{
  "format": "lightmysky-pack",
  "version": 1,
  "name": "Music theory first steps",
  "description": "Learn about beat, rhythm, pitch, and reading your first notes.",
  "downloadable": true,
  "topics": [
    {
      "key": "finding-the-steady-beat",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "Finding the steady beat",
      "description": "Feel and keep the even beat that runs through a song.",
      "ages": [
        5,
        7
      ],
      "lesson": "Music has a steady beat. It is like a clock that ticks, or your heart tapping inside you. The beat keeps going and stays even the whole song.\n\ntip: Walking makes a steady beat. Left, right, left, right. Each step is one beat.\n\ntry: Put on a song you like and tap your knee with every step you hear. Keep your taps even. Do not rush and do not drag.\n\nexample: Clap along to a marching song and count out loud. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four.\n\nrecap: The beat is the steady tap that stays even all through a song.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What is the steady beat in music like?",
          "choices": [
            "A clock that keeps ticking evenly",
            "A sound that gets louder and louder",
            "A picture on the wall"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "The beat is steady and even, like a ticking clock.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "The beat should stay even and not rush.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "A steady beat keeps the same speed the whole song.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "When you walk, how many beats is each even step?",
          "choices": [
            "One beat",
            "Four beats",
            "No beats"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Each even step you take is one beat.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Which of these keeps a steady beat?",
          "choices": [
            "A ticking clock",
            "A surprise sneeze",
            "A quiet puddle"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A clock ticks evenly, just like a steady beat.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "A steady beat speeds up and slows down all the time.",
          "answer": false,
          "explanation": "A steady beat stays even and does not keep changing speed.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "You count a steady beat out loud: one, two, three, four. What number do you say after three?",
          "answer": 4,
          "explanation": "After three comes four, then you start again at one.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "You are clapping a steady beat and you start to rush and clap faster. What should you do?",
          "choices": [
            "Slow back down so the claps are even again",
            "Keep getting faster and faster",
            "Stop clapping for good"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A steady beat stays even, so you bring your claps back to the same speed.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Your heartbeat can help you feel what a steady beat is.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Your heart taps in an even way, a lot like a steady beat.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "long-and-short-sounds",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "Long and short sounds",
      "description": "Say ta and ti-ti for long and short sounds on the beat.",
      "ages": [
        5,
        8
      ],
      "after": [
        "#finding-the-steady-beat"
      ],
      "lesson": "Sounds in music can be long or short. We can say them with rhythm words. We say ta for one longer sound. We say ti-ti for two quick sounds that fit in the same space.\n\ntip: One ta takes the same time as ti-ti together. Ti-ti is just two little sounds squeezed into one beat.\n\ntry: Clap and say ta, ta, ta, ta. Now clap and say ti-ti, ti-ti, ti-ti, ti-ti. The ti-ti claps are quicker.\n\nexample: Say your name in rhythm. Sam is one ta. An-na is ti-ti. Clap it as you say it.\n\nrecap: We say ta for one sound and ti-ti for two quick sounds in the same beat.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What do we say for one longer sound?",
          "choices": [
            "Ta",
            "Ti-ti",
            "Boom"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "We say ta for one sound on a beat.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What do we say for two quick sounds in one beat?",
          "choices": [
            "Ti-ti",
            "Ta",
            "Shh"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Ti-ti is two quick sounds that share one beat.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Ti-ti is two quick sounds.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Ti-ti splits one beat into two quick sounds.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "How many sounds are in ti-ti?",
          "choices": [
            "Two",
            "One",
            "Four"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Ti-ti has two quick sounds in it.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "How many quick sounds do you clap when you say ti-ti one time?",
          "answer": 2,
          "explanation": "Ti-ti is two quick claps in one beat.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Ta and ti-ti take the same amount of time.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "One ta lasts as long as ti-ti together. Ti-ti just fills it with two sounds.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "The name An-na is clapped as two quick sounds. Which rhythm word fits it?",
          "choices": [
            "Ti-ti",
            "Ta",
            "Rest"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "An-na has two quick parts, so it is ti-ti.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Which word would you use for the name Sam, said as one sound?",
          "choices": [
            "Ta",
            "Ti-ti",
            "Ti-ti-ti"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Sam is one sound, so it is ta.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "loud-and-quiet",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "Loud and quiet",
      "description": "Forte means loud and piano means quiet.",
      "ages": [
        5,
        7
      ],
      "after": [
        "#finding-the-steady-beat"
      ],
      "lesson": "Music can be loud or quiet. Musicians have special words for this. Forte means loud. Piano means quiet.\n\ntip: Forte sounds like a big lion roar. Piano sounds like a soft mouse squeak.\n\ntry: Sing one line of a song forte, big and strong. Then sing the same line piano, small and gentle. Listen to how they feel different.\n\nexample: Clap your hands forte four times. Now tap one finger on your palm piano four times.\n\nrecap: Forte means loud and piano means quiet.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What does forte mean?",
          "choices": [
            "Loud",
            "Quiet",
            "Fast"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Forte means to play or sing loud.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What does piano mean?",
          "choices": [
            "Quiet",
            "Loud",
            "High"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Piano means to play or sing quiet.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Forte means loud.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Forte is the music word for loud.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Piano means loud.",
          "answer": false,
          "explanation": "Piano means quiet, not loud.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "A soft mouse squeak is most like which word?",
          "choices": [
            "Piano",
            "Forte",
            "Allegro"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A soft, quiet sound is piano.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "A big lion roar is most like which word?",
          "choices": [
            "Forte",
            "Piano",
            "Adagio"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A big, loud sound is forte.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "If a song says forte, you should sing it in a big, strong voice.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Forte means loud, so you use a big voice.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "You want to play the quiet part of a song. Which word tells you to do that?",
          "choices": [
            "Piano",
            "Forte",
            "Beat"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Piano is the word for playing quiet.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "fast-and-slow",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "Fast and slow",
      "description": "Tempo is the speed of the beat. Allegro is fast and adagio is slow.",
      "ages": [
        5,
        7
      ],
      "after": [
        "#finding-the-steady-beat"
      ],
      "lesson": "How fast or slow the beat goes is called the tempo. A fast tempo and a slow tempo have their own words. Allegro means fast. Adagio means slow.\n\ntip: Allegro is like running or skipping. Adagio is like a slow, sleepy walk.\n\ntry: March in place allegro, quick steps. Then march adagio, slow steps. Keep the beat even at each speed.\n\nexample: Tap the beat of a happy, quick song allegro. Then tap the beat of a lullaby adagio.\n\nrecap: Tempo is how fast the beat goes. Allegro is fast and adagio is slow.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What does allegro mean?",
          "choices": [
            "Fast",
            "Slow",
            "Loud"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Allegro means a fast tempo.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What does adagio mean?",
          "choices": [
            "Slow",
            "Fast",
            "Quiet"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Adagio means a slow tempo.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Tempo means how fast or slow the beat goes.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Tempo is the speed of the beat.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Adagio means fast.",
          "answer": false,
          "explanation": "Adagio means slow, not fast.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "A slow, sleepy lullaby has which tempo?",
          "choices": [
            "Adagio",
            "Allegro",
            "Forte"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A slow song is adagio.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Skipping quickly around the room is most like which tempo?",
          "choices": [
            "Allegro",
            "Adagio",
            "Piano"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Quick movement matches allegro, a fast tempo.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "A fast song and a slow song can both have a steady beat.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "The beat can be fast or slow and still stay even.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "The music speeds up from slow to fast. It is changing from adagio toward which word?",
          "choices": [
            "Allegro",
            "Piano",
            "Rest"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Getting faster moves toward allegro.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "high-and-low-sounds",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "High and low sounds",
      "description": "Pitch is how high or low a sound is.",
      "ages": [
        5,
        8
      ],
      "lesson": "Sounds can be high or low. How high or low a sound is has a name. It is called pitch. A bird chirp is high. A big drum is low.\n\ntip: When you sing high, the sound goes up. When you sing low, the sound goes down.\n\ntry: Sing a high squeaky sound like a little bird. Then sing a low rumbly sound like a big bear. Feel how they are different.\n\nexample: Find high and low sounds at home. A tiny bell is high. Knocking on a big door is low.\n\nrecap: Pitch is how high or low a sound is.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What do we call how high or low a sound is?",
          "choices": [
            "Pitch",
            "Beat",
            "Rest"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Pitch is how high or low a sound is.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "A tiny bird chirp is a sound that is...",
          "choices": [
            "High",
            "Low",
            "Loud"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A bird chirp is a high sound.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "A big drum makes a low sound.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Big drums make low sounds.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Pitch means how loud a sound is.",
          "answer": false,
          "explanation": "Pitch is how high or low a sound is, not how loud.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "When you sing higher, which way does the sound go?",
          "choices": [
            "Up",
            "Down",
            "Away"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Higher sounds go up.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Which of these is most likely a low sound?",
          "choices": [
            "A big bear growl",
            "A tiny bird chirp",
            "A little bell"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A big bear growl is low.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "Two sounds can be the same loudness but one can still be higher than the other.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "Loudness and pitch are different, so a sound can be high or low at any loudness.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "A whistle and a big door knock play together. Which one is the higher pitch?",
          "choices": [
            "The whistle",
            "The door knock",
            "Neither one"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A whistle is high and a knock on a big door is low.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "the-staff-and-where-notes-sit",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "The staff and where notes sit",
      "description": "The staff has five lines and four spaces, and notes sit on them.",
      "ages": [
        6,
        9
      ],
      "after": [
        "#high-and-low-sounds"
      ],
      "lesson": "Music is written on a set of lines called the staff. The staff has five lines. Between the lines there are four spaces. Notes sit on the lines and in the spaces.\n\ntip: Count the lines from the bottom to the top. Line one is at the bottom and line five is at the top.\n\ntip: A note that sits higher on the staff sounds higher. A note that sits lower sounds lower.\n\ntry: Draw five lines across your paper. Point to each of the four spaces between them. Now draw a round note on a line, then draw one in a space.\n\nrecap: The staff has five lines and four spaces, and notes sit on them.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "How many lines does the staff have?",
          "answer": 5,
          "explanation": "The staff has five lines.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "How many spaces are between the lines of the staff?",
          "answer": 4,
          "explanation": "There are four spaces on the staff.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Where do notes sit on the staff?",
          "choices": [
            "On the lines and in the spaces",
            "Only under the staff",
            "Off the side of the paper"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Notes sit on the lines and in the spaces.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "The staff has four lines.",
          "answer": false,
          "explanation": "The staff has five lines, not four.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "A note near the top of the staff sounds...",
          "choices": [
            "Higher",
            "Lower",
            "Quieter"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Notes higher on the staff sound higher.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "A note lower on the staff sounds lower.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "The lower a note sits, the lower it sounds.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "Add the number of lines and the number of spaces on the staff. What do you get?",
          "answer": 9,
          "explanation": "Five lines plus four spaces makes nine.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "You count the staff lines from bottom to top. Which line is at the very bottom?",
          "choices": [
            "Line one",
            "Line five",
            "Line four"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "We count from the bottom, so the bottom line is line one.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "note-names-a-to-g",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "Note names A to G",
      "description": "The musical alphabet and the treble clef landmarks E G B D F and FACE.",
      "ages": [
        7,
        10
      ],
      "after": [
        "#the-staff-and-where-notes-sit"
      ],
      "lesson": "Notes have letter names. We use only seven letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. After G we start again at A. This is the musical alphabet.\n\nThe treble clef is the curly sign at the start of the staff. It helps us name the notes. The notes on the five lines, from bottom to top, are E, G, B, D, F. A fun way to remember them is Every Good Boy Does Fine.\n\nThe notes in the four spaces, from bottom to top, spell a word. They are F, A, C, E. That spells face, which is easy to remember.\n\ntry: Say the musical alphabet up: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Now start again at A. Then say the line notes E, G, B, D, F, and the space notes F, A, C, E.\n\nrecap: Music uses the letters A to G, the treble lines are E G B D F, and the spaces spell FACE.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "How many letter names does the musical alphabet use?",
          "answer": 7,
          "explanation": "The musical alphabet uses seven letters, A to G.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Which letter comes right after G in the musical alphabet?",
          "choices": [
            "A",
            "H",
            "F"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "After G we start again at A.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What word do the four space notes spell, from bottom to top?",
          "choices": [
            "FACE",
            "CAKE",
            "STAR"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "The space notes are F, A, C, E, which spells face.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "The treble line notes from bottom to top are...",
          "choices": [
            "E G B D F",
            "A B C D E",
            "F A C E"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "The lines are E, G, B, D, F.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "The four space notes spell the word FACE.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "From bottom to top the spaces are F, A, C, E.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "The musical alphabet goes all the way to Z.",
          "answer": false,
          "explanation": "It only uses A to G, then starts again at A.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Every Good Boy Does Fine helps you remember which notes?",
          "choices": [
            "The line notes E G B D F",
            "The space notes F A C E",
            "The five spaces"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "The first letters E, G, B, D, F are the line notes.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "The bottom space note is F and the top space note is E. Which two notes are between them?",
          "choices": [
            "A and C",
            "B and D",
            "G and B"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "The spaces spell F, A, C, E, so A and C are in the middle.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "reading-and-clapping-simple-rhythms",
      "subject": "Arts & Music",
      "name": "Reading and clapping simple rhythms",
      "description": "Quarter notes, eighth-note pairs, a quarter rest, and four beats in a bar.",
      "ages": [
        7,
        10
      ],
      "after": [
        "#long-and-short-sounds",
        "#the-staff-and-where-notes-sit"
      ],
      "lesson": "Now we can read rhythms and clap them. A quarter note gets one beat, and we say ta for it. Two eighth notes are joined together and share one beat, and we say ti-ti for them. A quarter rest is one beat of silence, so we stay quiet and count it.\n\ntip: The notes are grouped into small boxes called bars. In many songs each bar has four beats.\n\ntry: Clap this bar and say it: ta, ti-ti, ta, ta. That is four beats. The ti-ti is two quick claps in one beat.\n\ntry: Read this bar with a rest: ta, ta, rest, ta. On the rest, open your hands and stay silent for one beat, then keep counting.\n\nexample: Make your own four beat bar. Pick from ta, ti-ti, and a rest for each beat. Clap it four times in a row.\n\nrecap: A quarter note is one beat, two eighth notes share one beat, a quarter rest is one silent beat, and a bar here has four beats.",
      "questions": [
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "How many beats does one quarter note get?",
          "answer": 1,
          "explanation": "A quarter note gets one beat.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "What do we say for a quarter note?",
          "choices": [
            "Ta",
            "Ti-ti",
            "Shh"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A quarter note is one beat, and we say ta.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "In our bars, how many beats are in one bar?",
          "answer": 4,
          "explanation": "Each bar here has four beats.",
          "difficulty": 1
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "Two eighth notes joined together share how many beats?",
          "choices": [
            "One beat",
            "Two beats",
            "Four beats"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A pair of eighth notes shares one beat, and we say ti-ti.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "true_false",
          "prompt": "A quarter rest means you stay silent for one beat.",
          "answer": true,
          "explanation": "A quarter rest is one beat of silence.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "You clap the bar ta, ti-ti, ta, ta. How does the ti-ti sound?",
          "choices": [
            "Two quick claps in one beat",
            "One long clap",
            "No clap at all"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "Ti-ti is two quick claps that share one beat.",
          "difficulty": 2
        },
        {
          "type": "numeric",
          "prompt": "A bar has ta, ti-ti, ta, ta. Counting each beat, how many beats is that bar?",
          "answer": 4,
          "explanation": "Ta, ti-ti, ta, ta is four beats, because ti-ti still fills only one beat.",
          "difficulty": 3
        },
        {
          "type": "mcq",
          "prompt": "On a quarter rest in the middle of a bar, what do you do?",
          "choices": [
            "Stay silent for one beat, then keep counting",
            "Clap twice quickly",
            "Stop the whole song"
          ],
          "answerIndex": 0,
          "explanation": "A rest is one silent beat, so you keep counting and come back in.",
          "difficulty": 3
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}