Movement and Music - LESSON 2 - Basic Beat & Rhythm

Lesson 2 includes:

• Beat
• Downbeat
• Beginning Basic Beats of Time Signature (more involved in Lesson 3)
• Rhythm

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Explain that songs have something called a beat. A beat helps us keep the time throughout the song.

STEADY BEAT
Bouncing beat (bounce hand up and down or stand up and jump the beat):

• Steady strong beat
• Fast beat
• Slow beat

DOWNBEAT
Explain that songs are broken up into something called "measures" and the first beat of each measure is called the downbeat. Conduct/clap a patterns and emphasize the downbeat as you count the beats in each measure (see next 3 things below:).

4 BEATS
Clap a 4 beat pattern (stress the downbeat)
March a 4 beat pattern. STOMP the downbeat

3 BEATS
Clap a 3 beat pattern (stress the downbeat)
March 3 beat pattern. STOMP the downbeat (yes, the stomped downbeat will alternate feet - it's sometimes tricky for the kids)

2 BEATS
Clap a 2 beat pattern (stress the downbeat)
March a 2 beat pattern. STOMP the downbeat

EXPLAIN the difference between BEAT and RHYTHM:

• Beat is the regular steady pace throughout the whole song.
• Rhythm is the pattern of the song. It usually goes right along with the melody.

1 - CLAP THE BEAT WHILE SINGING,
2 - CLAP THE RHYTHM AT WHILE SINGING
3 - SPLIT THE KIDS - One half claps the beat, the other claps the rhythm. Try this while singing (*use the song you're learning at the time)