Mi-Do-Do Game | Free Music Lesson Plan (Solfège)

Music Lesson Plan

Watch the video for a demonstration of this music lesson plan or follow the step-by-step plan below.

Step 1
Draw an eight-step staircase on the whiteboard. Write the solfège syllables below each step (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do).

Step 2
Explain to the students, "Solfège is a way to teach sight-singing where every note has its own special name. On the board, we have the basic syllables: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti. The last 'do' is just like the first one, but higher!" Play both Do's on the piano to show the difference.

Step 3
Play the scale on the piano while singing the solfège syllables clearly for the class.

Step 4
Ask the class to sing the scale with you as you play.

Step 5
Quiz students to check for understanding: "What is Solfège?"

Step 6
Share a fun fact: "A long time ago, there was a bird called the Dodo. It lived on an island near Africa and was so friendly and flightless - and maybe a bit of a "dodo" - that it was very easy to catch. Sadly, that's why the Dodo is extinct today. We’re going to play the Mi-Do-Do Game, and the goal is to make sure you don't get caught being a Dodo Bird!"

Step 7
Explain the rules: "I will sing and play three syllables, and you should repeat them back to me immediately. But there’s a catch! If I sing 'Mi-Do-Do,' you must remain silent. If you repeat me when I sing 'Mi-Do-Do,' you’ve been caught as a Dodo Bird!"

Step 8
Start the game with easy patterns and gradually get faster. Have fun with it—a little giggle when someone gets caught makes it a hit every time!