To complete unit A8 students should be comfortable with:
- identifying skips
- identifying steps
- playing pieces that include steps, skips, or a mixture of the two.
- learn what ‘unison’ means
You could also start to encourage aural identification of these sounds in preparation for aurally identifying specific intervals.
- Use physical whole-body movements to explain skips and steps
- For example, place three – five markers on the floor (e.g. hoops, mats, etc.) show students the difference between steps and skips by asking them to move from one marker to the next (a step), or to ‘skip’ over a marker in between two.
- Extend this activity by showing them step or skip flash cards and asking them to step or skip between markers as appropriate.
- Add an aural element to the activity by asking students to step/skip between markers when you play the associated sound on your instrument. Reverse this by skipping/stepping between markers yourself and getting students to play the corresponding sound.
- Skip and step flash cards can be used to test their ability to spot skips and steps in music. The student does not necessarily need to know the note names for this and it is a good opportunity to introduce the principle of other notes on the stave. With notes they do know ask them to play the skips or steps on the piano.
- Identify skips and steps in the pieces they are learning.
- Treasure in the Desert can be found in the Free music pack (Beginner Theory selection), and is a fun simple game about skips and steps.
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- Steps quiz – draw steps using Stage A notes
- Skips quiz – draw skips using notes within Stage A and just outside the range
- Steps & Skips quiz – identify steps and skips on the page.