Level 1a Certificate Materials

The Practice Materials below will help you learn everything you need for your certificate. The Badge Exams show you what we'll use to evaluate your skills and knowledge when you're ready to earn a badge. When you've earned all your badges for this level, you'll receive your certificate!

Practice Materials

Note Reading

To earn your 1A Note Reading Badge, you'll need to know your finger numbers, white key names, and high and low on the keyboard. Use the practice flashcards below to learn them.

Rhythm Badge

To earn your rhythm badge, you will need to:

  • correctly answer all of the flashcards below.

  • tap and count rhythmic examples like the ones below. These are just practice examples. You will be asked to tap new examples.

Level 1A Rhythm Examples

For help with counting rhythms, check out Counting 101 here.

Vocabulary Badge

To earn your Vocabulary Badge, you'll have to correctly answer all of the cards below.

Performance Badge

To complete your Performance Badge of your certificate, you must:


Choose one piece from this list:

  • Men from Mars
    (Lesson pg. 29)

  • Ode to Joy
    (Lesson pg. 30)

  • Banana Split
    (Performance pg. 8)

  • Trains A’ Comin
    (Performance pg. 9)

  • Eensie Weensie Spider
    (My First PA pg. 82)

  • Graduation Party

(My First PA pg. 84)


Practice it until it is performance-ready. Perform this piece in the lobby at the end of your lesson. Whoever is in the lobby is your audience!


Your teacher will tell you if your performance was ready for a certificate. If so - woo-hoo! You’ve completed the Performance Section of your certificate. If not, try again next week!

Badge Exams

That's right - you get to see the test before you take it! When you're ready to earn a badge, we'll use these Badge Exams to evaluate your skills and your knowledge. A few things to notice:

  • You won't see the answer cards during the exam. You'll complete the whole set and find out how you did at the end.

  • You should be able to provide all the answers quickly and confidently.

  • You get to see the exams in advance just so there are no surprises. But our flashcards may be in a different order, or we may ask for slightly different information than what you see here. Be prepared and flexible!

  • You need to get everything 100% correct. If you don't, you can always try again next week. The standard is high, but you have unlimited chances to meet it.

Note Reading Badge Exam

Rhythm Badge Exam

This badge exam has two parts. First, flashcards from this level.

Second, you'll need to tap and count rhythm examples like the ones in the practice materials above. These will be new rhythms that you have not seen before. You will be given some time to look them over before you tap them.

Vocabulary Badge Exam

This Badge Exam has all the vocabulary from this level.

Performance Badge Exam

To earn your Performance Badge, you select music from the list above and perform it in the Peaslee lobby after your lesson.

In order for it to count as a performance badge, your teacher will ask the following questions:

  • Were all the notes, rhythms, dynamics, and articulations correct and audible?

  • Was the tempo appropriate and steady?

  • Was the playing smooth, with no stops, re-dos, or hesitations?

If the answer to all those questions is yes, you earn your badge. If not, try again next week!

Book Badge

No exam for your Book Badge! You'll get it when you finish:


  • Pages 1-33 in the Piano Adventures Primer Lesson Book.

    OR

  • My First PA Lesson Book A.

    OR

  • Unit 1 of the Accelerated PA Lesson Book.


Teachers may suggest review or supplementary materials before, during, or after your time in that book.