Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep (from WHITE CHRISTMAS)
Goals
Sing a holiday song.
Identify syncopated rhythm patterns.
Sing a song with changing tempo.
Instructions
Review with the students that syncopation is rhythm accents occurring on the off-beat or weak beat. Using your preferred method of counting, prompt the students to echo you clapping syncopated rhythm patterns from the song. Include eighth note, quarter note, eighth note patterns.
Play the song "Count Your Blessings." Prompt the students to identify the syncopated rhythm patterns. Echo-clap the rhythms. Echo-sing the rhythms with lyrics.
Review that ritardando means to gradually slow the tempo and a tempo means return to the original tempo. Invite the students to locate these terms in the score.
Play the song as students softly pat the beat. Prompt the students to raise their hands when they hear the tempo changes.
Teach the students "Count Your Blessings."
Optional: Teach the harmony parts in the song.
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