I know I didn’t post on Friday, I’m trying to be strong and not use social media until the Sunday after Thanksgiving just to see if I can do it (So don’t suck me back in! I’m weak!) Feel free to promote this on twitter or facebook if you find this. If you have my email I’m still allowing myself to use that! hehe.  This is a cute activity I’ve been doing with my students as a right before break activity.

Rhythm Code:

• When students walk into the room have a secret code written on the board and say you will take 5 guesses as soon as you are done attendance. Let them guess anything but don’t give away any answers until the 5 hands have been done.
• My code looked like this: 

• I recieved guesses all over the board on this one. From Turkey to dominoes to a beat it was pretty funny. When I got my 5 hands it was then I revealed that the code on the board was “Tah” “TeeTee” “Rest” “Tah”. It was then I got a bunch of “Ms. Dwinal! You’re a good spy!”  To which I replied “Now it’s your turn”
• The key for building these rhythms is as follows:

                                       No Dots= A Quarter Rest (Whisper ‘rest’ or say nothing) / One Dot= A Quarter Note (Tah) / Two Dots= Two Eighth Notes (TeeTee) / Four Dots= Four Sixteenth Notes (TicaTica)

• Now, hand out a piece of blank paper and a pencil to each student. Have them fold the paper into 4 sections and then unfold it. They will then draw 4 boxes like above in each of those sections and then using the key they will write a secret rhythm code in each of those 4 sections.
• When everyone is complete students will then make their way around the room asking 2-3 people per rhythm to “decode” it by saying the rhythm out loud with all the correct “Tahs” and” Tee Tees”  When someone gets one of their rhythms right they write their name down in that section of the paper. The students can ask 1 person up to two rhythms on their paper before finding another classmate to ask.
• When everyone is done their papers should look a lot like my example:

Rhythm Spies Example

         The kids get a kick out of trying to write their own “code” and pretending to be spies. They are also practicing their rhythm reading as well! You can use any rhythm counting system you have with this.