Less than $5 3rd Grade Music Composition Songs (by date, oldest first)

If you've ever played Poison Pattern/Poison Rhythm or similar, you already know how it goes. Give the students a set of rhythms to play but one of them is the poison rhythm, which the students should NOT play. If they are, they're either out, lose points, or the teacher gains points (if you're playing against the class)

In this new twist, it's the same premise as students will play back each set of rhythms one-by-one as given by the teacher. However, there will be one rhythm that has a rest on a specific beat (beat 1, 3, 5, whichever the slide specifies)

AVOID THAT RHYTHM AT ALL COSTS!

So for instance, the students may play any rhythm, but avoid the rhythm that has a rest on Beat Number 2

Advance the slide and your students will see various rhythms composed of quarter notes and eighth notes _with the quarter rest landing on different beats.

_...just avoid playing the rhythm on BEAT NUMBER 2!

There are five different levels of rhythms all composed of the quarters and paired eighth sets with the rests switching back and forth between beats. All you need to do is give the students a four beat prep, then they'll read it back (either vocally, with rhythm sticks, classroom instruments, etc)

Wanna make it harder?

• Up the tempo and transition time in between slides
• Choose a pop or instrumental song at a higher BPM to distract them
• Alternate teams or have 1v1 and award points to the winners!

Have a great time with the new version of a classic game!

Level 2, sixteenth note patterns and eighth note rests coming soon!

Need to connect with your kids with their video game music through general music? Involve them in bucket drumming with the Theme from Angry Birds

There is one color coded slide along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

This is a great resource for your beginning bucket drummers as it's only one page long with a lot of repeated passages and rudimentary rhythms!

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DehK\_Y0TUbE

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

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*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

In "The Early Bird", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially with trickier syncopations!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with a classical throwback made popular by the YouTube influencer VADrum -- here's his cover of the "Radetzky March" by Johann Strauss!

There are five all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 2 or 3 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

The orchestral mp3 track with background drums can be found here:

https://youtu.be/OedHrRV7pkQ

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

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Looking for even MORE Rhythm Basketball pieces? Find 'em here!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with a tune that's sure to get your bouncing right along -- a trap remix of the theme from MINECRAFT!

There are two all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL4i9FKuiEA

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with a tune that's sure to get your kids singing and bouncing right along dwith the smash hit "The Wellerman - TRAP Remix"

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://youtu.be/9A6XcFE4CL8

Reviewing Orff with your kids? This may be the game format you're looking for!

An authentic jeopardy game board with categories that students can elect to pick!
The amounts, as imagined, are $200, $400, $600, $800, or $1000 answers.

After clicking on the amount, the answer will appear on the next slide.
Hand Me a Note - Discussing the pitches on the Orff instruments

Technique - Techniques on Orff instruments (middle of the bar, "handlebars", etc)
Mallet Madness - Descriptions and anatomy of mallets (rubber, yarn, wood)

Family Time! - The instruments within the family from the Bass all the way to the Glockenspiel

Students (keeping in true Jeopardy! fashion) can answer in the form of a question

"What is a Soprano"

"What is Yarn"

"What is C"

After the money is awarded (You can split sides of your class, boys vs girls, class vs class, however you want it!), there is a link in the bottom right hand corner to go back to the title screen and game board.

After extracting the ZIP file, make sure to install the Jeopardy! font included, or else you'll see random characters all over -- not good eats!

Email me at jasonlitt@gmail.com or leave a comment if you have any questions. Happy Jeopardy...ing!

In Rhythm Color Lineup, students all receive a baggie of six cards (you can just cut out Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple cards from construction paper) to use to decipher the rhythm being played.

They will then listen to a musical example of a rhythm with notes shown on their colored cards (although their cards will be blank, but be representative of the rhythm)...but they’re not in the right order!

The students will then line up your colors from left to right as you hear the rhythm being played, and check your answer afterward by advancing the slide!

All slides include the embedded sound file in it (with 8 beats of prep before the rhythm example) and you get 10 examples to illustrate for your kids

Have a colorful time with this one!

Wanna get your Orff Ensemble moving and grooving but don't know where to start? Get percussive with an original composition named "Birds of a Feather" for Soprano, Alto, and Bass Xylophone/Metallophones!

This Orff Ensemble orchestration provides parts for Soprano, Alto, and Bass Xylophone/Metallophone All parts work together and you can perform the arrangement with all or just some of the parts.

You are free to dissect melodies and harmonies to what you wish, or play right from the beginning to the end. There are 3 four-measure sections to teach your kids (by rote), and you can arrange and label these sections ("A" at measure 1, "B" at measure 5, and "C" and measure 9) in any form you want. ABACA. ABABCAB. AABBCC, etc!

Included are:

• Part for Soprano

• Part for Alto

• Part for Bass

What's it sound like? Check out the preview and see if it's a good fit!

Get your class on beat! Included are 24 background tracks with ethnic flair -- tablas, bongos, electric kits, and drum sets for your kids to jam with. The 24 tracks vary from 95 bpm all the way to 125 bpm (there are 6 different tracks with 4 different tempo)

Want a sneak peak? Give the preview a sample of some of the tracks!

I use these in my class for Orff, Boomwhacker, Rhythm Sticks, Dancing, Movement, or singing activities. The tracks go for about 1 minute each, but you can manipulate a longer track by having it stay on repeat for as long as you wish

Have fun!

Cup rhythms are terrific for your students of all ages! Inexpensive plastic cups from the dollar store, Target, or others make excellent substitutes for percussion instruments and in unison played together, solidifies steady beat, rhythm acuity, and gets everyone playing as an ensemble!

In this arrangement of Imagine Dragons' hit from 2022, the newly released "Bones"!

students will read each corresponding colored section along with the form identifier for the amount of times played.

Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats. Then, apply it your class set of cups (to be done on the ground, in their seat, or however)!

Notation is as follows:

• CUP WITH ARROW - to be played by striking the cup (upside down) on the floor
• CUP WITH HAND - to be played with cup on the floor and patting the top of the cup
• CLAP - hands clap once
• QUARTER REST - one beat rest

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://youtu.be/kK9g0XTxSM0

Cup rhythms are terrific for your students of all ages! Inexpensive plastic cups from the dollar store, Target, or others make excellent substitutes for percussion instruments and in unison played together, solidifies steady beat, rhythm acuity, and gets everyone playing as an ensemble!

In this arrangement of The Imperial March, from STAR WARS, students will read each corresponding colored section along with the form identifier for the amount of times played.

Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats. Then, apply it your class set of cups (to be done on the ground, in their seat, or however)!

Notation is as follows:

• CUP WITH ARROW - to be played by striking the cup (upside down) on the floor
• CUP WITH HAND - to be played with cup on the floor and patting the top of the cup
• CLAP - hands clap once
• QUARTER REST - one beat rest

Here's the track so you can play along... (recorded by the LSO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3SZ5sIMY6o

All you got are rhythm sticks for classroom equipment? Or do you need something else to do with them other than keep a steady beat?

Put some creativity in your lesson with a rhythm stick read-a-long featuring Scott Joplin's famous ragtime tune "Maple Leaf Rag" - perfect for Black History Month!

In this resource, you will see the entire arrangement structured across 5 slides in coded colors with the corresponding repeats. There will be eight boxes that hold each beat along with one of three action icons.

• Sticks - Click your sticks together
• Quarter Note - Hit your sticks on the ground (or chair or desk or lightly on your lap)
• Eighth Notes - Hit your sticks on the ground (or chair or desk or lightly on your lap)
• Quarter Rest - Rest

Teach the entire thing line by line through a rote method and play through at the end!

_Play-a-long with the piece here!
_

https://youtu.be/rBInnwV21DM

All you got are rhythm sticks for classroom equipment? Or do you need something else to do with them other than keep a steady beat?

Put some creativity in your lesson with a rhythm stick read-a-long featuring the epic space-saga theme everyone KNOWS and LOVES... John Williams' classic The Imperial March from Star Wars!

In this resource, you will see the entire arrangement structured across 4 slides in coded colors with the corresponding repeats. There will be eight boxes that hold each beat along with one of three action icons.

• Sticks - Click your sticks together
• Quarter Note - Hit your sticks on the ground (or chair or desk or lightly on your lap)
• Quarter Rest - Rest

Teach the entire thing line by line through a rote method and play through at the end! Alternatively... use Boomwhackers! (or as the kids would them light sabers for this activity) :)

Here's the track for you to play along:

https://youtu.be/s3SZ5sIMY6o

In "Holiday Rhythm Discovery" students will see a rhythm appear on the screen and will be given the opportunity to clap back (or perform back, say back, sing back, however you wish!) the rhythm being displayed. Then, they will see a multiple choice listing of songs -- which song matches the rhythm?

Advance the slide and the correct answer will turn GREEN

9 examples in this, just a little starter kit :)

All you got are rhythm sticks for classroom equipment? Or do you need something else to do with them other than keep a steady beat?

Put some creativity in your lesson with a rhythm stick read-a-long featuring Aaron Copland's famous piece "Hoedown" from his ballet "Rodeo"!

In this resource, you will see the entire arrangement structured across 6 slides in coded colors with the corresponding repeats. There will be eight boxes that hold each beat along with one of three action icons.

• Sticks - Click your sticks together
• Quarter Note - Hit your sticks on the ground (or chair or desk or lightly on your lap)
• Quarter Rest - Rest

Teach the entire thing line by line through a rote method and play through at the end!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with Carol of the Bells (Christmas Eve Sarajevo), by the Trans Siberian Orchestra!

There are six all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 2,3, or 6 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball. Any smaller balls (grouped in two) will be played as 2 eighth note pairs and students will have to lower themselves a foot or two to dribble eighth notes on the floor

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCabI3MdV9g

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with First Snow by the Trans Siberian Orchestra -

There are four all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 3 or 4 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0DngW4WOGY

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in Holiday Style with Trans Siberian Orchestration hit piece, "Christmas Jam"!

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 3, 4, or 7 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball. Any smaller balls (grouped in two) will be played as 2 eighth note pairs and students will have to lower themselves a foot or two to dribble eighth notes on the floor

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1mHMZkR9Ss

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with the Siberian Sleigh Ride, by the Trans Siberian Orchestra

There are four all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 2 or 4 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a basketball icon. Each basketball icon is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the basketball icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGz2QbIBRBA

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!