Day at the Races Piano Challenge

We started a new incentive to challenge piano students to go a little above and beyond in their piano lessons. It's amazing how a little bit of competition really motivates a student!

I printed out paper horses from clipart that I found and wrote each student's name on a horse.  Then i made a "racetrack" using long paper across the wall and drawing lines on it. 

Here were their criteria for this challenge:

A Day at the Races

Piano Challenge

Gain Yards on the Track:

Attend a workshop = 2 yards

Perform in a recital = 2 yards

Attend a concert or musical = 4 yards

Memorize a song = 1 yard

Compose & notate a song (8 measures or more) = 4 yards

Perform a piano solo on your own (church, nursing home, school, etc.) = 4 yards

Show your teacher a YouTube video that you enjoy with a piano part in it = 1 yard

Learn & master a song independently = 3 yards

Complete theory pages or worksheets = 1 yard

Do a mini report on a composer = 2 yards

Play at least 20 minutes of Piano Maestro at home in one week = 2 yards

Lose Yards on the Track:

Forget your sheet music or lesson books = -2 yards

Make a negative comment (“I can't do this” “This is too hard” etc.) = -3 yards

Prizes:

First 25 students to finish the race will be entered into a drawing to win a king-sized candy bar (10 available).