Kindergarten and First Grade are my jam. It is such a magical time where kids are 100% completely and totally learning all about their world, and more specifically their musical world—with YOU!!

…and what is the biggest component of their musical world, you ask? Comparatives. Hands down, no questions asked. Once you’ve done steady beat and vocal exploration, it’s all about learning what something is by what it is not, through discrimination and through comparatives.

One of the trickiest concepts for students to master is beat vs. rhythm. But this set of beat and rhythm charts is the perfect set to take some of their favorite songs and put that rhythmic content to good use.

This set of songs, charts, and presentations are EXACTLY what you need to teach beat vs. rhythm (quarter note and two eighth notes on a beat).

***The Goods Inside***

(*note all elements are available in color or black and white, and full page or four to a page*)

Teacher Talk with Anne – You’ll get my tips for how I use the resources in this unit. NO guessing what to do when. As a matter of fact, I’ve even included a couple of videos to walk you through the presentation lessons so you know how to scaffold them for your students.

Beat charts and worksheets – I’ve included blank steady beat chats for you to laminate and use with manipulatives and other activities in the music classroom. Also included are worksheets

For all five songs included in this set…

Song Notation & Game Instructions – I’ve included my own notation of five popular folk songs (all eight beats each) with stick notation, solfege, lyrics, different game options, and pedagogical uses.

Iconic & Formal Notation Presentations -These files are intended to help students see an example of rhythmic content derived either iconically or with formal notation. The iconic presentations are meant to prepare students for notation, and the icon to stick notation presentations are meant to practice translation to notation.

Beat VS. Rhythm Charts—the OG for this particular set, these different permutations for iconic and formal notation are the perfect visuals for full class activities or center activities to help your students make connections between reading and translating formal notation!

This set is for you if you’re ready to find different ways to help your students understand beat vs. rhythm—visually, aurally, and kinesthetically.