Music Composition Activities

Creativity abounds! Have this blank sheet music on hand, or for a specific lesson. There are several different layouts included, and a few different line sizes - geared specifically toward younger composers who may need bigger spaces to make notations in.

Notation lessons are on the way, but this is a great resource for a student learning to read music/compose, or to become familiarized with manuscript pages.

No pressure! Also great for the youngest students to just draw circles, lines, and color in any way they can imagine.

► We know you'll love helping students create meaningful connections to classical music, so we are happy to share these free listening activities with you today!

The NFL season is BACK! Your older grade level kids will love RED ZONE

RHYTHMS!

Students will see an NFL team and their corresponding mascot and the students will have to spell out the team and mascot combo with that's right... RHYTHM!

The students will have to decipher the rhythmic syllables using triplets, eighth note pairs, and quarter notes. The rhythm will be shown on the animation on the next slide.

• You can either have the students notate it out on whiteboards...
• make rhythm cards or tiles
• have them write it on the board
• make it a race between A team vs B team to spell it out
• or however you can imagine!

There are 14 teams with 14 unique rhythms that the students will have to decipher. Here comes the kickoff!

In a fast-paced society, you need resources you can quickly pull out and quickly use for your students to work on essential skills...quickly!

We're introducing our new 3-note Big Sight Reading Cards!

This set includes 81 pages of cards that use the notes G, A, and B.

These cards are color-coordinated with popular pitched percussion instruments. Dark Green for G, Purple for A, and Pink for B.

The cool part of these cards is their versatility! How are sight reading cards versatile? Lemme tell you. You can use these cards to:

• Introduce Sight reading individually or in a group.
• Assess Sight Reading skills individually or in a group.
• Composing (or "arranging" a song) for students to play, individually or in a group.

It's almost like how Alton Brown likes to cook, we like to use resources that are "multi-taskers"...so you have more band for your buck!

Your support of a small business is greatly appreciated! Please note that while this resource is reproducible, you may only use this with your students. The resource license is not transferrable to other school or teachers.

Catalog: MTP-GBSC-DG

© 2023 ZS Music Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

This engaging, no-prep worksheet is designed to combine piano note identification with problem-solving skills. Ideal for piano and music theory students, the worksheet includes three different pages, each with a unique focus:

1. Three-Letter Word Riddles Page: Students solve riddles where the answers are three-letter words. To find the solution, they must identify the notes on the piano keys shown. Each key corresponds to a different note, and deciphering the notes will reveal the answer to the riddle.
2. Four-Letter Word Riddles Page: This section features riddles with four-letter word answers. Students will use their note recognition skills to identify the notes on the piano keyboard, which will help them solve each riddle and uncover the four-letter word answers.
3. Phrase Riddles Page: In this section, students tackle riddles that lead to musical phrases. They will identify the notes on the piano keys to determine the correct phrases, integrating their note identification skills with their understanding of musical terminology.

Features:

• Answer Key Included: An answer key is provided for all pages, allowing for quick verification and efficient feedback.
• Easy No-Prep Activity: This worksheet is ready to use with minimal preparation, making it perfect for classroom use or individual practice.

This worksheet offers a fun and interactive way for students to practice piano note recognition while solving riddles and uncovering musical answers.

Word search activities offer many benefits for students. They can help students learn new vocabulary, improve spelling skills, and develop problem-solving abilities. These word search activities are great for reviewing musical concepts in a fun and challenging way! Word search activities also make engaging brain breaks and bell-ringers.

One composer. Ten words. Three styles. Pick & print your favorite! Use a timer for a race through musical history or as an independent activity.

♫ "Study Bach. There you will find everything." - Johannes Brahms ♫

More Johann S. Bach Resources!

Johann S. Bach Bundle

Johann S. Bach Music Note Matching

"Adagio" Listening Sheets

Bach Fun Pack!

"Little Fugue" Listening Sheets

Bach Composer Pack

Bach Composer Activity Pack (Pre-K+)

Bach Family Bundle

Brandenburg Concertos Listening Sheets

► We know you'll love helping students create meaningful connections to classical music, so we are happy to share these free listening activities with you today!

I know what you're all thinking, but if you can't beat them, join them?

Gen Alpha's slang, which you've probably heard from your older kids is sweeping the nation uncontrollably, but why not turn it into a decipher and decode lesson?

In Rizz Rhythms, students will see their Gen-Alpha slang on the powerpoint slides and will have to decipher the rhythm using triplets, eighth note pairs, and quarter notes. The rhythm will be shown on the animation on the next slide.

• You can either have the students notate it out on whiteboards...

• make rhythm cards or tiles

• have them write it on the board

• make it a race between A team vs B team to spell it out

• or however you can imagine

Although this may be cringe, you're sure to be a sigma after this one ;) 20 rhythm for all your kids -- BUSSIN!

We all know that kids LOVE to color.

We also know that kids LOVE to cut things with scissors!

We know that kids love to color worksheets and cut the worksheets apart too!!

This set of Color and Cut pages are perfect for any student to work on their rhythmic comprehension and to use for composing in class. With the wide variety of note and rest lengths included in the resource, you can use with any grade level once they've learned their quarter notes and 8th notes!

Included in the resource, you'll find the following pages you can print, have students color, and cut out! Below are ways you can use the resource in class:

• 4 Quarter Notes
• 2 Quarter Notes, 2 Beamed 8ths
• 2 Quarter Notes, 1 Beamed 8th, 1 Beamed 16ths
• 2 Quarter Notes, 2 Quarter Rests
• 2 Quarter Notes, 1 Beamed 8th, 1 Quarter Rest
• 4 Beamed 8th Notes
• 4 Unbeamed 8th Notes
• 4 Single 8th Notes
• 2 Beamed 8th Notes, 2 Single 8th Notes
• 4 Beamed 16th Notes
• 4 Dotted Quarter Notes
• 2 Dotted Quarter+8th Note Combos
• 2 8th Note+Dotted Quarter Combos
• 4 Half Notes
• 1 Half Note, 2 Quarter Notes
• 1 Half Note, 2 Beamed 8th Notes
• 1 Half Note, 1 Quarter Note, 1 Beamed 8th Notes
• 4 Dotted HAlf Notes
• 1 Dotted Half Note, 1 Quarter Rest Combo
• 1 Dotted Half Note, 1 Quarter Note Combo
• 1 Dotted Half Note, 1 Beamed 8th Note Combo
• 4 Whole Notes
• 1 Whole Note
• 4 Quarter Rests
• 4 Half Rests
• 2 Half Rests
• 4 Whole Rests
• 1 Whole Rest
• Time Signatures: 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, Common Time
• 4 Common Time Time Signatures
• 4 4/4 Time Signatures
• 4 3/4 Time Signatures
• 4 2/4 Time Signatures
• 2 Final Bar Lines and 2 Repeat Signs
• 4 Final Bar Lines
• 4 Repeat Signs 

Simply print off the pages you want to use with your students and go! You will want to have coloring implements ready, and you can either have scissors ready or some sort of cutting tool an adult will use. 

To use in class, your students can use these to create 1 measure or multi-measure rhythms! Since this does not include bar lines, you can use things like wicky sticks, pipe cleaners, or even popsicle sticks!

Did you know you can earn TeachShare credit for reviewing and rating resources?! It's true! After you've purchased and used this resource, be sure to come back to share your feedback and you can receive TPT credit to use for future purchases!

Your support of a small business is greatly appreciated!

Catalog: MTP-CACP-DG

© 2024 ZS Music Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Help your students master chord identification and construction with these Chords/Triads Speed Tests! This product includes 4 different testing options to fit your music theory curriculum:

• Option 1 & 2: Students can either write their own Major and Minor chords or identify provided chords.
• Option 3 & 4: Students will tackle a broader range, including Major, Minor, Augmented, and Diminished chords, either by writing their own or identifying the given chords.

These tests provide a fast-paced and engaging way for students to improve their knowledge of triads, and answer keys are included for easy grading. Designed to match other products in your store, they follow the same cohesive color palette and style for a unified classroom experience. Perfect for reinforcing music theory concepts and building confidence in chord recognition!

Learning to read music can have many benefits for students. These colorful music note-matching cards and posters are easy to set up and fun to use! Note-matching games are a great activity for both individual and group learning. They are easy to set up and can be adapted to different skill levels, making them suitable for learners of all ages.

Learning Objectives

• Memorization and understanding of each music note
• Improved memory and concentration
• Increased creative thinking and problem-solving
• Greater appreciation of music as an art form
• Comprehension of music notes and how they work together
• Increased knowledge of the musical structure and theory

What's Included

This activity pack includes full-color and white background posters, matching cards, and full-page posters for learning and checking answers. Great for centers! Simply print the cards and posters, cut out the note cards, and laminate for durability. Students match the note with the correct letter card. This is a great activity for reinforcing note names.

18 Grand Staff Puzzles (18 in all)

Treble Space Notes: f - a - c - e

Treble Line Notes: e - g - b - d - f

Bass Space Notes: a - c - e - g

Bass Line Notes: g - b - d - f - a

5 Wall Posters / Music Center Sheets

Grand Staff: Illustrates the two staves

Treble Clef: Explains at-a-glance what the treble clef looks like

Treble Notes: Displays and defines the notes on the treble clef

Bass Clef: Explains at-a-glance what the bass clef looks like

Bass Notes: Displays and defines the notes on the bass clef

In "Walk it Out, introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C],). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands with some syncopated rhythms

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher). There are a few measures with a clap that's indicated on a top line F

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

(Remember the repeat in the beginning :D)

Have a terrific time with this one :)

In a fast-paced society, you need resources you can quickly pull out and quickly use for your students to work on essential skills...quickly!

We're introducing our new 3-note Big Sight Reading Cards!

This set includes 162 pages of cards that use the notes A, B, and C!

These cards are both in black and white, and color-coordinated with popular pitched percussion instruments: Purple for A, Pink for B, and Red for C.

The cool part of these cards is their versatility! How are sight reading cards versatile? Lemme tell you. You can use these cards to:

• Introduce Sight reading individually or in a group.
• Assess Sight Reading skills individually or in a group.
• Composing (or "arranging" a song) for students to play, individually or in a group.

It's almost like how Alton Brown likes to cook, we like to use resources that are "multi-taskers"...so you have more band for your buck!

Your support of a small business is greatly appreciated! Please note that while this resource is reproducible, you may only use this with your students. The resource license is not transferrable to other school or teachers.

Catalog: MTP-ABSM-DG

© 2024 ZS Music Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Help your students confidently bridge the gap between reading music and playing it on the piano with this engaging "Connect the Staff to Piano" worksheet activity! Designed specifically for beginners, this resource provides a fun and interactive way for students to practice identifying notes on the staff and matching them to their corresponding keys on the piano.

What's Included:

• Treble Clef Worksheet: Notes on the staff on the left side, with a piano keyboard on the right. Students connect each note to its correct key.
• Bass Clef Worksheet: Similar format, focusing on notes in the bass clef.
• Answer Keys: Provided for both treble and bass clef worksheets to make grading easy and efficient.

This activity is perfect for individual practice, homework assignments, or as a classroom learning station. It reinforces note recognition and keyboard geography, laying a solid foundation for future music reading and playing skills. Whether you're teaching piano lessons or general music classes, this resource will help students build essential connections between written music and the piano keyboard.

Print & Play! Do you need engaging music activities for aspiring composers? These blank manuscript pages allow students to compose their own pieces! Draw the music notes or use small stickers to piece together a classical composition. Treble & bass clef tracing sheets are also included.

Includes:

• Getting Started Guide
• Music Notes Map
• Music Notes Map (blank for students to label the notes)
• 12 styles of manuscript paper
• 3 pages of treble & bass clef tracing
• 3 pages of treble & bass clef drawing

► We know you'll love helping students create meaningful connections to classical music, so we are happy to share these free listening activities with you today!

Getting your students to improve on rhythm and melody can't be any easier with "Boom and Response"!

In this resource, there are 3 tracks totally 5 minutes that you can play for your students (and repeat if necessary). Each track is a specific amount of beats for the "Call" (4 beats, 6 beats, or 8 beats) with the same amount of empty beats that follow directly after -- and thats where you students submit their "Response"

You can utilize this in one of several ways:

1. Assign boomwhackers to your students and have them play the response (any mixture of rhythms and beats) back to you directly after they hear the call
2. Individually listen to each student as they compose their OWN response after they hear the call
3. Assign TWO boomwhackers per student and have them play a melodic response to the "Call" they heard
4. Separate kids into chordal groups for Boomwhackers (C Major, F Major, G Major, etc) and have each chord take turns during a response (C Major goes first... then F Major can go next, G Major next, and so forth)
5. Ask them to utilize dynamics (piano and forte, crescendo and diminuendo, throughout their response) on their Boomwhackers

Or any other crazy way you may think!

Have a great time with this!

Give your students a sweet way to work on their scales this summer with these NO PREP scale spelling worksheets: POPSI-SCALES!

POPSI-SCALES is a set of 6 worksheets that feature 6 popsicles on each page with two types of scales for them to spell out and work on this summer. The included pages use Major Scales and Minor Scales. For an added bonus, we've included enharmonic names for the "black-key" scales as well!

What is included in this resource?

This resource includes pages for major and natural minor scales in 5-note Pentascales, and 1-octave scales. In this resource, you’ll find the scales in the following keys: C, G, D, A, E, B, F, F♯, G♭, C♯, D♭, G♯, A♭, D♯, E♭, A♯, & B♭.

In total, there are 100 pages! You’ll find the scales in the following groups in the resource:

• 6 Pentascales per page with Major and Minor Pages (6 Pages)
• 4 Pentascales per page with Major and Minor Pages (10 Pages)
• 1 Pentascale per page with Major and Minor Pages (34 Pages)
• 4 1-Octave scales per page with Major and Minor Pages (10 Pages)
• 1 1-Octave scale per page with Major and Minor Pages (34 Pages)
• 6 other pages of written out Pentascale identification and color pages using Major and Minor scales of C, D, F, G, and A in Treble and Bass Clefs.

All you have to do is print and go! This is a NO-PREP resource you can use with your students throughout summer and beyond to make working on scales such a sweet treat!

This is a reproducible resource that you can print off over and over again! If you have colleagues who like this resource, be sure to send them here to buy their own copy of the resource.

Did you know that you can receive TeachShare credit for reviewing and rating resources?? Once you've downloaded and used the resource, be sure to come back here to rate the resource to receive your credits!

Your support of a small business is greatly appreciated!

Catalog: MTP-PSWS-DG

© 2024 ZS Music Publishing. All Rights Reserved.

Make learning note names and their locations on the piano fun with Piano Bingo! This engaging activity is perfect for helping students begin to connect notes on the staff with their corresponding keys on the piano.

What’s Included:

• 6 Bingo Cards:
  • 2 Cards with Treble Clef, Piano, and Rhythm/Vocab: One with 25 spaces and one with 16 spaces.
  • 2 Cards with Bass Clef, Piano, and Rhythm/Vocab: One with 25 spaces and one with 16 spaces.
  • 2 Cards with Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Piano, and Rhythm/Vocab: One with 25 spaces and one with 16 spaces.

How It Works:

• Fill in the Blanks: Students fill in the blank spaces on their Bingo cards with note names, piano keys, or rhythm durations, based on the teacher's prompts.
• Play Bingo: The teacher calls out notes, piano keys, or rhythms, and students mark their cards. The first to get a line, full house, or pattern wins!
• Reinforce Learning: This activity reinforces the connection between the notes on the staff and their corresponding keys on the piano, while also helping students practice rhythm recognition.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Interactive Learning: Turns note identification and piano key location into a fun, interactive game.
• Flexible Use: The variety of cards allows for different combinations of treble clef, bass clef, piano keys, and rhythms, and vocab words making it adaptable for various learning levels.
• Engaging for All Ages: Suitable for beginners and young students who are just starting to learn how to read music and identify notes on the piano.

Perfect for:

• Piano Teachers: A fun way to reinforce note reading and piano key identification in lessons or group classes.
• Classroom Use: Great for music teachers looking to add a hands-on, engaging activity to their curriculum.
• Practice at Home: Parents can use this as a fun tool to support their child’s music education at home.

Bring excitement to learning note names and piano key locations with Piano Bingo!

Word search activities offer many benefits for students. They can help students learn new vocabulary, improve spelling skills, and develop problem-solving abilities. These word search activities are great for reviewing musical concepts in a fun and challenging way! Word search activities also make engaging brain breaks and bell-ringers.

Fourteen terms related to string instruments are hidden within this word search! There is one puzzle included with four color variations, including an ink-friendly grey scale design. Choose your favorite! Answer key provided.

► It can be hard to keep track of all the dates and eras in classical music history, so we created this freebie to help you out! Grab this six-page guide of composers sorted by musical period. Birthdates, birthplaces, and their famous compositions included. Get this instant download delivered right to your inbox!

Not ready for instruments but want to involve your students in some body percussion (while still assessing their reading and performing skills?). Try out "Poison Percussion" the ever-popular Poison Pattern game for body percussion!

This takes students through 63 slides and 3 levels of body percussion (clap, snap, stomp, and pat) sight reading.

Students will play a variety of rhythms as the teacher scrolls through the slides. Each slide contains one rhythm they will play and after advancing to the next slide, you can elect to give them a 4 beat or 2 beat prep to read the next rhythm, whichever works for you. The less prep they have, the better because...

There will be one rhythm (the poison rhythm, poison pattern, or OOPS! rhythm as we'll call it) that students DO NOT play! If they do, they're out of the game.

Students learn the rhythm before the round is played. Be careful or you will be ELIMINATED!

You can play this in teams, As vs Bs, however you wish!

There are 5 background grooves that go from 80 bpm to 120 bpm to challenge your kids as they go through the levels. There are 4 beat rhythms with quarter, eighth note pairs, and quarter note rests

Have a great time with this!

Banana Bread is a fun, 16-measure piano solo for the late beginner and was composed to help address two concepts to the late beginner student. The first being anacrusis, or Pick-Ups. The song starts off with a pick-up measure and this would be a good song to either reenforce or introduce anacrusis to students.

The other concept is to play with different hand positions. You’ll notice the only left hand note Your students’ right hand will need to be in C position, on the Middle C. From here, you can choose where the left hand is placed:

• Middle C position where both thumbs share Middle C.
• B-C position where the Left Hand thumb is on Bass B, and the Right Hand thumb is on Middle C.
• A regular C Position with Left Hand thumb is on Bass G and Right Hand Thumb is on Middle C. 

There are two versions of the song you can use with students:

1. Version 1 with regular note heads. 
2. Version 2 with note names in the note heads.

I hope you and your students have fun playing the song!

Did you know you can earn TeachShare credit for reviewing and rating resources?! It's true! It you find that you enjoy this song, please be sure to come back and provide your feed back so others teachers can find it and you can earn your credit!

Your Support of a small business is greatly appreciated!

This song is reproducible only by the original purchaser. If your colleagues like the song, be sure to tell them where you purchased it!

Catalog: PM-BBLB-DG

© 2024 ZS Music Publishing. All Rights

Accelerate your students' music theory skills with the Music Theory Speed Tests Bundle! This comprehensive collection of speed tests is designed to reinforce essential music theory concepts, helping students improve their speed, accuracy, and confidence in identifying key elements of music notation.

What’s Included:

1. Note Naming Speed Tests:

• Treble Clef and Bass Clef note identification.
• Students quickly name notes on the staff, building fluency in reading music.

1. Intervals Speed Tests:

• Two levels of difficulty: Interval Number and Interval Number with Quality.
• Covers all intervals from Perfect Unison to Perfect Octave.

1. Rhythm Note Duration Speed Tests:

• Two types: Single Note Duration and Combined Note Duration.
• Students identify and calculate the beats for notes and rests, including quarter, eighth, half, dotted half, and whole notes and their corresponding rests.

1. Key Signature Identification Speed Tests:

• Covers both Major and Minor key signatures.
• Students quickly identify key signatures, reinforcing their understanding of scales and tonality.

Bonus:

• Answer Keys Included for All Tests: Each speed test comes with a comprehensive answer key, making it easy to check students' work and provide immediate feedback.

How It Works:

• Engaging Practice: These speed tests are perfect for quick drills, timed quizzes, or competitive games, making music theory practice fun and dynamic.
• Comprehensive Coverage: This bundle covers a wide range of music theory topics, ensuring that students develop a well-rounded understanding of essential concepts.
• Flexible Use: Ideal for classroom activities, private lessons, or at-home practice, with tests that can be used as warm-ups, assessments, or challenges.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Builds Speed & Accuracy: Designed to help students quickly and accurately identify notes, intervals, rhythms, and key signatures—essential skills for any musician.
• Simple & Effective: Easy to integrate into any music curriculum, with clear instructions and a focus on critical theory concepts.
• Versatile Resource: Suitable for students at various levels, from beginners to more advanced learners who need a quick refresher or extra practice.

Perfect for:

• Music Classrooms: A great tool for reinforcing music theory skills in a group setting, encouraging friendly competition and rapid learning.
• Private Lessons: Use these speed tests as a quick warm-up or challenge to keep students engaged and focused.
• At-Home Practice: Parents can use these resources to support their child's music education in a fun and interactive way.

With the Music Theory Speed Tests Bundle, you’ll have everything you need to help your students master the fundamentals of music theory. The included answer keys ensure that grading is quick and easy, allowing you to focus on helping your students excel. Add this bundle to your teaching toolkit and watch your students' skills soar!