2/4 Tuesday - Rhythm, Band Fingerings, and Beat
School is definitely back in full swing and it is hard to believe that October is upon us. All my classes have been focusing on identifying and playing a variety of rhythms and we will soon be moving on to note naming.
1. Rhythm Compositions
The Grade 5s and 6s will be completing a rhythm assessment for me this week (more to come later) and to get them comfortable with creating a 16-beat rhythm composition I pulled out my Rhythm Composition Folders. I modeled how to complete this task with input from the students and let them choose a group of three to work with. I did add a caveat that there had to be at least one boy or one girl in each group. I found that this strategy worked well as there were minimal classroom management issues.
The groups worked together to create their 16-beat pattern using the Rhythm Composition Folder. I added 4 hearts to each folder to help them organize their work by putting each rhythm underneath the correct number of beats. Once the composition was done they clapped and said the pattern for me. I then selected one student to choose a rhythm instrument for their group and the students played their composition on the instruments and later performed for the class.
This was a quick activity (albeit a tad bit noisy) and I'm hoping it will prepare them for composing a 16-beat rhythm pattern on their own later this week.
2. Beginning Band Fingerings
I need to give a big shout-out to Aileen Miracle (click here for a link to her blog and here for a link to her Teachers Pay Teachers shop). I purchased her Beginning Band Fingerings Mega-Set in the summer because it was so pretty and because I felt that I needed to make sure that I had somewhere in my room that students could access fingerings quickly instead of looking at a fingering chart in their notebook. This set comes with printables, flashcards, and teaching strategies and I highly recommend it. Aileen also managed to update her Mega-Set and added Tuba and Baritone fingerings in less than a week of me requesting them. Amazing! I hope to post some pictures of them up in my room shortly. Right now I am having my Grade 8s review their fingerings by putting the images up on my SmartBoard and having them copy them onto their Fingering Charts.
3. Beat, Beat Baby
The Grade 4s just finished a mini-unit on beat. I find myself reinventing the wheel all the time because I come across so many great ideas but I was happy to revert back to this activity I wrote about last year. It always seems to be a big hit with the kids and reinforces the concept of beat and the importance of cooperation. Check out this post for more details. Because I'm so "thrifty" (read cheap) I even used the same paper cups as last year. I doubt they'll make it another year so I'd recommend investing in some plastic ones.
As always, visit Steph's blog for more great 2/4 Tuesday ideas.
1. Rhythm Compositions
The Grade 5s and 6s will be completing a rhythm assessment for me this week (more to come later) and to get them comfortable with creating a 16-beat rhythm composition I pulled out my Rhythm Composition Folders. I modeled how to complete this task with input from the students and let them choose a group of three to work with. I did add a caveat that there had to be at least one boy or one girl in each group. I found that this strategy worked well as there were minimal classroom management issues.
The groups worked together to create their 16-beat pattern using the Rhythm Composition Folder. I added 4 hearts to each folder to help them organize their work by putting each rhythm underneath the correct number of beats. Once the composition was done they clapped and said the pattern for me. I then selected one student to choose a rhythm instrument for their group and the students played their composition on the instruments and later performed for the class.
This was a quick activity (albeit a tad bit noisy) and I'm hoping it will prepare them for composing a 16-beat rhythm pattern on their own later this week.
2. Beginning Band Fingerings
I need to give a big shout-out to Aileen Miracle (click here for a link to her blog and here for a link to her Teachers Pay Teachers shop). I purchased her Beginning Band Fingerings Mega-Set in the summer because it was so pretty and because I felt that I needed to make sure that I had somewhere in my room that students could access fingerings quickly instead of looking at a fingering chart in their notebook. This set comes with printables, flashcards, and teaching strategies and I highly recommend it. Aileen also managed to update her Mega-Set and added Tuba and Baritone fingerings in less than a week of me requesting them. Amazing! I hope to post some pictures of them up in my room shortly. Right now I am having my Grade 8s review their fingerings by putting the images up on my SmartBoard and having them copy them onto their Fingering Charts. 3. Beat, Beat Baby
The Grade 4s just finished a mini-unit on beat. I find myself reinventing the wheel all the time because I come across so many great ideas but I was happy to revert back to this activity I wrote about last year. It always seems to be a big hit with the kids and reinforces the concept of beat and the importance of cooperation. Check out this post for more details. Because I'm so "thrifty" (read cheap) I even used the same paper cups as last year. I doubt they'll make it another year so I'd recommend investing in some plastic ones.
As always, visit Steph's blog for more great 2/4 Tuesday ideas.
Thanks for linking up! I really like your cup/beat lesson!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout out! :) Fun ideas!!!
ReplyDelete