Tag Archives: Song Revision

Dynamics and Italian Terms for Singing Time

I have one child in Primary who loves to torment me (why is there always one?).  Anyways, he said “Why don’t you teach us actual music?”  So I thought “Okay, I will”.  So I quickly made up these Dynamics and Italian Terms cards to use whenever I want to revise a song with the children.

 

Dynamics-and-Italian-Terms-picture-cropped

 

I did do them quickly, and added to them as I went so they’re not consistent.  Here are the secrets:-

 

The Dynamics cards are not back to back on each sheet.  Rather the first side of page 1 goes with the first side of page 2.  The second side of page 1 goes with the second side of page 2…if that makes sense.  Etc.

 

The Italian Terms cards are easier.  They’re on the same page.

 

Cut each little half page out, match it up and laminate.  I stuck a giant paddle pop stick onto one side of a page with sticky tape.  Then I stuck the matching side on with more tape.  Simple but effective.

 

If I were to print them out again, I would do all the Italian Term cards one colour, and all the Dynamics cards a different colour, but I’m not going to waste paper at this point.  Besides, it keeps the children on their toes :D

 

Just to avoid confusion, here are what the fronts and backs of each card is supposed to say:-

DYNAMICS:

P – Piano/Soft

F – Forte/Loud

(Rectangle hanging from a line) – Semibreve Rest/Whole Bar Rest

Sfz – Sforzando/Strong Accent

(Looks like a greater than sign) – Crescendo

(Looks like a less than sign) – Diminuendo

 

ITALIAN TERMS

Staccato – Short and Separate/Detached

Legato – Smoothly, Well Connected

Calando – Gradual decrease in volume and tempo

 

The children absolutely love these, especially Snr Primary.  I generally use two at a time for each verse of a song I want to revise.  I might throw in an extra ‘surprise’ in a verse.  Use Sfz sparingly.

 

Here are the pdf’s of the cards:

Italian Terms for Singing Time 1

Dynamics for Singing Time1

Kiss or Miss – Song Revision Game

Hershey KissesI purchased a Classic Bag of Hershey’s Kisses on my recent trip to the US.  I think they’re the red, silver and gold ones? – we don’t have them in Australia (only silver, and they’re difficult to find), so it’s my special treat for Snr Primary.

I’m not doing this game with Jnr Primary, because it won’t work in my ward at the moment.

The game is like pass the parcel, but there’s a twist.

Set up:

– Have the children sit in a large circle.

– Instruct your Pianist on the song you wish to revise and how to play.

 

How to play:

– Drop 3 or 4 ‘Kisses’ into the hand of a child.

– Start the music.  The children need to sing along to the music.

– When the music stops, tell the child left holding the Kisses “Kiss or Miss”.  The child holding the Kisses can choose to sing the next line of the song, or miss out, and pass the Kisses on to the next child to sing the line.  Once they sing the next line (or mime actions if they are a non-singer or self conscious) they can keep the Kisses.

– Give the child 3 or 4 more kisses to pass around, and begin from the line they just sang (you could repeat that line and keep going).

 

Extras:

– You might have a ‘savvy’ pianist who selectively chooses when to stop, so that everyone gets a turn.

– Make sure you have enough Kisses to hand out to all the children who haven’t received any when your time runs out.

– Think about what you’re going to do if a child/children get a second go.  Do they have to give the kisses to a teacher?  To the Primary President?  Share with other children?  Keep for themselves?  I would haven’t any children sit out for this game.