Turning the "dreaded drills"
into a class game and competition makes the learning FUN. Each
step should be done until 100% of the students are correct.
The following steps are used
as an introduction to Rhythm Drills. Once the structure
is known, Rhythm Warmups will become the focusing activity to
warm-up the brain.
1) With the teacher pointing to each symbol, have the students
chant the identification of each beat and rest of line one.
If a mistake is made, start over. (Primary students should be encouraged to
point at each symbol from their seats.)
2) Students
repeat #1 without the teacher pointing.
3) Students
clap rhythm while chanting the names of the symbols.
4) Students
clap rhythm without chanting.
5) Students
play rhythm drill on rhythm instruments.
Move
to next step ONLY after mastery of previous step!!!
As a warm-up to brain power,
the same steps should be followed, with the additional element
of time for completion. This is done once the class is
at step four or five by allowing ONLY ten (10) attempts to perform
the drill correctly. If not mastered by the tenth attempt,
class gets a zero (0). Peer pressure will usually bring
the score down. This score is posted, along with other
class scores, on a wall chart. At the end of each grading
period, the class with the fewest attempts to mastery is acknowledged
as the winner!
For added
reinforcement use Rhythm Warmups:
As a center
activity.
As part
reading, where students are assigned different lines to
perform at the same time.
