Crafting Alphabet Gems

Have you cut out your Alphabet Pieces yet?

Don’t miss out on this fun activity! These paper pieces are great for learning, and we’ll show you how to make them look cute!

Keyboard Geography

In the fall, we introduced Keyboard Geography, which involves looking at the keys and noticing the patterns of black and white keys. The black keys are essential because they help you visually identify the C's, F's, and other keys!

Your pianist will want to play songs without looking at her hands, but it's important to spend time now learning what the keyboard looks like. Eventually, she'll be able to visualize where her fingers are and where they need to go next. By combining this mental image with her muscle memory, she'll be able to play without frequently looking down.

Visual and Kinesthetic Learning

In class, your child practices singing the musical alphabet and uses the Kit-Kat Keyboard chant to match keys on the keyboard. These activities are mainly aural but become visual when keyboard matching is included. To enhance learning, we offer kinesthetic ways to engage with the skills.

Alphabet games make identifying keys fun and engaging. Moving a tangible object to a key helps the knowledge stick better than just using flashcards.

Whenever possible, after identifying a key, play its pitch. For example, "Yes, that was a D, and a D sounds like this…DEEEE." We aim to see it, hear it, and physically engage while practicing.

Where Do We Go Next?

Your child will learn to read every note on the staff and match each note to its corresponding key on the keyboard. This will be challenging if your child can read "treble D" but can't find the D key. That's why we focus on key names now; they are essential for advanced music reading.

The names of the notes and keys are abstract concepts that help us read music. You can match a note to a key without knowing its name.

However, knowing the key names is important for discussing notes and keys as we dive into advanced topics, like changing key signatures, transposing, and adding sharps and flats.

Great Ways to Play

Now that you're motivated, check out the list of games using alphabet pieces. You'll find games like Cowboys and Indians, Frogger, and Go Fish, all designed to encourage visual matching and active learning.

Get Crafty

For a fun and crafty way to make your pieces cute and prevent them from falling between the piano keys, try making Musical AlphaGems!

Materials

• Clear glass gems (approx. 1/2 inch)

• Cardstock alphabet (from Yellow Arrows songbook)

• Optional: Acrylic spray

• Clear silicone adhesive

• Newspaper for workspace

• Scissors

  
  

Instructions

1. Optional: Spray the cardstock's backside with acrylic spray to seal it.

2. Cut out alphabet circles to fit your gems (better small than big).

3. Check each gem for chips or odd designs; discard any flawed gems.

4. Apply silicone glue to the gem's bottom and press it onto a circle, ensuring the letter shows through.

5. Wipe excess glue on newspaper and let gems dry upside down.

   
   

Now you're ready for some fun with your alphabet games!

How about this YouTube video showing how to use the gems