Minds On
Today’s vocabulary
A steady and repeating pulse in music. Part of the element of duration.
A pattern of long and short sounds or silences. Rhythm is different from beat; for example, the rhythm at the beginning of a song might be “ta, ta, ti-ti, ta”. The beat is the steady pulse of “ta, ta, ta, ta”. Explore also beat.
Let’s get started!
Explore the following video clips.
How might someone move to each clip?
How might the movements be different?
Record your ideas any way you choose. You could create a picture, tell someone about your ideas, record your ideas in words or in a video, or use text to speech.
Action
Get ready, get set…
There are beats and rhythms found everywhere in the world around us.
The beat is a steady sound like the “tick tock” of a clock.
Rhythm is made up of long and short sounds and silences.
We can put sounds and silences together to create patterns of sound like the windchimes.
How to keep a steady beat
Songs and pieces of music have a beat and a rhythm too.
We are going to explore beat and rhythm with the song "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." We will be exploring the first two lines of this song today.
Access the following audio clip of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Next, we’ll explore a beat chart and count the heartbeats in “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!”
Did you know?
What’s a beat chart?
Two teachers talking. The first teacher says: “Hey, Teacher B, what’s a beat chart?” The second teacher responds: “I’m glad you asked! A beat chart helps us keep the beat. It can also help to count the beats.”
Here is the beat chart for the first two lines of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”.
A beat chart for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There is a table with 4 columns and 2 rows. In the first box of the first row, there is the word: twinkle. The word is separated by a dash: Twin dash kull. There is a heart below the word. In the next box is the word: twinkle. The word is separated by a dash: twin dash kull. There is a heart below the word. In the next box is the word: little. The word is separated by a dash: lit dash tull. There is a heart below the word. In the last box there is the word: star. There is a heart below the word. In the first box of the second row, there are the words: How I. There is a heart below the words. In the next box is the word: wonder. The word is separated by a dash: won dash der. There is a heart below the word. In the next box are the words: what you. There is a heart below the words. In the last box there is the word: are. There is a heart below the word.
How many beats?
Let’s explore the beat chart with a question.
You can return to the beat chart to answer this question.
Try It
Keep the beat
Let’s speak or sing the words to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” while we pat or tap the beat.
If possible, point to the hearts while you speak or sing the song.
A beat chart for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There is a table with 4 columns and 2 rows. In the first box of the first row, there is the word: twinkle. The word is separated by a dash: Twin dash kull. There is a heart below the word. In the next box is the word: twinkle. The word is separated by a dash: twin dash kull. There is a heart below the word. In the next box is the word: little. The word is separated by a dash: lit dash tull. There is a heart below the word. In the last box there is the word: star. There is a heart below the word. In the first box of the second row, there are the words: How I. There is a heart below the words. In the next box is the word: wonder. The word is separated by a dash: won dash der. There is a heart below the word. In the next box are the words: what you. There is a heart below the words. In the last box there is the word: are. There is a heart below the word.
Access the following audio clip of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and sing or speak along!
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Let’s answer some more questions about the beat chart.
You can return to the beat chart to answer this question.
Great job! Let’s keep going.
The way the words go
Two teachers talking. The first teacher says: “If the beat is the steady pulse in music, what’s rhythm?” The second teacher responds: “Rhythm is made up of long and short sounds and silences.”
In a song with words, the rhythm is the way the words go.
Let’s return to our beat chart of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." This time, there is a star for each sound the words make.
A beat chart for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There is a table with 4 columns and 2 rows. In the first box of the first row, there is the word: twinkle. The word is separated by a dash: Twin dash kull. There are two stars above the word. There is a heart below the word. In the next box is the word: twinkle. The word is separated by a dash: twin dash kull. There are two stars above the word. There is a heart below the word. In the next box is the word: little. The word is separated by a dash: lit dash tull. There are two stars above the word. There is a heart below the word. In the last box there is the word: star. There is a star above the word. There is a heart below the word. In the first box of the second row, there are the words: How I. There are two stars above the words. There is a heart below the words. In the next box is the word: wonder. The word is separated by a dash: won dash der. There are two stars above the word. There is a heart below the word. In the next box are the words: what you. There are two stars above the words. There is a heart below the words. In the last box there is the word: are. There is a star above the word. There is a heart below the word.
Let’s clap or tap the rhythm of the words for the first part of the song.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Test Your Skills!
Extra challenge
Pat or tap the beat for the first line of the song.
Clap, tap, or stomp the rhythm for the second line of the song.
Go!
Let’s explore the next part of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Access the following audio clip to explore the next part of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Where would you add heartbeats to the beat chart?
Access the following interactive beat chart. Place the heart sticker on each beat in the song.
You can return to the audio clip or previous beat charts to help you.
You can also complete this activity by using the following fillable and printable Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Beat Chart document.
Draw or write a heart for each beat in the song.
|
Up a – |
bove the |
world so |
high, |
|
Like a |
dia – mond |
in the |
sky, |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Beat Chart.
When you’re ready, press the ‘Answer’ to reveal the correct beat chart.
A beat chart for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There is a table with 4 columns and 2 rows. Each box has words or parts of a word in it. There is a heart in each box. Together, they form two lines of the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Box 1: Up a and a dash. Box 2: bove the Box 3: world so Box 4: high Box 5: Like a Box 6: die mund Box 7: in the Box 8: sky
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
Respond to the following questions. Record your answers any way you choose.
- How many hearts would you put in each box? Why would you put the hearts there?
- Which number beat is the word “sky” on?
- How did the beat chart help you count the beats?
Next up, you will add stars to the beat chart.
Explore the song one more time:
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Access the following interactive beat chart. Place the star stickers for each sound the words make.
Some words make one sound, and some words make two sounds. If a word makes one sound, place one star. If a word makes two sounds, use two stars.
You can also complete this activity by using the following fillable and printable Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Beat Chart document.
Draw or write a star for each sound the words make.
Each box could have one star or two stars.
|
Up a – 
|
bove the
|
world so
|
high,
|
|
Like a
|
dia – mond
|
in the
|
sky,
|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Beat Chart.
When you’re ready, press the ‘Answer’ button to reveal the correct beat chart for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
A beat chart for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There is a table with 4 columns and 2 rows. Each box has words or parts of a word in it. Each box also has a heart and stars in it. Together, they form two lines of the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Box 1: Up a and a dash. There are two stars and 1 heart in this box. Box 2: bove the. There are two stars and 1 heart in this box. Box 3: world so. There are two stars and 1 heart in this box. Box 4: high. There is 1 star and 1 heart in this box. Box 5: Like a. There are two stars and 1 heart in this box. Box 6: die mond. There are two stars and 1 heart in this box. Box 7: in the. There are two stars and 1 heart in this box. Box 8: sky. There is 1 star and 1 heart in this box.
Portfolio
Portfolio
Consider adding your beat chart to your portfolio.
Pause Reflect
Pause and reflect
Respond to the following questions. Record your answers any way you choose.
- How many stars would you put in each box? Why would you put the stars there?
Consolidation
Putting it all together!
Description
A beat chart with four boxes in a row. Each box has a word and a heart with a number in it.
Box 1: rest and the number one. Above the box, there is a person holding their hands widely apart.
Box 2: clap and the number two. Above the box, there is a person clapping.
Box 3: rest and the number one. Above the box, there is a person holding their hands widely apart.
Box 4: clap and the number two. Above the box, there is a person clapping.
Let’s put “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” all together.
Access the following audio clip of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Describe how someone might move to the beat.
Press the ‘Hint’ button for a tip.
Someone could pat the beat.
If possible, try to move to the beat yourself!
Let’s get our bodies moving!
Safety
Before you begin:
How else might someone keep the beat on their body?
Describe how someone might move to the rhythm? If possible, try it out!
Press the ‘Hint’ button for a tip.
Someone could clap the rhythm.
How else might someone follow the words of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”?
Tell me about it
Today you learned how to keep a steady beat and clap, tap, or move to the rhythm.
Share what you learned about today using the words beat and rhythm.
You can choose to:
- use pictures and label the important parts using the words beat and rhythm
- tell someone using the words beat and rhythm
- write about it using the words beat and rhythm
- make a recording using the words beat and rhythm
Reflection
How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.