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Year 1

Composing a four beat rhythm

I can compose a four beat rhythm using Ta and Ta-di and play it with a steady pulse.

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New
New
Year 1

Composing a four beat rhythm

I can compose a four beat rhythm using Ta and Ta-di and play it with a steady pulse.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Beat and rhythm are not the same thing. We can play rhythms successfully when we are able to hold a steady beat.
  2. Ta is one beat. Ta-di is also one beat long.
  3. When we create new music we are composers. We can choose the sounds we like.

Keywords

  • Rhythm - the pattern of sounds that we play and sing

  • Beat - the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock

  • Chant - speaking in time to a pulse

  • Compose - to create music

Common misconception

Rhythm and beat are the same thing.

The beat is the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock. The rhythm is the pattern of sounds we play and sing over the steady beat.


To help you plan your year 1 music lesson on: Composing a four beat rhythm, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Allow plenty of opportunities and activities for pupils to develop their sense of pulse. Being able to hold a steady beat is essential for playing rhythms successfully.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Manipulatives can be used instead of worksheets e.g. shaping the rhythms with lollipop sticks, or using one item to represent a Ta and two small items to represent a Ta-di.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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4 Questions

Q1.
Pulse is...
An image in a quiz
how fast or slow the music is played.
how high or low a note is.
Correct answer: the regular, steady heartbeat of the music.
Q2.
How many syllables does the word 'apple' have?
Correct Answer: two, 2
Q3.
Call and response is a and answer musical structure.
Correct Answer: question, Question
Q4.
Which stick notation shows Ta-di?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
True or false. Rhythm and beat are the same thing.
Correct Answer: false, False
Q2.
A __________ creates their own new music.
performer
Correct answer: composer
conductor
Q3.
Which fruit phrase does this rhythm show?
An image in a quiz
big green sweet pear
juicy round green grapes
Correct answer: ripe sweet yellow melon
Q4.
Which rhythm shows 'round pink sharp grapefruit'?
Correct answer: Ta Ta Ta Ta-di
Ta-di Ta-di Ta Ta-di
Ta Ta Ta Ta