ta, ti ti and fruit loops. Oh my!!

We had so much fun today in First Grade!  I am fortunate to see this class two days in a row :) 

Yesterday, we read the poem Big Black Cats.  We worked very hard to figure out the rhythmic pattern of the words  -- which happens to be
ta ta ta rest
ta ta ta rest
ti ti  ti ti ti ti ta
ta ta ta rest
We performed the rhythms using claps, snaps, pats, and more.  Once we had the rhythm under belts, we created new rhythms using ta, ti ti and rest. 

Day Two
Here comes the fun part!  After doing a review of yestday's class we moved on to the fruit loops! 
I have worksheets for the students that have 16 boxes on them.   

Each box is worth one beat.  A quarter note (ta) is represented by one fruit loop.  We know that in 4/4,  a quarter note is one beat, one sound -- ta. 
Barred eighth notes are represented by two fruit loops in one box.  We know that in 4/4, eighth notes are one beat, two sounds -- ti ti.

I said and clapped a variety 4 beat patterns using ta, ti ti and rest.  The students used fruit loops to notate what I clapped. 

They also created their own four beat patterns using fruit loops and then performed them for the class. 

At the end of class, they were allowed to eat the fruit loops (this might have been their favorite part!).