STEADY BEAT - SYNCOPATED PATTERNS

In this activity, I wanted to connect to another summertime reading.  I'm using the children's book Summer.  The book was written by Alice Low; illustrated by Roy McKie.

Have children play the rhythm of the first 2-line phrase, "We like the things that summer brings" with a syncopated pattern.  For example, the rhythm pattern would be:

We like the things that       sum - mer brings.
ti     ta    ti    ta      ta      I    ta       ta       ta       (r)

Have children repeat this rhythmic pattern at the beginning of the story.  Then have them repeat the syncopated pattern after 2 of the 4-line phrases throughout the story.

Extension:  To extend the rhythmic pattern, add a second line "Summer brings so many things!"  This line is taken directly from the story.