The Grand Staff
Lesson Book page 30
- Staff
- Line and space notes
- Grand Staff
what's new
- Recognition of line and space numbering
- Equating the high staff with the RH, the low staff with the LH
what's important
let's get started
- (Use a large Grand Staff without clefs. Show the student how to number the lines and spaces.)
- For the top staff, I'll call for a line. You point to it. (Do the same for spaces.)
- For the bottom staff, I'll call for a line. You point to it. (Do the same for spaces.)
- Let's mix them up. (Call first for the top or bottom staff, then the number of the line or space.)
- (Explain line notes and space notes. Use the example in the book, notes on the large Grand Staff, or other music in the book.) Is this a line or a space note? How about this one? (Continue)
- Put your RH on the top staff, your LH on the bottom staff. The RH plays notes on the top staff, the LH plays notes on the bottom staff.
Lines and spaces—count up, count down.
explore and create
Sing Your Lines and Spaces
Point with your finger to the third line. Point with your finger to the fourth space. (Continue) (Download duet)Let's Change Places
I'll point and you tell me which line or space it is.Put It There!
(Have the student draw whole notes on the staff.) Draw a whole note on the top staff, line two. Now draw a whole note on the bottom staff, line three. (Continue)Hands Up!
(See video for an example of how to play this game.)
First comes the Grand Staff—without clefs.
partner pages
Theory
p. 18 The Staff
- Students review the staff as they number the lines and spaces, identify line and space notes, and form grand staves with bar lines and braces.
pedagogy pointers
The transference of reading from unstaffed notation to reading notes on the staff is carefully planned. By this time the student can read and play quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes and notes that move by step.
The student also knows the names of the white keys. Now it's time to connect these elements to the staff. The Grand Staff is introduced without clefs.