Beginning Of Year Game And Instrument Review - Cathy L. Walker

I normally play a SILENT matching game to begin the year. Each child will find a neon 3" x 5" notecard under his/her chair. Each card has either a picture of an instrument, the name of an instrument, or a written description of an instrument. Instructions are given for the students to silently wander around the room until they find the three instrument cards that belong together (picture, name, and description). When the students find all three, they are to sit together. When all students have found their partners, I have the student from each group with the written description stand and read what is on their card. The other students are to guess what instrument is being described. After the answer is given, I show them the instrument, review the method of playing it properly, and discuss the sounds that it produces. All of the students seem to enjoy the interaction of the game, and it is a wonderful way to do a review at the beginning of the year. This game also allows any new students a chance to see what we learned last year.