Circle of Fifths Worksheets

Circle of Fifths Worksheets

Interesting Circle of Fifths Worksheets | composecreate.comI’ve recently begun to explain to my students how I choose the order of their scales by using the Circle of Fifths.  Basically, I just told them that C is zero accidentals (I don’t show them the circle) and that every Perfect 5th up from C adds a sharp and every Perfect 5th down from C adds a flat.  When they finish learning a scale, I ask them what the next key would be and make them use this technique to figure it out.  Periodically, I ask them, “What key would have 5 sharps?” or “What key would have 3 flats?” etc.  This further cements the concept in their mind.

I remember when I was a student and my teacher showed me the circle…it didn’t make much sense to me at the time, so I just disregarded it.  However, when several of my students recently told me that they’ve been using my scale order technique to remember key signatures for their theory test , I figured the Circle of Fifths was doing more good than I thought.

I’ve recently found several good theory worksheets for teaching the Circle of Fifths and for giving students the opportunity to draw the corresponding key signatures around the circle.

Valentine’s Circle of Fifths (Fantastic looking worksheet for students to review their Major and minor key signatures!)

Circle of Fifths as Tolkien would have drawn it! (Lord of the Rings fans-this is your ring!)

Worksheet for identifying the key by the number of sharps and flats.  (Susan Paradis’ site)

Worksheet for identifying the key by the key signature AND drawing in the key signature

Bass Clef Circle of Fiths (delineates sharp keys, flat keys, and enharmonic keys)

Treble Clef Circle of Fiths (delineates sharp keys, flat keys, and enharmonic keys)

Assignment Journal with Circle of Fifths (I use this assignment sheet with my students and circle key they are practicing)

Related Keys are like the Clock (I love the ideas that this site has on using the Circle of Fifths with a short and long hand like a clock to teach relatives)

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2 thoughts on “Circle of Fifths Worksheets”

  1. Hi Wendy
    Thanks for the resources for the Circle of Fifths—I have worksheets galore but hadn’t found a way to make them interesting. Some ideas are now stirring!
    I tried to access your journal for the Circle of Fifths but the link just leads back to the article.
    Also, the Related Keys around the clock—accessed this but couldn’t access any of the pictures for some reason.

    Thanks

    Jan

  2. Hi Jan,

    I’m glad you have some ideas stirring about how to make the circle more interesting! I just fixed the Assignment journal with the circle of fifths on it (sorry that the link wasn’t working). I’m not sure what to tell you about the clock. That’s on someone else’s site, so you could email her/him to ask how you can access the picture. Let me know what they say if you do decide to email them!

    Wendy

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