Turns out scales aren’t so bad when you’re adding a different rhythm to them. Enter…Harry Potter Rhythms! I have taken some well known names from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Harry_Potter_characters and put them onto cards.
The idea is that those students who are familiar with Harry Potter will go “Aaaaaaaaaah I know that person” and get all enthusiastic, then you ask them to play a scale to the rhythm of the name in bold. The way you say it is the way you play it. For example: Malfoy has two syllables, so if we are doing a C Major scale, it will be C – C, D – D etc.
The harder version is to go up and down the scale with one syllable per note.
Here are the cards: Scale Rhythm Cards with Harry Potter Names
I have also included backs for those that like backs. I do. I print the front and backs out on separate pieces of paper, then glue them together. Or sometimes I cut them out first, then glue them together before laminating. ;D
