I wanted to continue with The Snowy Day since I know that many of you like to use a book more than once -- or have more than one activity with a book. So this week, I am adding a steady beat activity.
In the story, when Peter goes out into the snow, the snow ostinato is "crunch, crunch, crunch." Add a 4th "crunch" to have a full 4-beat measure ostinato. You can use 4 footprint outlines and write one quarter note on each (see last week's entry for ideas about creating footprints). As you read the story, invite one child to tap on the posted footprints while the rest of the class plays the rhythm pattern of the ostinato (ta-ta-ta-ta) on a non-pitched instrument. Use bar instruments in pentatonic for a more melodic winter response.
Extension 1: Write a different rhythm pattern on each footprint. Remember that each footprint is only one beat. Mix the footprints up to create different rhythmic sentences.
Extension 2: Have the children trace both feet and cut them out -- this gives you matching footprints. Have the children write a quarter note on each of their footprints and mix them in a pile with other footprints. Ask them to re-match. Tie string on the footprints and ask the children to "tie" their shoes together. Place the footprints in 4-beat (4 footprints) or 8-beat (8 footprints) patterns. Place each child's footprints beside their matching footprint so that they can be "tied" together (or "tied" together at a later time). If they tie their shoes together, explain that they will only play the first of their footprints and not the second. This is a great opportunity to PREPARE half note. In a later lesson, you can place YOUR footprint, which is obviously much larger, on top of their footprints. Each of your footprints must have a half note written on each of them. One of your footprints should cover two of theirs. By showing their footprint under yours, they can visually see that your footprint (the half note) receives 2 full beats.
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