Student Activity: Key Signature Matches

Keys and key signatures: A perennial topic my young students struggle to grasp. Yet, it is an unquestionably important concept that students comprehend in order to further advance in their piano journey.

Being a teacher, I am mindful that the process of memorization can be a tad painful. Similar to multiplication tables, students are left with little alternatives but to commit the formula of writing key signatures and the keys the former represent to pure memory. This can lead to a rather dry and mundane lesson, perhaps even leaving students overwhelmed with "information overload". The burden of remembering is amplified when minor keys are added.

Gamifying this, however, can be a strategic in getting students to reinforce their learning voluntarily as they ignite their competitive "must-win" spirits.

The Key Signature Mix-and-Match game is created from scratch with the goal of motivating my students to strengthen their ability of reading key signatures, and pairing them with the correct keys.

Bearing Christmas-themed characters, the cards carry a key signature with their respective major and minor keys.

Cute Christmas-theme icons spruce up cards' appeal.

For Major Keys

1. Place the cards with the key signatures on the first row and the cards with the major keys on the row below. All cards are to be face-down, showing the reindeer and snowman.

2. The number of cards present depends on the number of key signatures and their respective majors. I usually use seven cards for each row, with key signatures comprising of up to 3 sharps and 3 flats, and the key signature of C major.

3. First player - usually my student - would choose to open any card on the first row and verbally announce what key is the correct match.

4. The player would then "guess" which snowman card contains the correct major key. If it's a match, the player gets to keep the pair. If not, the next player gets his/her turn.

5. The winner is the player with the most number of pairs.

Mid-way through the game, I would also rearrange the order of the cards to spice up the challenge. That way, nobody can recall the exact position of each card.

For Minor Keys

Follow the steps above. The only tweak now lies in the second row, where elf cards containing minor keys are employed.

Here is one of my students playing the game, and searching for the relative minor of the key signature card picked. To further enhance learning, I would also quiz them on the various raised notes that are part of the minor scale.