I’ve been meaning to put this one up for a while, but hadn’t gotten around to it. I have been using this particular mnemonic with most of my students for quite a long time and it isn’t one they forget easily. I grew up hearing ‘Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle’ and the reverse for flats, but I didn’t understand what it was about Father Charles and what on earth they were fighting about?
I can’t for the life of me remember where, but I heard ‘Father Christmas Gets Drunk After Each Beer’ (delightful!) but it stuck in my head. Of course, if it is going to stick in my head, it will definitely be remembered by students who seem to like quirky little things like that.
I also love ‘Father Christmas Gives Dad An Electric Blanket” and reverse it for the flats ‘Blanket Explodes And Dad Gets Cold Feet”. If anyone wants to draw an electric blanket and make up a poster, I’d love to know 😀
On a personal note, I only get my students to learn one of those, because the flats are just the sharp mnemonic, but backwards. I learned it as BEAD GCF and pictured a beaded necklack with ‘GCF’ written on them. Easy.
Anyways, if you want a copy of this Order of Sharps poster with the “Father Christmas…” mnemonic, click here: Order of Sharps
