MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 1

Fancy Name of Your Curricula:

A Rhythmic Game-Based Curricular for Second Grade

Emily Bryson
MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 2

Transfer Goals 

● Build confidence through group activity as well as solo activity

● Learn to work as a team with classmates in order to complete a common goal
● Communicate effectively with both classmates and the teacher
● Listen actively and be able to repeat and answer questions and musical segments
● Apply concepts between games in order to succeed
● Explore creativity in a safe environment with their peers

Theme 

The theme of this design is Rhythm Games. After initially learning them, these games can all be played outside
of the classroom for enjoyment. They can also be taught by students to family and friends for an engaging
musical experience anywhere. Students will work with learning and eventually creating rhythms in a healthy
competitive atmosphere.

Overview of Unit 

Day 1:​ ​The first day of this unit includes reviewing past rhythmic elements through songs, games, and some, but
limited, formal instruction. The review segment includes rhythmic warmups, for example, repeating rhythms to
music, as well as reading rhythms off of note cards, with a beat in the background. This will transition into
“keeping the beat in your feet” which involves marching to the big beat around the classroom until each student
confidently feels the beat. Then, students will be asked to sit down to begin the lesson using a rhythmic game
called “Button you Must Wander”. The teacher begins by singing the song for the students, and incorporates
them immediately, while slowly incorporating the various aspects of the game, including keeping the beat. This
game was chosen first to review and help students with keeping a steady beat, while focusing on their motor
skills and keeping track of who has the button, or quarter.

Day 2:​ The second day of this unit starts similarly, with warmups and rhythmic review. This rhythmic review
looks similar to the previous day, including repeating rhythms after the teacher, and reading off of note cards, in
the tempo of the music playing in the background. After these warmups the teacher will open a short reflection
of the “Button you Must Wander” lesson, asking students questions such as “what do you remember?”, “what
did you learn?”, and “what was difficult or easy for you?”. This will transition into learning a game called
“Ti-de-o Cups”. This will include students playing a version of the 2012 pop culture “cup game”, where
participants each have a cup, and pass it with a unique rhythm in between. The teacher begins by singing the
song for the students, and incorporates them immediately, while slowly incorporating the various aspects of the
game, including passing the cup, and tapping rhythms on top of it. This game was chosen first to review and help
students with keeping a steady beat, then apply rhythms in between, all while focusing on their motor skills.

Day 3:​ The final day of this unit will start similarly, with the rhythmic review in the form of warm ups. This
consistency helps students to further apply their warmups to the lesson, as well as gives them the opportunity
to learn about and discover more difficult rhythmic examples. For this reason the final day will include more
difficult rhythms being repeated orally as well as on the notecards. This may include an unexpected rest, or
eighth notes mixed with sixteenth notes. Also, in coordination with the game being played in the lesson,
students will have the opportunity to create their own call and response rhythms. After this, students will begin
to learn how to play “rhythmic telephone”. This game includes working together in order for students to be able
to pass the rhythm around successfully.
 MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 3

 Button You Must Wander (Day 1)

Overview 

The first day of this unit includes reviewing past rhythmic elements through songs, games, and some, but
limited, formal instruction. The review segment includes rhythmic warmups, for example, repeating rhythms
to music, as well as reading rhythms off of note cards, with a beat in the background. This will transition into
“keeping the beat in your feet” which involves marching to the big beat around the classroom until each
student confidently feels the beat. Then, students will be asked to sit down to begin the lesson using a
rhythmic game called “Button you Must Wander”. The teacher begins by singing the song for the students,
and incorporates them immediately, while slowly incorporating the various aspects of the game, including
keeping the beat. This game was chosen first to review and help students with keeping a steady beat, while
focusing on their motor skills and keeping track of who has the button, or quarter.

I Can Statements (learning goals) 

● I can sing a repertoire of songs alone and with others, including singing melodic patterns that move
upward, downward and stays the same; singing melodies with the range of a sixth; increasing pitch
accuracy while singing phrases and simple songs. (VA 2.2.1-3)
● I can perform rhythmic patterns that include half notes and half rests using voice and aural skills to
imitate given phrases. (VA 2.4.1&3)
● I can demonstrate a steady beat using body percussion and instruments. (K.6)

Materials 

● Button or quarter (3)

● Sheet music

Detailed Process 

Time Required
2 mins
1) Listen to the song be sung twice, while teacher does movement of passing the 
quarter 
2) Everyone does movement, and teacher secretly passes the quarter into the 
next person’s hand 
1 mins 3) Students pass the quarter around once 
2 mins 4) Teacher explains that one student sits in the middle and closes their eyes, 
and when the song is over they get to open their eyes and choose who they 
think has the button 
1 mins 5) Looks for volunteer 
3 mins 6) Student sits in the middle and closes eyes, at the end of the song they are told 
they have 3 guesses 
2 mins 7) If they guess, students switch, if not, another student gets to volunteer 
 MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 4

10 mins 8) Game continues until students lose interest 

9) If students are still excited, and not obvious about who has the coin, then 2 
more coins get mixed in 
10) Game continues

Assessments 

● Teacher listens for pitches in the group, making note of students who struggle to match pitch
● Teacher watches and listens for each student passing on the beat, and makes note
● Students discuss their ability to pass on the beat, the teacher takes notes of students comments

Extensions: 

● Reflection on game
● Ask students to change game how they would like to
● Try with different songs

Adaptations 

Size Students may struggle with passing a small button or quarter, and the game can be
changed to passing a ball, which is hidden behind the individual when the music stops

Color Students may need a visual of the music, which will be color coded for quick access and
the student’s ability to play the game, and glance at the music if they need help. Color
coding can include colors by solfege name, or when the melody rises and falls, depending
on the student’s needs.

Pacing The game can be done at a slower tempo, for students who struggle with quick motor skills
or singing the song at a faster tempo.
Explaining the directions can take as much or as little time as the class needs.

Modality The button can be passed on the beginning of each measure, until students are
comfortable with the motor skills, or passed on the microbeats if the passing is too slow
Students can pass multiple buttons if needed to be wound forward, or just one if needed to
be wound back.
 MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 5

 Ti-de-o Cup Game (Day 2)

Emily Bryson

Overview 

The second day of this unit starts similarly, with warmups and rhythmic review. This rhythmic review looks similar to the previous
day, including repeating rhythms after the teacher, and reading off of note cards, in the tempo of the music playing in the
background. After these warmups the teacher will open a short reflection of the “Button you Must Wander” lesson, asking
students questions such as “what do you remember?”, “what did you learn?”, and “what was difficult or easy for you?”. This will
transition into learning a game called “Ti-de-o Cups”. This will include students playing a version of the 2012 pop culture “cup
game”, where participants each have a cup, and pass it with a unique rhythm in between. The teacher begins by singing the song
for the students, and incorporates them immediately, while slowly incorporating the various aspects of the game, including
passing the cup, and tapping rhythms on top of it. This game was chosen first to review and help students with keeping a steady
beat, then apply rhythms in between, all while focusing on their motor skills.

I Can Statements (learning goals) 

● I can sing a repertoire of songs alone and with others, including singing melodic patterns that move
upward, downward and stays the same; singing melodies with the range of a sixth; increasing pitch
accuracy while singing phrases and simple songs. (VA 2.2.1-3)
● I can perform rhythmic patterns that include half notes and half rests using voice and aural skills to
imitate given phrases. (VA 2.4.1&3)
● I can demonstrate a steady beat using body percussion and instruments. (K.6)

Materials 

● Plastic Cups (30)

● Sheet music of the song

Detailed Process 

Time Required
 

3 mins 1. Sing song once for students to listen to  

2 mins 2. Sing song as you add movements 
a. “Ti-de-o” = pass the imaginary cup 
b. The rest of the melody = clap hands in rhythm 
3 mins 3. Repeat this process, and ask students to join in 
a. Ask them to do movements 
b. Ask them to sing along 
2 mins
4. Ask students when they are passing the imaginary cup, and when they are 
clapping 
3 mins 5. *If students are struggling, do “say do, whisper do, think do” with movements 
1min
6. Ask students to sit, get cups while they are sitting 
 MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 6

3 mins 7. Pass cups around so everyone has 1 cup in front of them 

4 mins 8. Have them sing song and pick up the cup and put it back down on “tideo”, 
but still tap cup on the rhythm 
1 min 9. Tell them to look to their right, and to put the cup in front of the person on 
their right 
10. Sing and play the game for 2 rounds 
4 mins
1 min 11. Add B section by stopping the game, singing it twice 
2 mins 12. Ask students when they think they should pass the cup 
2 mins 13. Have students play games with the B section alone 
4 mins
14. Start from the beginning and play completely through

Assessments 

Checklist

_____ Students tap the cups in the correct rhythm

_____ Students pass the cup in tempo
_____ Students sing the song on the pitches given, in the correct key .

Extensions: 

● Ask students how else they can manipulate the cup to the rhythm, try their ideas
● Play game to different music, discuss how it works or does not work
● Make direction of cups change for each part of the song (A and B)

Adaptations 

Size The cups can be bigger for students with lowered motor skills
The sheet music, if it helps the student, can be larger for them to see

Color If the students need notation for a visual aid, colors can be used to differentiate part A and
B
Cups can be brighter to attract more attention, or have a colored arrow on them to show
direction

Pacing The song can speed up or slow down, depending on students needs

Modality The rhythm can be clapped instead of tapped on the cup

Some students can clap the beat instead of tapping the rhythm
MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 7
 MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 8

 Rhythmic Telephone (Day 3)

Emily Bryson

Overview 

The final day of this unit will start similarly, with the rhythmic review in the form of warm ups. This
consistency helps students to further apply their warmups to the lesson, as well as gives them the
opportunity to learn about and discover more difficult rhythmic examples. For this reason the final day will
include more difficult rhythms being repeated orally as well as on the notecards. This may include an
unexpected rest, or eighth notes mixed with sixteenth notes. Also, in coordination with the game being
played in the lesson, students will have the opportunity to create their own call and response rhythms. After
this, students will begin to learn how to play “rhythmic telephone”. This game includes working together in
order for students to be able to pass the rhythm around successfully.

I Can Statements (learning goals) 

● I can perform rhythmic patterns that include half notes and half rests using voice and aural skills to
imitate given phrases. (VA 2.4.1&3)
● I can create music by improvising simple rhythm question-and-answer phrases (VA 2.6.1)
● I can demonstrate a steady beat using body percussion and instruments. (K.6)

Materials 

N/A

Detailed Process 

Time Required

1 mins 1. Students will stand in a circle and begin keeping the beat by patting their 
4 mins laps 
4 mins 2. Students will do some rhythms together, continuously patting to the beat 
4 mins
3. Teacher explains game 
3 mins
4. Two rounds are completed out loud, so students know how to play 
2 mins 5. Next round is played with whispers 
6. After 5 students have heard the pattern, the next student reveals what it is, 
2 mins and creates a new pattern 
7. That pattern is started where the students left off, and passed to the next 5 
10 mins people 
8. This is repeated, while students continue to pat the beat

Assessments 
 MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 9

1. Teacher passes the first pattern, and when it is the students turn to reveal the pattern, the 
teacher assesses by listening if it is the same. This information is written down for each 
student 
2. Teacher watches students as they keep patting the beat, and makes note of students struggling 
3. Teacher assesses student’s ability to make new patterns, by listening to their rhythms and 
writing down 

Extensions: 

● Game can be played in any grade, as new rhythmic elements are introduced
● Last student can write the rhythmic pattern on a board or paper for everyone to see
● Can be used to include melodies
● Each student can sing the next part of the melody in a repertoire song

Adaptations 

Size The circle can be made bigger or smaller, if a student needs more or less space

Color The students can have color coded flash cards, for options when they need to create their
own pattern

Pacing The beat can be slowed down, which makes it harder, or sped up, which can make it
easier since students will stick to quarter and half notes

Modality Students can partner up and listen and repeat the rhythms together
Students can choose to clap or write the rhythm instead of speaking it
MUED 380 Leadership Portfolio Project - Curricular Design Emily Bryson 10