Rhythm Clock

Each student has a paper plate (or cut out a circle from construction paper) and creates a rhythm clock.

Whatever notes/rest they are studying, incorporate them into you 4/4 time signature clock
Use brackets in the middle of the clock and add hands, or just draw hands

1. Students should make a rough draft first (on a piece of paper). 
2. They can use all of the rhythm that they've been studying and place the notes/rests wherever they want.
3. After the teacher checks the rough draft, transfer onto the paper plate (or other circular object).

Music Game

Rhythm Musical Chairs 


Have a circle of chairs (one less chair than there are students).
Whoever is standing when the music stops, that person must read and clap a rhythm correctly.
If they do they can stay in the game. If not, they are out.

Plato Quote

End of the School Year Goodie Bags

 

I wrote all of my students names on their own brown paper bag (5th and 6th grade)
My 5th grade students decorated them in one day with markers, crayons, and colored pencils-front and back.

I did awards for my 6th grade students. I teach three 6th grade classes, so some students got the same award from different classes. I then went to dollar tree and got a little prize to go with the award.
Such awards you can find on the internet and Teachers Pay Teachers (for free). A few I used were:
Trendsetter, Best Handwriting, Mustache (must ask questions), Handy Helper, etc.

For my 5th grade students I printed a little paper that said, "Stay Kool This Summer" and tied each one to one (unfrozen) freeze popsicle. 

At the beginning of the school year my students completed a Time Capsule sheet of information about themselves. I put those in the bags as well.

For my 6th graders I added the Oh, The Places You Can Go Poem on a sheet of paper.

For my 5th graders I added a summer calender of events they could do each day.

Rhythm and Poems

 

My school is 5th and 6th Grade only. So, since my 6th Grade is leaving to go to another school they did a project using "Oh the Places You Can Go" story by Dr. Seuss.

1. They had to write this poem on a poster skipping spaces between each line of words.
2. Then, they had to add rhythm above the words in pencil. Rests went in between words and/or at the end of sentences.
   -The only rhythm they could use were:
      +Whole notes, half notes, dotted half notes, quarter notes, 2 eighth notes together, and 4 sixteenth notes together
      +Whole rests, half rests, dotted half rests, quarter rests
3. Once I checked the poem and rhythm (each syllable had to have a note), they colored over them in marker.
4. Then, they added pictures (magazines, computer, drawing) of what they want their future to look like.
5. They presented their poster in front of class using the correct rhythm that they wrote. They had to read the poem using the correct rhythm. Then, they had to explain why they chose their pictures.

My revised version is in the point of view of the student.

Congratulations!
Today is your day!
I'm off to Great Places!
I'm off and away!

I have brains in your head!
I have feet in your shoes!
I can steer yourself any direction you choose!
I'm on my own and I know what I know!
And I'm the one who'll decide where to go!

I'll be on my way up! 
I'll be seeing great sites!
I'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

I won't lag behind, because I have the speed!
I'll pass the whole gang and I'll soon take the lead!
Wherever I fly, I'll be best of the best.
Wherever I go, I will top all the rest. 

OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

MUSIC ACRONYMS

Got these ideas from Pinterest.

I wrote the first one on those giant notepads, then laminated it.
I made the second one in the paint program, using images from the internet.

Rhythm Fractions Foldables

Got this picture from Pinterest, but this is how I incorporated it into teaching my students beats and rhythm. These will help students better understand the relationships between the different notes.

We took two pieces of construction paper and folded them to make four tabs. Then I went around and stapled the top that folded over.

This is what the foldable looks like without flipping anything up.

We didn't write anything under the Rhythm Fractions flap (purple).

Above the 1 (yellow) we wrote 1 Whole Note=2 Half Notes
                                                1 Whole Note=4 Quarter Notes
Above the 1/2 (yellow) we wrote 2 Half Notes=1 Whole Note
                                                   1 Half Note=2 Quarter Notes
Above the 1/4 (purple) we wrote 4 Quarter Notes=1 Whole Note
                                                    2 Quarter Notes=1 Half Note

THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO DO THIS

This is what the foldable looks like without flipping anything up.

We didn't write anything under the Rhythm Beats flap (purple)

Above the first row of numbers (yellow) we wrote: Whole Note=4 Beats
Above the second row of numbers (yellow) we wrote: Half Note=2 Beats
Above the third row of numbers (purple) we wrote: Quarter Note=2 Beat

Music Desk Decorations

Found on Pinterest that you can use scrapbook paper to decorate flat surfaces. So, I bought two packs from Target and went to town on my desk.

At the beginning of the year, however, I used construction paper. I then cut out words to make some music puns to put in the middle. Then, I drew music symbols.

The first music pun: "Life would be flat without music"
The second music pun: "Here comes Treble"

Class Room Management Incentive

Found this Football Field on Pinterest. 

All of my classes are on the left. Their rewards are on the right.

On my piano I have 5 circles each with one number from 1-5. Each class starts out with 5 points at the beginning of each class. When they lose focus, get off task, etc, they lose a point. They can earn their points back, however. 

Each time a class ends on 5 points, I move them 10 yards on the field and they get a sticker. I use thumb tacs, each a different color, to move them.

Once they make a touchdown, they get a sticker and a small prize such as, candy, Carroll Cash (each school tends to have their own currency), anyone can sing any song they want in front of class, or play music games.

At the end of the year (or report card), the class with the most stickers gets the Grand Prize. My students came up with what they would like: pizza party, movie and popcorn, do nothing day, I have to dye my hair a color they choose, etc.