Things You'll Need:
- Poster paper
- Wide markers
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Step 1
Introduce the form of a quarter note to your class. A quarter note has a stem on top and an oval that is totally filled in on the bottom to the left of the stem, like the lowercase letter "d." Tell the students that when they clap the beat of a quarter note, they should clap once. The length of a quarter note is the same as the length of time it takes to say the word "Quarter." Draw four quarter notes on the board or on a piece of poster paper. Draw a vertical line after the fourth quarter note to indicate the end of a measure. Point to each quarter note as the class claps, and say the words, "Quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter."
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Step 2
Introduce the form of a whole note to the class. It is an oval with no stem. The oval is not colored in. Tell the class that a whole note takes the same amount of time as four quarter notes. It also receives just one clap, and the words that tell how long before the next note should start are "Whole note hold it." Draw a whole note on the board or poster paper after the four quarter notes. Then put another short vertical line to end the second measure--only one whole note fills an entire four-beat measure. Point to the whole series of beats, starting with the four quarter notes. The class should clap and say the rhythms, "Quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter, whole note hold it." In all, the class should have clapped five times.
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Step 3
Introduce the class to eighth notes by drawing them in pairs. This looks like two quarter notes connected by a horizontal line from the top of one stem to the top of the other stem. Explain that each pair of eighth notes takes the same amount of time as one quarter note. The words to help remember the length of the pair of eighth notes are "Two-eighths." Write four pairs of eighth notes in the next measure on the board or poster paper. Point as the class claps and says the words that help to pace the interval between claps: "Quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter, whole note hold it, two-eighths, two-eighths, two-eighths, two-eighths." In all, the class should have clapped 13 times.
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Step 4
Draw what looks like a bolt of lightning or like the number 3 with points instead of rounded curves. Explain that this is a quarter rest. It means that there should be silence for one beat. Instead of clapping, when there is a rest, the students can put their thumbs up and say the word "Rest."
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Step 5
Introduce the students to the dotted half note, which receives three beats. It looks like a half note followed by a black dot. The note receives one clap that lasts as long as it takes to say the words "Half note dot." Since there are four beats in many songs, the half note dot is often followed by a rest. Draw another group of notes: a dotted half note and a quarter rest. Point as the class claps and says the names of the notes: "Quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter, whole note hold it, two-eighths, two-eighths, two-eighths, two-eighths, half note dot, rest." In all, there should be 14 claps and one thumbs up.
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Step 6
Use brightly colored poster paper to write the rhythms for any familiar song. (Most songs in 4/4 time can be expressed using these simple notes and rests.) Put the title of the song at the top of the poster. This gives new readers practice reading and discriminating between words. Each song can be a "learning station" in the music room or elementary classroom. Not only do the children have to read and interpret symbols, they must also collaborate with others and count. When you connect this to an art project where the class makes its own drum or other rhythm instrument, you can create a multidisciplinary unit that will engage every student in your class.
