Perform a rhythmic accompaniment using body percussion and unpitched instruments.
Learn a choreographed dance to this song.
Materials
Unpitched classroom instruments: tambourines, cowbells, classroom drums and low-pitched drums
Instructions
Rock and Roll is a style of music that evolved in the 1950s with strong rhythms and youthful lyrics.
As you listen to this song, play an "air drum set" using your hands and feet only. Look at the rhythms on the Student Page (PDF). Perform the rhythms one at a time.
Play Percussion Part 2's quarter notes by tapping your right foot to the steady beat. This would be the bass drum part on a drum set.
Play Percussion Part 1's eighth notes by patting your left knee with your right hand. This rhythm would be played on the ride cymbal on a drum set.
Play Percussion Part 3's rhythm by patting your right knee: rest, Ta, rest, Ta. This would be played on the snare drum.
Optional: try performing 2 or 3 rhythms at the same time! (If you choose three rhythms, try them in this order: Start by tapping your foot to the beat, then play eighth notes with one hand, then play on beats 2 and 4 with the other hand. You are now playing a basic drum-set rhythm.)
Sing the melody together.
After the instrumental interlude, clap your hands on beats 2 and 4. This is Percussion Part #3 on the Student Page (PDF).
Body Percussion accompaniment: Practice the various rhythms using body percussion. Divide the group into four sections. Each section plays the various rhythms. Challenge: give each person a number (1,2,3,4). Perform your rhythm while sitting next to students playing different rhythms. Focus!
Part 1: Swish your hands back and forth on the eighth notes.
Part 2: Clap your hands on the quarter notes.
Part 3: Pat your laps on beats 2 and 4.
Part 4: Tap your feet on the quarter notes.
Unpitched instrument accompaniment: Distribute unpitched percussion instruments. Combine playing the rhythms at the same time.
Part 1 = tambourine
Part 2 = cowbell,
Part 3 = drum,
Part 4 = low-pitched drum
Divide the class into two groups: body percussion and unpitched percussion instruments. Play the four part accompaniment during the Chorus: Still like that old time-a rock and roll. That kind of music just soothes my soul. I reminisce about the days of old with that old time rock and roll.
Under the Video instruction tab, learn the choreography to this song with John Jacobson!
Perform song with melody, accompaniment (body percussion and unpitched instruments) and choreography.
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