TECHNIQUE
Today we are going to learn how to identify the beat.
IMPORTANCE
Identifying the beat is important because it improves your listening and reaction skills.
VOCABULARY
Beat: musical rhythm.
When identifying the beat, follow these steps:
1. Start with hands apart.
2. Bring hands together to clap
3. Follow this pattern with the tempo of the music (speed up or slow down depending on how fast or slow the music is going).
Instruction without music
Demonstrationwith music
PRACTICE
- Stand on the baseline shoulder-to-shoulder. Everyone start with your hands out and palms facing up. On the count of three clap at the same time. Continue the clapping pattern.
COTTON EYE JOE
TIME
10-20 minutes
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
No restrictions
EQUIPMENT
Music player
“Cotton Eye Joe” by Starsound
1 small parachute
STORYLINE
Today we are going to dance to the song “Cotton Eye Joe”. Your goal is to identify the beat and be able to clap along to the music.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Before the dance begins, spread out in a circle and take one giant step back from the parachute.
- When I say, “GO!” I will start playing the music.
- You must follow me and clap along, while walking counter-clockwise around the parachute.
- When the chorus comes on I will say, “PARACHUTE!” you must grab the black handle that is closest to you and start shaking the parachute.
- When I say, “DROP!” you must drop the parachute within three seconds and continue to walk and clap around it.
- We will begin a new game at the end of the song.
Game 1: Play as indicated above. You can have the students change direction at any time.
Game 2: Select students beforehand to go under the parachute while you are shaking it.
Exit Ticket: Students walk to the location to line up while stepping to the beat of the music.
TEACHING TIPS
- Approach:
- Remind students, if they do not drop the parachute within three seconds they may forfeit their chance to go underneath it.
- ELL Accommodation:
- Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
- Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
- SpEd Accommodation:
- Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications.
- Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
- Allow students extra time to master the skill.
- Reflection:
- Musical rhythm is known as the __________.
- I did a good job dancing in my personal space by...
LIMBO ROCK
TIME
10-20 minutes
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
No restrictions
EQUIPMENT
Music player
“Limbo Rock” by Kiddie Palooza
2 short cones
1 long jump rope
STORYLINE
Today we are going to dance to the song “Limbo Rock”. Your goal is to identify the beat and be able to clap along to the music.
INSTRUCTIONS
- I will select two of you to be a post to help hold the jump rope.
- Before the dance begins, form a single file line behind the marker cone.
- While you are in line, clap to the beat of the music.
- When I say, “GO!” try your best to go under the rope.
- You may not have any part of your body touch the ground or the rope.
- You must go under the rope with your head pointing up towards the sky.
- Once you are on the other side, form a line behind the other cone.
- We will begin a new dance once everyone has gone under once.
Game 1: Have all students successfully go under the jump rope once.
Game 2: Lower the jump rope each dance.
Game 3: Have two students go at a time while holding hands under the jump rope.
Game 4: Try going backwards and sideways under the jump rope.
Exit Ticket: Students walk to the location to line up while stepping to the beat of the music.
TEACHING TIPS
- Approach:
- Remind students to go one at a time underneath the rope.
- ELL Accommodation:
- Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
- Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
- SpEd Accommodation:
- Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications.
- Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
- Allow students extra time to master the skill.
- Reflection:
- Musical rhythm is known as the __________.
- I did a good job dancing in my personal space by...
HAPPY
TIME
10-20 minutes
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
No restrictions
EQUIPMENT
Music player
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams
4 hula-hoops
24 fuzzy balls
STORYLINE
Today we are going to dance to the song “Happy”. Your goal is to identify the beat and clap along to the music.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Before the dance begins, spread out in a rectangle around the hula-hoops.
- When I say, “GO!” I will start playing the music.
- You must follow me and clap along, while walking around the hula-hoops.
- When the chorus comes on, you must grab a fuzzy ball that is closest to you and toss it up as high as you can.
- Continue tossing and catching until the chorus is over. Then, put the fuzzy ball back in a hula-hoop.
- Return back to walking around the hula-hoops when the chorus is over.
- We will begin a new game at the end of the song.
Game 1: Play as indicated above. You can have the students change direction at any time by saying, “SWITCH!”. Weave in and out of the hula-hoops.
Game 2: Instead of tossing to themselves, have students toss to a partner. Count how many tosses they can make during the chorus.
Game 3: Students are allowed to toss fuzzy balls at one another.
Game 4: Scatter the fuzzy balls around the field. During the chorus, challenge students to collect all the fuzzy balls before the chorus ends.
Exit Ticket: Students walk to the location to line up while stepping to the beat of the music.
TEACHING TIPS
- Approach:
- Remind students when the chorus starts and ends.
- ELL Accommodation:
- Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
- Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
- SpEd Accommodation:
- Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications.
- Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
- Allow students extra time to master the skill.
- Reflection:
- Musical rhythm is known as the __________.
- I did a good job dancing in my personal space by...