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High-Medium-Low them in sneaky ways. I would incorporate these tricks
gradually. All of them can make the game way more
Rules: fun for a class that is eager for a challenge, or really
frustrating for a class that isn’t quite ready.
1) The students must look at you at all points in time.
They may blink (yes, they will ask you this) Demonstration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vJrz7_uzsc or
2) You will shake your arms above your head, at shoul- scan the QR code below.
der height, or down by your waist. Each time your
arms change position, you will say either “high,”
“medium,” or “low.”

3) “Do what I say, not what I do” is what I tell my
students. Meaning, they will need to make their
arms move in whatever direction you tell them to
with your voice. “High” means shake your hands Four Behind
above your head, “medium” is by your shoulders,
and “low” is down by your waist. Rules:

4) Your goal is to trick the students into moving their 1) You will create a four-beat pattern using some sort of
arms the same direction you move yours, even body percussion (snapping, clapping, patting your
when your arm movements don’t match up with legs, etc.) or vocal sound.
what your voice says.
2) The students will echo your pattern.
Pros: This is a fun activity that can energize and focus
your students at any point in a rehearsal. One of the 3) While they are echoing you, you are simultaneous-
reasons I like using it at the beginning of the year is it ly showing them the next four-beat pattern. This
allows me to use my voice as a tool for “play.” Once the creates a cycle of them echoing the pattern that
students are comfortable with the game, I will make my they just saw, while watching you to see what they
vocal inflection match the direction my hands are mov- will do next.
ing. If I say “high,” I will use a floaty, falsetto sound,
when I say “medium,” I will use my regular speaking Pros: This is a great attention grabber to use at the start
voice, and “low” is borderline vocal fry. I can add an- of class or can function as a brain break in the mid-
other level of play by using my falsetto on “low” and a dle of rehearsal. Incorporating spoken patterns can let
deep pitch on “high.” This helps break the ice a little your students play with timbre, range, and dynamics.
with my students in regard to using their own voices, For added benefit, you can have them play the game
especially when encouraging boys to access their own to music. This is a fun way to help develop their sense
falsetto. For a smooth transition, you can end this ac- of steady beat. You can also incorporate challenging
tivity on a “high,” then go directly into siren echoes to rhythmic patterns that will be introduced in your rep-
begin your vocal warmups. ertoire and help them develop fluency in those patterns
in a playful way.
Things to Consider: There are lots of ways you can adjust
the difficulty of this game: how long you wait between Things to Consider: I’ve had the best luck teaching this
before having the kids change position, how emphati- one when I break down the learning process. First I’ll
cally or calmly you give a command, establishing short, have the students echo four beat body percussion pat-
repeated patterns of commands and then breaking terns, but I won’t show them their next pattern until

CHORAL JOURNAL August 2025 Volume 66 Number 1 65