Introducing+Quarter+note+and+rest

Diana Colling 1st Grade
 * Focus Concept**: Rhythm - Introducing Quarter Note and Quarter Rest
 * National Standard**: 5. Read/Notate


 * Learning Objective**: Students will be able to recognize and perform different variations of quarter notes and rests.


 * Sequence of Activities**:
 * 1) Review the difference between Steady beat and rhythm by clapping, patting, or playing a drum.
 * 2) Say - "Music notes tell us what rhythm to play just like letters tell us what words to say"
 * 3) Bring out the 4 quarter note card and explain that those are quarter notes. Say them once for the kids and point to each note. "ta ta ta ta" Then have them do it with you while you point. Then have them clap while they say ta.
 * 4) Bring out a 4 quarter rest card (or write it on the board) and explain that those are rests. Say - What do you think we do on a rest? What kind of sound do you think is made on a rest? (no sound) Have them whisper rest and put hands out (as if saying, "I don't know") while they say it with you.
 * 5) Say "what if we mixed them up?" Bring out a card that has both rests and quarter notes on it. Let them look at it for a minute to try to figure it out for themselves. Go through it together pointing to each note as they say it. Do this with each card you have.
 * 6) Put the cards on the board and number them. Ask "Can you think of any other combination of quarter notes and rests that we don't have up here?" Get a few ideas 3-4 and write them on the board. Number each rhythm. Each rhythm should have only 4 beats. Ask students to give you 4 notes, rests, or both.
 * 7) Clap and say each rhythm one by one and stopping between each one.
 * 8) Now challenge them to do 2 rhythms at once without stopping (1&2, 3&4, etc).
 * 9) Ask students which 2 rhythms they want to do together.
 * 10) "Who can clap these 2 by them self? (To Class)Was he/she right? Lets join him/her.
 * 11) Maybe even 3 and 4 rhythms together. Some of my classes wanted to do all 8 without stopping, so we did.


 * Assessment:** Students will be assessed on their performance, recognition and ability to read different variations of quarter notes and rests. *Technically you shouldn't formally assess something the day you introduce it so maybe on another day you review the same activity with the cards and different variations of note and rest and have them clap 2 in a row and then, formally assess.

Materials: I used laminated cards that had quarter notes and rests written on them with a sharpie. The rhythms I had were "ta ta ta ta"-"ta ta rest ta"-"ta rest ta rest" and "ta ta ta rest". The others I just wrote on the board.


 * I will be adding on to this lesson plan with improvising on these rhythms on the barred instruments in the coming weeks.