Rhythm Creator

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

2

Overview

Create rhythms using the Chrome Music Lab and perform them using body percussion and/or instruments.

his activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 2 - Music

AE17.MU.2.4

Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine, sequence, and document personal musical ideas.

UP:AE17.MU.2.4

Vocabulary

Rhythm
  • Eighth note, eighth rest, half note, half rest, whole note, whole rest
  • Strong/ weak beat — 2/4; 3/4 meter
  • Accelerando/ ritardando
Melody
  • Pitch Set: Do , Re, Mi, So, La
  • Five-line staff
  • Treble clef
  • Names of lines/ spaces (treble staff)
Harmony
  • Melodic ostinati
  • Partner songs
Form
  • AAB, AABA, Rondo
  • Verse/ Refrain
Expression
  • Orchestral instrument families
  • Piano (p), forte (f)
  • Crescendo/ decrescendo
  • Orchestral Music: programmatic
  • Indigenous music: Native American
  • American music: slave songs, colonial folk songs
Other
  • Age-appropriate pitch matching (B3-D5)1
  • Mallet/ drumming technique: alternating hands

Essential Questions

EU: Musicians' creative choices are influenced by their expertise, context, and expressive intent.
EQ: How do musicians make creative decisions?

Skills Examples

Performing
  • Perform original melodic patterns in do pentatonic as an introduction to a known song.
  • Perform original rhythmic patterns on body percussion or unpitched percussion, containing eighth note, eighth rest, half note, half rest, whole note, whole rest, as an introduction to a known chant.
Creating
  • Create a melody on pitched instruments using speech rhythms from a selected poem.
  • Improvise with a partner in question/answer style, using pitched or unpitched percussion instruments.
Reading/ Writing
  • Notate speech rhythms from a selected poem, using iconic or standard notation.
  • Using music composition software, create an original composition based on a personally selected topic.
Responding/ Evaluating
  • Refine compositions based on self-evaluation of a recorded performance.
  • Indicate dynamic markings for original compositions.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 2 - Music

AE17.MU.2.9

Read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using iconic or standard notation.

UP:AE17.MU.2.9

Vocabulary

Rhythm
  • Eighth note, eighth rest, half note, half rest, whole note, whole rest
  • Strong/ weak beat — 2/4; 3/4 meter
  • Accelerando/ ritardando
Melody
  • Pitch Set: Do , Re, Mi, So, La
  • Five-line staff
  • Treble clef
  • Names of lines/ spaces (treble staff)
Harmony
  • Melodic ostinati
  • Partner songs
Form
  • AAB, AABA, Rondo
  • Verse/ Refrain
Expression
  • Orchestral instrument families
  • Piano (p), forte (f)
  • Crescendo/ decrescendo
  • Orchestral Music: programmatic
  • Indigenous music: Native American
  • American music: slave songs, colonial folk songs
Other
  • Age-appropriate pitch matching (B3-D5)1
  • Mallet/ drumming technique: alternating hands

Essential Questions

EU: Analyzing creators' context and how they manipulate elements of music provides insight into their intent and informs performance.
EQ: How does understanding the structure and context of musical works inform performance?

Skills Examples

Performing
  • Perform age-appropriate music with attention to expressive markings indicated in the printed music.
Creating
  • Perform an improvised interlude to a known song, matching expression and rhythmic/melodic themes.
Reading/ Writing
  • Identify expressive markings in printed music.
  • Identify meter marking in printed music.
Responding/ Evaluating
  • Notate from dictation 8-beat rhythm patterns using standard notation.
  • Perform short melodic patterns from standard or iconic notation.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.

Learning Objectives

The students will use technology to create and perform rhythm patterns with a steady beat.

Activity Details

The teacher will introduce the activity whole group by projecting the website for the class to see.  The teacher will choose one set of characters and play the beat for the students to hear.  The teacher will show how to add notes to the rhythms by clicking on different levels to represent each instrument shown. 

After the rhythm is chosen, students will perform the rhythm using body percussion.  The students will stomp the bottom level, pat the middle level, and clap the top level.  Next, the teacher will allow students to give input to create a new rhythm for the class to perform.

Finally, the students will choose instruments to play. The teacher will divide the students into 3 groups.  Each group will have an instrument and will play one of the levels.  Group 1 will play the low level on a chosen instrument.  Group 2 will play the middle level, and Group 3 will play the top level.  An example would be Group 1 plays hand drums, Group 2 plays woodblocks, and Group 3 plays finger cymbals. 

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will observe the students to see if they are able to play the rhythm correctly using body percussion and instruments.

Variation Tips

After the students are familiar with how to use the website, the activity can be used in small groups or as a center.

Background / Preparation

Have the website pulled up and projected for the class to see.  

Have various percussion instruments available.

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