Submitted by Sandy Elder, Michigan

Idea posted November 15, 2002

Patterning is a MAJOR concept in the current 1st grade math curriculum, and they even use letters to "read" and analyze them. Here's a wonderful composition lesson using their knowledge of patterns to write songs.

Lesson in Brief: Compose a pattern using three colors, choose one instrument for each color, and play the song.
Concepts: patterning (of visual AND auditory), letters used to represent parts of pattern (leading to form analysis later), symbols representing sounds (like in standard notation), reading left to right, exact repetition -v- variation, composition technique, and performance practice.
Materials: scissors (1 per kid), construction paper cut into strips (3 per kid; hint: don't provide more than 4 colors to choose from!), white paper (1 per kid), glue (1 per kid or to share), instruments (1 per kid; also works with only a few instruments at the front of room or with body sounds if you have no instruments).
Lesson in Detail:

Prep: Do a sample on the board. Using giant chips (cut construction paper into 1/4's), write a three-color pattern that repeats a few times with no variation. Draw a picture of three instruments and tape one of the colored papers next to each drawing. Have the class read the pattern first with letters (A, B, and C). Then distribute instruments (or have selected students get instruments) and perform the song together.

Now, compose your own: Using three different colors of paper chips (cut the strips), compose a pattern that repeats itself (with or without variation) at least 2 times. Choose an instrument for each color (for ex. red chips = drum, yellow = glockenspiel). Play your song, reading left to right. Next lesson: play the songs for the whole class. Display for conferences!!!

Helpful hint: Group the chip patterns on the paper in phrases so they're easy to read, and glue them down. For example, if the pattern is ABBBCBB ABBBCBB ABBBCBB (one of my 1st graders actually came up with that!), the kids will tend to NOT group the letters at all but rather will just keep glueing until they run out of room at the edge of the paper, reading something like this: ABBBCBBABBBCBBABBBCBB... nearly impossible to decipher. So, encourage them to glue the pattern in "phrases."