Instrument Circle First Grade Lesson Plan

Objective: By the end of the class period, first grade students will read, count, and play a variety
of quarter note, eighth note pairs, and quarter rest rhythms

Materials: Percussion instruments (drums, boomwhackers, rhythms sticks, etc.)

Set up: instruments set up in a circle, students sit at each instrument, rhythm cards placed in the
center of the circle

● Warm up/set up expectations

○ Call and response on quarter and eighth note rhythms
■ Teacher play rhythms on drum students echo
■ Students rotate instruments clockwise
● Reminder about instrument expectations (not playing until asked
to, treating instruments kindly)
● Playing student selected rhythm cards
○ Two students following expectations each select one card from the center,
together they decide the order of their rhythms and hand the cards on the board
for the class to see
○ Class counts these rhythms together then plays them
■ Repeat counting and playing as necessary until most of class is playing
together
○ Class rotates clockwise one instruments, tow new students are selected to pick
rhythms

Assessment: Can first graders read, count, and play quarter notes, eighth note pairs,
and quarter rests? Teacher listens and observes