Rhythmic Notation in Grade One

Our first rhythmic phrase
with Chickens and Eggs.

Students in Grade One have been exploring words with one and two sounds on a beat.  We started with the images of a chicken and an egg.  We put the word "chicken" in our hands and clapped the way the word sounded - it had two sounds (or syllables).  After testing the word "egg", we found that it had one sound.  Then we used these two images to create rhythmic phrases as a class, in small groups and as individuals, clapping, speaking and performing on small percussion instruments.

By this time, the Grade One classes were studying animals and their adaptations to their environment.  So students began to compose with their own animal rhythms, arranging creatures with one or two sounds on a beat into a short phrase and recording their ideas with words, pictures and rhythmic notation.  Each group performed their composition on their choice of percussion instrument and then demonstrated how their animal might move, alternating with a song which encouraged us to listen to the animals all around us.

Ti Ti has two sounds
on a beat.

Ta has one sound
on a beat.

After weeks of exploring, sorting, testing, composing and performing, we finally got around to officially naming these two rhythms that we have been working with.  One sound on a beat is the "ta" and two sounds on the beat is the "ti ti".  By speaking, reading and writing the vocabulary used by musicians around the globe, we can share our ideas efficiently and further develop our fluency in the language of music!