Bundle Up Your Black Notes

I teach the Yamaha MIE program to students in gades K-8. Beginning piano skills are developed through the use of clusters of black note. Students begin by finding clusters of 2 and clusters of 3 black notes and playing them on the keyboard. Then they play steady beat with the clusters and then more complicated patterns until they are ready to learn the names of the keys and read "real" music. Kindergarten and first graders start identifiying and playing cluster pattern songs after our annual winter concert. The bulletin board "Bundle Up Your Black Notes" contains several clusters of 2 and 3 keys with stocking caps and little mittens on. I use the bulletin board as a visual reminder to students that the black notes are arranged in "bundles" or clusters.