Just this week, I dusted off my handy dandy Popsicle sticks. I forgot how exciting this simple manipulative is for first graders. Each student was handed a pile of sticks and I proceeded to clap simple quarter note and eighth note rhythm patterns. They then dictated the rhythms, creating the notes with their sticks. It was a great tool for me to assess who was audiating and identifying the correct rhythm patterns.
2. Felt Xylophone
Another favorite manipulative is my "felt xylophone." Each bar on the xylophone is represented by a felt piece. Before going to the instruments, I fold up a piece and stick it to the top (felt sticks to itself). So, if we are in C pentatonic and I remove f's and b's, I show them what that looks like on my felt xylophone. I can also add sharp for flat symbols to show students when changing out bars. It took minimal time to make but has gotten a ton of use. The kids can also manipulate the xylophone to show the class how to set different pentatonic patterns.
3. Cookies and Milk Manipulatives
I recently created these cookies and milk manipulatives to use with my part time learning support students. They loved composing patterns using the words cookies and milk and they were able to compare the text to the early rhythms they are working on. I was able to meet the "composition" national standard with this class, which could have been a difficult task. Each student composed their own cookie/milk pattern and performed it for the class. We also created class patterns and added instruments, one timbre for each rhythm (cookies = drums; milk = jingle bells).
Love the felt xylophone! Thanks so much for linking up and sharing your ideas! :)
ReplyDelete