Teaching Note Values With Note Cards

Music Lesson: Note Values

A great way to teach note values to your child is to compare note values to note cards:

Materials Needed:

1. Pen

2. Multi-colored note cards

Instructions:

1. Draw a whole note on the back of a yellow note card. (As seen in photo.)

2. Cut a blue note card in half and draw a half note on each card. (As seen in photo.)

3. Cut a pink note card in quarters and draw a quarter note on each card. (As seen in photo.)


4. Cut a green card in eighths and draw an eighth note on each card. (As seen in photo.)

5. Lay out a card pyramid with the blank sides of the cards up as seen in the photo below:

















6. Tell your child that all of the cards are related and that there are 2 half cards in one whole card, 2 quarter cards in one half card, 2 eighth cards in one quarter card, 4 eighth cards in a half card, and so on.

Once your child understands the relationship between the cards, flip the cards over as seen in the photo below:

7. Explain to your child that just as the note cards are related, music notes are related in the same way. Tell your child that there are 2 half notes in a whole note, 4 quarter notes in a whole note, 2 eighth notes in a quarter note and so on.

8. Another fun way to use these cards is to have your child practice making rhythms by using Q-tips for bar lines as seen in the photo below:

9. After laying down a rhythm as seen in the photo above practice clapping the rhythm with your child.