notes that you created for Lesson #1)
• Each student needs their own keyboard, ideally
• Flashcards for C, D, and E in treble clef found here
• Piano Pronto: Prelude for each student
• Homework printed for each student

 

Goals:  

• Review staff recognition: lines/spaces & steps/skips
• Review finger numbers
• Reinforce a steady beat
• Introduce the piano keyboard
• Learn and name the notes C, D, and E on both keyboard and staff
• Play a song

 

Review Game: Leap Frog – steps and skips (5 mins)

Begin by placing students on the large floor staff.  Tell them that this is the time to see how well they remembered and practiced their steps and skips.  You or a student will then flip the coin to see if they are going to leap like a frog, or step like a frog.  Then someone needs to spin the arrow to determine if we are going up or down. When they have their directions, they do it!  You can add additional ledgers lines as needed.

 

Review Game: Spider Dance (5 mins)

Make a bubble with their fingers and bring out their “spider mirrors” as was learned in Lesson #1.   Review the names of each of the spider legs — 1,2,3,4 and 5 and lift each finger.  (This lifting motion teaches the students finger dexterity and muscle memory to transfer to the piano.)  Have the students name a number, 1 through 5. List those numbers on the board, or piece of paper until you have about 4 or more in a row.  Then, together on a steady beat you give with hands clapping or another percussion instrument, they must lift those fingers in that order and dance those spiders!  You can give them an example of how to do that to the beat — the students can create the beat for you. Steady, rhythmic beats.

 

The Piano Keyboard – Shiver me timbers (10 mins)

Congratulate these frogs and dancers because now it is time to figure out the treasure map and what it has to do with the keyboard.  If you have this rug then you can use the keyboard presented there and/or use the piano keyboard.  

Remember how the map showed us certain treasures?  The map will help us find those treasures on the “sea of white keys”.  We already studied the sea in our last lessons, but I bet you didn’t know that we had row boats – a set of 2 black keys, or pirate ships – a set of 3 black keys.  These boats roam the sea as they can see on the keyboard.

Bring out the “treasures” that were created in Lesson #1.  Place them on one ledger line underneath the bottom line of the staff.  This spot on the “map” (or staff) will show us where the treasure is on the piano.  Ready, treasure finders?

With a loud, “Aaaarrrgghhh!”  play the C on the keyboard. What do they notice about this “C”?  Tell them it has a very special name. The name of this key is “Middle C!”  Shiver me timbers! Doesn’t it seem right that Middle C is placed in the middle of the sea?!  Of course!

Show how Middle C is placed in the middle of the sea, AND it is just to the left of the row boat — NOT a pirate ship!  Can they find the treasure now on their own?

“All right, Mateys!”  Now, take turns spinning the students around, to mix them up and then see if they can find Middle C all on their own.   Encourage them to play it with an “Aaaarrrgghhh!” Make sure to remind them that this Middle C is the treasure note we placed on the staff earlier.  

 

Notes Relative to C: D & E (5 mins)

Now that we know one of the most important treasures on the piano and the staff, the students can figure out the next two because they are so smart!  Let’s pretend that all we can play on the keyboard is in the sea, or the white keys. No playing on any of the boats (the black keys) for now! So, if we started on Middle C, what would happen if we stepped up from there?  Play D. Tell them we have to have a name for this white fella, so let’s name him after the dog that’s sitting right in the middle of the row boat (the 2 keys above it). If we started on Middle C, what would happen if we skipped up from there?  Play E. We are gonna name this fella an E, because the man rowing the row boat has an eye patch.

I betcha, that each and every one of you can now be pirates of your own.  Give them each a pirate hat to wear. Now, remember the bubbles and spiders?  Pull them out cause we need them. Place your spider, in a bubble shape, right on the keyboard, landing with your finger #1 on Middle C.  

Now, see if they can get their spiders to dance, according to the flashcards I hold up.  When you hold up a flashcard of a “C”, have them play C with finger #1.  When you hold up a flashcard of a “D”, have them play D with finger #2.  When you hold up a flashcard of “E”, have them play E with finger #3.  Continue to reinforce with flashcards.

 

Reinforce with their First Song: All hands on deck! (10 mins)

I think they are good and ready for their first song!  Have them turn to page 10 of Piano Pronto: Prelude.  Do they recognize the first note?  Then, what happens on the 3rd box – does it step or skip and does it go up or down?  What happens on the last note of that line? Step/skip and up/down. Do the same exercise on the 2nd line.

Have them follow along with a finger in the music as you play it for them first.  Then, the students turn to have all hands on deck! Together, as a class, and following the beat to the drum (or whatever percussion instrument you have), have them play the first line of the song.  Have them play with their right hand (fingering correct), while following along in the music with their finger in the left. Then have them play the 2nd line together. Practice as needed. Make sure to make it a big deal, congratulating and shouting praises of, “Ahoy, matie!” and “Yo, ho, ho!” and “Blimey!”

 

Homework:

• Write same, step, or skip on top of the line for each change in notes in their music, page 10 of Piano Pronto: Prelude.
• Practice playing C, D, and E with flashcards
• Practice page 10 of Piano Pronto: Prelude.