Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: Level Up Cups (Part 1)
(Cup Game with Body Percussion)
Upper Elementary/Middle (5-6)
© 2025 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about navigating a cup game that includes 3 levels of body percussion! It goes with “Come and Get Your Love” by Cullen Vance because of its solid backbeat foundation and beautiful instrumentation.
This track is available on multiple streaming audio platforms. (Like many of my teaching strategies, you should feel free to find other audio tracks to anchor the learning experience using music that works in your setting or new tracks to simply “mix it up.”)
Pedagogical Foundations
Sometimes we really do need to do multiple things at once (lol).
In music we all know that playing an instrument requires SO many details and steps. At first, beginning instrumentalists focus on producing a sound, knowing fingerings, and reading music notation. Once they have that down, they are able to focus on things like intonation, articulation, phrasing, and dynamics. And then (wow) when they play in an ensemble, they are doing ALL of that while following a conductor, listening to themselves and the other players, and responding to an audience. It’s amazing when they realize that their fingers press the keys down to form notes without having to label the Bb, for example. They see the note on the score and their brain (and hands) know what to do!
Why am I talking about multitasking as a foundation for a cup game?
We all know it’s pretty easy for cup games to get messy, and that’s cool… but why does that happen? In my view, it happens because cup games require students to learn and perform a rhythmic sequence in a group context. Every member of the group contributes to the success of the rhythmic flow. Additionally, these games require students to demonstrate physical coordination, right and/or left direction, and control.
They need to anticipate the next move in the sequence in order to stay in the game. Oftentimes, if someone makes an error with the pattern, or loses control of their cup, one of their classmates will not get a cup passed to them at the right time. This creates a “domino effect” that interrupts the flow of the game.
In order for students to play an uninterrupted cup game they need to
1.) Focus on Learning AND Memorizing the Sequence;
2.) Anticipate the Next Move in the Sequence;
3.) Stay Cool (personal stress adds unnecessary pressure to the game — and likely yields a loss of control of the cup and/or rigid movements and coordination); and
4.) Become familiar with the Game! (I think it’s safe to say that EVERYONE gets better doing something with practice, effort, and familiarity. Additionally, it’s WAY more fun to do things we do well rather than things that present difficulty or big challenge.)
Games are outstanding pedagogical tools that make learning fun and exciting for students. Watch them play familiar games they love and you’ll see multitasking and the application of skills and knowledge in auto-pilot-mode. So awesome.
Today’s teaching strategy “Level Up Cups” includes a combination of body percussion moves within the context of a cup game—that require remembering, anticipation, coordination, and ultimately the ability to perform in auto-pilot mode. I hope you give it a try with your students. But first, let me remind you who I am:
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Today we are going to play a cup game… but this one is a bit different — it includes a rhythmic sequence using cups and body percussion!
Invite students to sit on the floor in a circle formation. Distribute 1 cup per student.
ProTIP: An alternative is to put ALL cups in front of 1 student and have them “add” the cups to the game one at a time while everyone plays with “air cups” until they have a physical cup. This provides a leadership opportunity for a student—and spices up the game!
Teach the “Level Up Cups” cupography at a slow tempo without the track. Video provided to make it easy!
ProTIP: Discuss the concept of alternating hands versus 2 hands together or only using 1 hand throughout.
Now it’s time to add music. Let’s listen to the track of “Come and Get Your Love” by Cullen Vance and practice the movement sequence—without actually passing the cups this time.
ProTIP: Having students practice without passing the cups will allow them to become familiar with the music and its tempo before playing the game.
Play the recording and direct students to perform the cup game.
ProTIP: Start the game at 0.8 following a brief introduction.
Materials/Set Up
Plastic Cups (1 Per Student)
Space to Sit on the Floor in a Circle Formation
🎵 Cullen Vance "Come and Get Your Love” Link to Track on Spotify
Video
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
Level Up Cups Cupography
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
Level 1:
Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap (Alternating R and L hands)
Clap, Clap, Grab, Pass (to R)
Level 2:
Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap (Alternating R and L hands)
Snap, Snap, Grab, Pass (to R)
Level 3:
Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap (Alternating R and L hands)
Clap, Snap, Grab, Pass (to R)
EXTEND the Learning:
Add level 2 and then level 3 to the game:
That was Level 1. Now we will add a Level 2 pattern where the 2 claps are replaced by 2 snaps.
Invite students to perform the original (Level 1) game by doing it 2 times in a row followed by the Level 2 pattern 2 times and repeating the whole sequence.
Now that we have Level 1 and Level 2, it’s time to add Level 3! Teach the Level 3 body percussion (i.e., clap, snap). Lead students to perform Levels 1-3 without the recording to practice the long sequence.
ProTIP: Having students practice the full Levels 1-3 without music provides the opportunity to slow the tempo and/or call out body percussion movements without doing so “over” the track. Students will have the opportunity to solely focus on the sequence and their movements.
Instead of performing the game in a predictable sequence (i.e., Level 1, Level 2, then Level 3), perform the game using levels 1-3 as called by the teacher—or a student leader!
Invite students to create Level 4 and perform the game (1-4)!
Learning Targets
Listen, Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond with steady beat using a manipulative and body percussion
Create original interpretations
Perform a group cup game
Assessment
Informal Observation/Formative Assessment
Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!