Teaching notes and rests, their values and how they can be identified, and played is something any parent can do in the homeschool if they have access to the correct tools and guidance. 

Therefore today I’m going to give you the necessary tools and also explain the exact steps you can use to easily introduce the Quarter Rest to your kids. 

So what are Quarter Rests? They are similar in value to Quarter Notes, but no note is played. 

They basically extend the silence by one beats. 

If you haven’t already introduced the Quarter Note, do that first, you can find the steps, flashcard and printable in the post 6 ‘Ridiculously Simple’ Steps To Teach Quarter Notes. 

And here’s how you can introduce the Quarter Rest to your kids in the homeschool.

Show The Note And The Rest

Yes, it is as easy as that.  

Show them the flashcard of the note and the rest side by side. 

Tell them that the Quarter Rest (point to it) is similar to the Quarter Note and consists of 1 beat.

Explain The Difference

Don’t forget to explain the difference. 

With a Quarter Note, we actually play a note, but with a Quarter Rest we don’t play a note, rather, there is silence for 1 beat, wherever there is a Quarter Rest. 

Ask Them Both Names

Yes, ask them to tell you the alternate name for the Quarter Rest. 

Since they know that the Quarter Note is called a Crotchet, it is very likely that they will make the connection and tell you that the alternate name for the Quarter Rest is a Crotchet Rest. 

Clapping

Now comes the interesting part. Ask them to clap the Crotchet Rest. 

Remember, a Crotchet Rest means there is silence for 1 beat, so there is no clapping only counting one beat. 

Understanding The Quarter Rest

To make the previous step less confusing, you draw or show a Whole/Half or Quarter Note before the Quarter Rest. Then ask them to clap. 

So, they should clap for the specific note you drew, then count the correct number of beats for that note, and finally count 1 more beat to signify the Quarter Rest. 

On The Keyboard

Repeat the above step on the keyboard. 

Have them play the note first and count the corresponding number of beats and then count an additional 1 beat to signify the Quarter Rest. 

Writing The Quarter Rest

Now teach them how to correctly write the Quarter Rest. 

Please use the printable I have included for this exercise.

Identifying The Quarter Rest

Finally it is time to look at different sheets of music and identify the Quarter Rests. 

Again you can use the printable I have included for this post. 

Weren’t the steps as easy as I promised? 

So what are you waiting for? 

Grab the printable and the flashcard and go get started. 

Today, I’m going to explain how you can introduce seven of the most important notes your child has to be able to identify on the Grand Staff. 

So instead of simply showing you how to introduce only the Treble Clef landmark notes or the Bass Clef landmark notes, you will be introducing notes across the Grand Staff to cover both clefs. 

Ready to get started?

Wait. 

Download the music theory worksheet I have created especially for this post, before you get started. 

Done?

Ok, we can get started right now. 

So what is the first note you should introduce?

Middle C

Middle C, is written on its own line. 

In the Treble Clef, Middle C is written on its own line and is below the Treble Staff. 

In the Bass Clef, Middle C is written on its own line and is placed above the Bass Staff. 

Dangerous D

This is D4 and it is lovingly known ‘Dangerous D’ because it hangs from the Treble Staff. 

This note is not a landmark note (in the real sense, because it is not created by the Treble Clef), yet, it is a note that your kids should learn at this point.  

It is also a very easy note to remember, because it comes directly after Middle C. 

Second Line G

This landmark note is created by the Treble Clef and is second line G or G4. 

Why is this G considered as a landmark note?

It is because the coil of the Treble Clef or the start of the Treble Clef is on the second line of the staff and the note on the second line on the Treble Staff is G4. 

What’s the next one?

Fifth Line F

F5 or the fifth line F in the Treble Staff is another landmark note created by the Treble Clef. 

Why is that?

It is because the twist of the Treble Clef before its head goes over the staff happens on the fifth line. 

Fourth Line F

The first landmark note created by the Bass Clef is fourth line F or F3. 

Why is this F considered as a landmark note?

It is because the dot that starts off the Bass Clef is written on the fourth line of the Bass Staff and that fourth line is the placement of F3 on the piano keyboard.  

What’s the next one?

First Space A

A2 or the first space A in the Bass Staff is the second landmark note created by the Bass Clef. 

Why is it considered a landmark note?

It is because the Bass Clef ends by lightly touching the first space. 

E2

E2 when written looks exactly like Middle C. 

It is written on its own line and not in the Bass Staff. 

Rather, it is written below the Bass Staff instead of on top (like Middle C). 

What do you think?

Was that information overload?

It shouldn’t have been, but if you feel that it might be too much for your kids, introduce the first four landmark notes (Middle C, Dangerous D, second line G and fifth line F) on one day and the rest on the next day. 

You can also read my posts 3 Absolutely Important Facts To Know About Middle C, 3 ‘Super Important’ Treble Clef Landmark Notes To Teach, and 3 ‘Ultra Important’ Bass Clef Landmark Notes To Teach, to gain more clarity and extra music theory worksheets to help your reinforce the concepts for your kids. 

That is a very unusual post title don’t you think?

What do pelicans and dolphins have to do with writing music notes? 

Well, today I thought that I should address one of the biggest problems kids face at music theory exams, when trying to write music notes with technical precision. 

They always get confused about the direction of stems, flags, beams and noteheads. 

There is a right and a wrong way to write noteheads, stems and even flags, and in this post, I’m going to cover it and make it so easy that you, even though you may not have learned any music, will be able to teach them and your kids will never be confused about stem, flag or notehead directions ever again. 

Don’t forget to download the music theory worksheet included at the bottom of this post. 

Ready?

Let’s get started, learning how to determine the direction of stems on notes. 

All you’ve got to remember are the words Pelicans and Dolphins when it comes to note stems

Why Pelicans?

Pelicans as you know are birds and birds fly. 

The word pelican starts with the letter ‘p’. 

Teach your kids to remember the word pelican, and the letter ‘p’ because notes written on or above third line in the staff look like the letter ‘p’. 

Their stems go down on the left side of the notehead. 

Isn’t that easy? 

They never have to be confused agin, if they remember that all notes on or above (flying in the sky) the third line have their stems going down just like the letter ‘p’ in the word pelican (a bird that flies in the sky). 

Why Dolphins?

I think you can guess this one. 

Dolphins are a type of fish that swim in the sea. 

Dolphins start with the letter ‘d’.

Every note on or below (swim in the sea) the 3rd line has its stem going up, just like the letter ‘d’.

The stem goes up on the right side of the notehead. 

Easy isn’t it?

No more confusion. 

Did you notice that noteheads on the 3rd line can be either ‘p’s or ‘d’s?

Yes, that is correct, they can have their stems going either up or down. 

What about flags then? 

The flag that is written with single eighth notes are always on the right and if the stem goes up the flag remains on the right side and goes down. 

On the other hand if the stem goes down, the flag still remains to the right side of the stem but this time it goes upward. 

Now use the music theory worksheet that I have made available and have your children learn this very important concept.