STOMP Unit with Second and Fourth Graders

Submitted by Elissa Reichstein-Saperstein, Otsego Elementary, New York

Idea posted July 5, 2006

I just finished a STOMP Unit with my kids. It was noisy and a bit difficult, but the kids loved it. I did it with second and fourth graders (to see the difference). We concentrated on: 1. the difference between rhythm and beat and 2. music = organized sounds and silences. For the second graders, we attached the rhythm concept to syllables; and the fourth graders concentrated on layering and orchestrating their compositions. Here's how it went:

First week: I divided the kids into groups of four. Next, I told them to choose a topic or category. Then, they brainstormed and created word lists that included any and all of the words about that topic.

Second week: We talked about beat (i.e., must remain steady, time signature, etc.). We decided to use 4-beats per measure and rhythms. I explained how words are divided into syllables, that is the "rhythm" of the word. Then, each member of the group was assigned a job as either a Marcher, a Recorder, a Speaker, or a Checker.

  Marcher = marched to the steady beat,

  Speaker = said the word over and over, and

  Checker = made sure that the Speaker was saying the word in a natural rhythm as it would be said during conversation. If not, s/he told everyone to stop and then asked the Speaker to use the word in a sentence or question. S/he got the group "back on track," and the marching/speaking process began again.

  Recorder = counted how many beats the word or phrase lasted (usually only one beat), and then recorded the number of BEATS (not sounds) next to each word or phrase on the list. The closure of this lesson focused on the difference between the number of sounds heard and the number of beats. The fourths notated the rhythms of some of the words (i.e., ta, titi, etc).

Third week: Each group was given a grid on a large piece of construction paper and a pencil. The grid had eight blocks across (eight bars) and four rows (one for each student). The groups now had to arrange their words into 4-beat patterns. Each pattern was written into a block. Each student needed to fill at least five out of the eight blocks. The criteria for the patterns were that each student must play at least five measures, and each piece must have silence (rests) as well as sound.

Fourth Week: Orchestration and rehearsal. The kids were allowed to "layer" their pieces however they wanted (i.e., first time through - speech, second time - body percussion, third time - "junk"* instrument or first time girls speak, boys play, etc.). They could play their piece a minimum of one and no more than three times.

Fifth week: We performed our pieces and the kids were assessed using an easy and short rubric.

I did not allow FULL classes for these activities (very noisy). I allowed about 2/3 or 1/2 of the class, and during the two planning weeks, I showed STOMP to them to finish the time up.