Bubblegum Rhythms - A SMART Board Lesson by ECSDM
Elementary, 2nd Grade
- Read and notate rhythms.
- Identify instruments by timbre.
- SMART Board
- SMART Notebook software. Available as a free download from www.tequipment.com
- BubbleGum SMART Notebook File
- Unpitched instruments – 8 different ones
- Rhythm sticks and hand drums (or two other contrasting sets of instruments); enough for whole class. If you do not have enough for the whole class, arrange students in lines and give the first student in line the instrument. When s/he is finished, s/he will pass the instrument to the next student.
- Bubblegum rhythms students have brainstormed in a previous lesson. (See attached examples.)
In a prior lesson, have students brainstorm flavors and brands of chewing gum. Work with the students to notate the brands rhythmically.
: Explore some of the interesting facts about gum using the link on the first page of the SMART Notebook file.
Have students clap and say the rhythms on page two of the SMART Notebook file. Select students to come up to the SMART Board to match the gum names with the rhythms.
Teach the traditional jump-rope rhyme, Bubblegum
Bubblegum, bubblegum chew and blow.
Bubblegum, bubblegum scrape your toe.
Bubblegum, bubblegum taste so sweet.
Get that bubblegum off your feet!
- Explore the poem by dividing the class into two groups: one group says “bubblegum,” the other group says the rest of the words. Then have the groups switch.
- Add body percussion.
- Bubblegum=clap; Underlined words=pat
- Add instruments. (E.g. Wood/metal or sticks/hand-drums). One timbre plays “bubblegum” the other timbre of instruments plays the rest of the words.
- Develop the following form: A – play the rhythm of the words B – speak or play a sequence of four of the gum rhythms, repeated so that it equals the length of the bubblegum rhythm.
Play the game