Reply To: What to do with keyboards

[nafmeadmin]

Keyboards are great for engaging middle school students. Assign them to a keyboard in rotating CENTERS so that each kid gets a good 20 minutes or so to work. Assign a composing project with specific guidelines / requirements. Ex. Piece must be 8 measures long, must use at least 5 notes, include chromatic notes, two dynamics. Make this into a rubric (admins love that and it’s really best for middle school – clear expectations). This could also be group work.

Main idea is use the keyboards to reinforce or teach skills you’re already doing in class or would like to do.
If there’s extra time — or if you make extra time in the schedule and they earn it — let them turn the volume down or put on earbuds and play around with the sounds / effects / patterns.
Good luck!!