Rhythm Activities

Rhythm is the short and long sounds (notes) and silences (rests) you hear in music. These activities are designed to clap or play on your instrument the rhythms given.

Musication

The musication activities can be performed in different ways. You can have a group each assigned to a symbol and clap, play a percussion instrument, or play one pitch on your instrument (i.e. + = maracas, O = drum). If you do these activities on your own, you can give a pitch to each unique symbol (i.e. + = C, O = D).

skeleton dance

William Tell

Trepak

Pirate Ship

Can Can

Rhythm Randomizer

This is an activity where you can clap the random rhythms given (sliding your hands if the sound is longer than one beat), or playing at least one pitch on your instrument. Be sure to be silent on the rests. There is some background music to help keep things groovin'.

Level 1 - 1 measure

Level 2 - Two Measures

Level 3 - Four Measures

Level 4 - Eight Measures

Four Corners (group activity)

For this activity, numbers 1 - 4 are placed in each corner of the classroom. Use the rhythm randomizer (open 4 times) to show four different rhythms at once. Use the timer to allow 15 seconds for students to choose a corner. When the time is up clap one of the rhythms (try to find a way to pick a random corner). Have the students clap the rhythm back. Everyone sitting in that corner is out and takes a seat on the floor. Keep playing until there is one student left.

* Extension 1 * Make a "Hot Lava" version, where you clap the rhythm first and the students find the correct corner. After 15 seconds, reveal the correct corner. All students in that corner get to stay in the game, everyone else is out.

* Extension 2 * Try doing this game with a concept other than rhythm (i.e. pitch, dynamics, note names, etc.)

Timer

Rhythm Telephone (Group activity)

Students on the right side each row will be given a set of rhythms (i.e. "quarter, quarter, half-note"). They will then tap the rhythms on the hand or shoulder of the person directly to the left. Once the rhythms are passed to the student at the end of the row, that student will clap it out loud. The goal is to try to have the same rhythm the row started with.

* Extension * Have one student start and see if the rhythms can meander through the entire class.

Music to use for some rhythms activities.

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