​Teaching with Arts Integration

Activity Title: Rhythm Master

 

Grade(s): 1- 6

 

Approximate Time of Activity: 10 minutes (can be extended)

 

Activity Objective(s): Students will improvise various beats in rhythms using their hands and practice following a leader while collaborating to keep their leader’s identity a secret from the “guesser.” Students will use deductive reasoning to determine the mystery leader of the rhythms.

 

Materials/Resources: Not Applicable

 

Optional Activity Variations: Once the children have done this activity as a large group (as it is written), you can break them into groups of 8-10 people and have them play in smaller groups so more kids have the chance to either be the Guesser or Rhythm Master.

 

Instructional Sequence (Approximate Time): Procedure

 

Set Up (1-2 minutes): The student will arrange the chairs in the classroom into one large circle facing inward. 

Introduction (2 minutes): The teacher will explain the activity to the class: “We’ll send one of our friends into the hallway for just a moment while we get set. While the Guesser is in the hall, I’ll select our “Rhythm Master” by pointing to one of you. The Rhythm Master will be our leader and they will use their hands to create a constant rhythm that everyone else in the group needs to follow. The Rhythm Master should change up the rhythm slightly frequently. For example, after clapping a few beats, they might alternate slapping their thighs and clapping as the next rhythm sequence. The trick is, you as a class need to follow the lead of the Rhythm Master with out giving away whom it is. You’ll need to be subtle, but pay close attention to the Rhythm Master. As soon as you see they have changed up the pattern you need to quickly adjust your imitations so the “guesser” doesn’t figure out who it is. If you are the Rhythm Master, you need to figure out how to adjust the pattern in a subtle way so the “Guesser” won’t know it’s you. The Guesser has three guesses of students in the circle to see if they can figure out who the Rhythm Master is.”

Core Activity (2 minutes): The teacher sends one student into the hallway because they are the Guesser and silently points to one person in the circle to be the Rhythm Master. That person uses creativity to start up the rhythmic pattern and the class follows their lead. The teacher calls the Guesser to come back in the room and stand in the center of the circle. The Rhythm Master changes up the rhythm frequently. They Guesser has three tries to figure out who the Rhythm Master could be. Continue to play with a new Guesser and a new Rhythm Master as time allows.

Closure/Reflection (6 minutes): While remaining seated in the circle, ask the following reflection questions of the three types of players in the game (Guesser, Rhythm Master, and Class): To the Guesser: “How did you feel knowing that everyone else knew something you didn’t know?”“What were some strategies you used to deduct who the Rhythm Master might be?” To the Rhythm Master:“How did you feel knowing everyone was looking to you as the leader?”“Did you find it was easy or difficult to get everyone to change the pattern when you did? Why?”“What were some of your strategies as the Rhythm Master to keep your identity a secret?” To the Class:“What were some of your strategies for keeping the Rhythm Master’s identity a secret?“What was challenging about following the leader?”

Clean Up (1 minute): Chairs are returned to the desks and the lesson concludes.