Max Found Two Sticks Lesson

            Many of you have asked for the lesson plan to accompany

this fun book!  Here is the lesson I wrote up for it.  This lesson

is intended to be taught mainly to upper grades.  You are

welcome to make any adaptations to the lesson you would like.

Have fun and enjoy this one!                             

Max Found Two Sticks

By Shannon Elmer

 

This lesson is intended to be taught to grades 3-6

 

Standards:  Playing

Objectives:

• Practice the skills of beat accuracy while playing.
• Practice playing rhythmic patterns simultaneously against beat or rhythmic patterns played by others.
• Build skill in playing rhythm patterns using a variety of classroom instruments.

Supplies:  Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney, a classroom set of drum sticks or rhythm sticks, drums, buckets or the floor can be used to drum on (preferably starting with the floor)

Process: 

Read Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney to the class.  Ask the students to listen for non-sense words that might represent rhythmic playing.  Ask them to also listen for the different objects Max plays on.

As you read the book, emphasize the non-sense words and read them rhythmically.  Often 3 dots…represent a pause of a rest, longer words represent ta’s and shorter words ti-ti’s or ti-ri-ti-ri’s.

 

For Grades 3, 4, and 5…

Once the story has been read have the students answer the questions you asked them.  Pull out some of the non-sense rhythm words.

• Pat…pat-tat
• Pitter-putter…pat-tat
• Tap-tap-tap
• Tippy-tip…tat-tat
• Dum…dum-de-dum
• Di-di-di-di-…dum-dum
• Dong…dang…dung…
• Ding…dong…ding
• Cling…clang…da-BANG!
• A-cling-clang…DA-BANGGG!
• Thump-di-di-thump…

1.  Model the appropriate way to say the rhythms for the students
2. Have the students say it back to you.
3. Model the appropriate way to play it by patting or clapping.
4. Have the students play it back to you by patting or clapping.
5. Pass out rhythm sticks
6. Model the appropriate way to play with the rhythm sticks
7. Have the students play it back to you with the rhythm sticks.

 

For 6^th Grade only (you can try with the other grades but this is really difficult)

After following the above lesson outline, pair two rhythms together having half the class play one and half the class play the other.  (I highlighted the pairs for you) For example:

• Pat…pat-tat        and        pitter-putter…pat-tat

Make sure you switch jobs so every has a turn trying each rhythm.  Also, it works well to have the kids say the words that match the rhythm when playing.  It helps with retention and accuracy.

Pair remaining rhythms together.  The only ones that don’t work are the ding, dong ones because they are the same, And the final one Thump-di-di-thump…I would have one half do it first and the other half echo them.