Music Theory Teacher Resources

In this notes worksheet, students name the notes C through G reading sheet music.

Math will resonate with your young artists and musicians when they learn that a mathematical formula describes a musical sound that is pleasing to our ears. Beethoven uses the certainty of mathematics to convey emotion and...

The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.

Traditional Irish music can bring even the most stoic audience to tears. This St. Patrick's Day, explore the lilting flutes and mournful ballads of the Emerald Isle with a interactive and inspiring music lesson.

American music is the result of the influence of many cultures, including the traditions brought by the African slaves. Young scholars study the polyrhythms, the call-and-response format, and the vocal improvisations of the Gullah...

Young musicians must unscramble music expressions and then use the key pad from a digital keyboard to answer a music trivia question.

Navajo code talkers beware! These kids use music symbols to break the codes and find both the question and the answer to a music trivia question.

Which Beatle received the most fan mail? To answer this music trivia question, young musicians must employ their knowledge of scales, key signatures, and leading notes to find the letters that spell out the name of one of the famous mop...

Combine math, language arts, music, and dance with an activity focused on "America" from West Side Story. After listening to the song, learners compare the film to Romeo and Juliet, analyze the song's meter, design choreography, plan...

How are music and emotion related? Using lesson plan two of four from the Changing One's Tune: A Music Therapy STEM Integrated Project Series, scholars explore the connection between the two topics. They learn to recognize different...

Get a jam session started in your elementary music class! Learners engage in melody transitions by singing a familiar song and passing on the tune to the next person.

Name that note. Every good boy (and girl) will find it easy to draw notes on these worksheets. The packet includes templates for note drawing, naming, etc.

Here's a major and minor triads learning exercise that asks young musicians to name the root, third, and fifth notes and the chord the notes produce.

Young musicians are asked to name the eight different intervals pictured on a worksheet that also asks them to identify the low and high notes, the half steps, and the distance between the notes.

Learners explore the black keys on the piano and basic music theory techniques using the Internet as a guide. Websites visited include www.PianoNanny.com and musictheory.net.

Learners explore how to construct and play diminished triads and half and whole diminished chords on the keyboard. They create appropriate sounds to accompany sections of the movie "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrors." Students discuss the...

When you hear the first few beats of "Despacito," the unrivaled Latin pop hit of 2017, you can't keep your feet from moving! A music analysis lesson plan examines the intoxicating hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and introduces the...

Students explore Indian ragas and learn the differences between an Indian raga and the Western scale. They sing the familiar song "America," first in the Western major scale and then in two Indian ragas (bhairavi and purvi) on a neutral...

Students engage in a lesson that is about the beginning music theory and rhythmic notation. They write the music for a percussion ensemble that is 16 measures long. Students incorporate quarter and eight notes with rest that includes...

Pupils listen to pitches and determine if they are in tune, flat or sharp. Using Aurelia computer software and playing as a band, students practice pitch theory, and play two-octave major scales. They practice and discuss how to tune...

Students complete their own composition (ABA song form, C Major scale, 32-60 measures) using the keyboard and sequencing software on the computer to playback the song. They fill in answers in their workbooks and watch how to transfer...

Don't have a keyboard in the classroom but still want to teach piano theory? No problem! Learners engage in "silent practice" as they play classic songs like "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on a printed keyboard image. Use the images on the...

The strong connections between math and music are explored in this short video that uses group theory to visualize musical chords. Makes you wonder what Arthur Rubinstein would have thought of all this.

Engage young mathematicians in learning about fractions with this cross-curricular math and music lesson. After listening to and repeating different beat patterns, children realize that musical notes are just another way of representing...