Supplemental Sunday: Rhythm Wheels

Happy Sunday! It's time to talk visual aids, and here are the ones that I'm using this upcoming week.

It's notation week in my clinic, so we are going to work on rhythm notation by using these pieces to explore patterns. 

Here's how we're going to use them this week. 

If you look over the Supplemental Sunday posts from the past, you'll see that I've referenced using boxes in music therapy group treatment. We used the boxes for the first time this week, and they worked as I expected them to work. Kids were able to complete tasks - some with assistance, others independently. Our opening check-in took less time (initial purpose), and I had the opportunity to assess whether my clients could complete the particular task. This week, we will also be using the boxes to help us organize.

I will sort the rhythm wheel pieces out so there are enough pieces for 3 entire rhythm wheels. My clients will use the pieces however they want to use them. I will try to keep the paraeducators from "fixing" how clients use the pieces. We'll work on puzzles and then transfer whatever we arrange into rhythms.

Here's what I anticipate will happen. Some of my students will understand the concept of rhythm wheels and will be able to make circles with the pieces. Others will either not understand the concept OR choose not to complete the task as presented (I am usually that sort of person, so I don't correct that behavior - I encourage clients to experiment). Those students will probably flap the pieces for a time and then set them down. They will still be composing a rhythm, but not as conventionally as the paraeducators will like. There will be a bit of a discussion about letting kids explore the materials. Once we are finished exploring and arranging, we will start to read the rhythms. We will also play assorted rhythm instruments while we read our rhythms.

I made these rhythm pieces many years ago. They are large - the circle diameter is about 18 inches across when completed. (The size was completely due to the availability of laminating film.) Basically, I took large pieces of bulletin board paper, cut out large circles, and then cut those circles into halves, quarters, and eighths. I purposefully made sets of notes in different colors. I didn't want my students to associate one color with one type of note. There are pink, yellow, and blue notes of all kinds. When we are composing, we have to look at the size of the piece and at the note drawn on the piece in order to identify what we are going to say during our repetition. All of the rests are white. This is also purposeful.

Tomorrow, when my first three groups use these materials, we will be composing music, completing patterns, working in a group, collaborating, decoding symbols into meaning, using our fine motor and gross motor upper extremity skills, distinguishing between sizes, assigning verbal meaning to symbols, AND many other things as well. In addition, we will engage in mutual musicking using the patterns that we've created together. All that and more in some pieces of paper - what a deal!