Pre-Assessment

For the Pre-Assessment, the teacher will test students on the pre-requisite rhythms as listed in
the MPS curriculum guide. The concept that first grade students are learning is eighth notes.
The pre-requisite rhythms that the teacher will be testing first grade students over is their
knowledge and ability to identify quarter notes and quarter rests.

To test students on this, we will do an in-class activity that will show whether or not the
students understand how to identify quarter notes and quarter rests.

The teacher will hold up pictures of various patterns that contain both quarter notes and
quarter rests, and the students will play the rhythm back to the teacher using rhythm sticks.
The teacher will start by playing a few of the examples with the students, and then the students
will demonstrate their knowledge of quarter notes and quarter rests by playing them by
themselves as the teacher counts them off. To tell that students are feeling the beat of the rest,
they will say “rest,” out loud while performing this activity.

If students need help strengthening this skill, then we will spend a class period reviewing
quarter notes and quarter rests.
Post Assessment

Activity #1
The teacher will hold up pictures of various patterns that contain quarter notes, quarter rests
and eighth notes, and the students will play the rhythm back to the teacher using a hand drum.
The teacher will start by playing a few of the examples with the students, and then the students
will demonstrate their knowledge of eighth notes by playing them by themselves as the teacher
counts them off. To tell that students are feeling the beat of the rest, they will say “rest,” out
loud while performing this activity.

Assessment: Can students accurately perform these rhythms on a hand drum?

Activity #2

Students are familiar with the tune, “Ickle Ockle,” and they will perform improvisation on the
hand drum using only quarter notes and eighth notes while singing the song.

Assessment: Can students accurately perform rhythmic improvisation on a hand drum using
only quarter notes and eighth notes?