Happy Top 10 Tuesdays everyone! Top of the morning to ya. It’s the Tuesday before Saint Patrick’s day, and to celebrate the luck of the Irish, today we are going to learn about 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures with a special Saint Patrick’s day music activity.
First, however, you will need some rhythm sticks. You can really use anything to keep a beat for this activity, but I prefer this set by Basic Beat.
They are available from Amazon.com for purchase. Click HERE to view them on the Amazon website.
The Activity
This activity is well suited for preschoolers or school-aged children. For preschoolers, however, you will need to read the poems below to them, and school-aged children should read the words out loud while they play the rhythm sticks.
Below are two different Saint Patrick’s day poems. The first is written with a 4/4 timing….or 4 beats per measure of music. As you read the poem, count the beats (1 – 4) over and over again as your child taps out each beat with their sticks. You should be counting 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4….etc.
4/4 poem: ”Five Little Leprechauns” by Leanne Guenther
This second poem is written in 3/4 time….or 3 beats per measure of music. As you read the poem, count the beats (1 – 3) over and over again as your child taps out each beat. You should be counting 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3…etc.
3/4 poem: “Don’t Pinch” by Bruce Lansky
Don’t Pinch 
When I got on the school bus,
I was in for a surprise.
My friends all stared and pointed.
There was mischief in their eyes.
A kid who sat in front of me
reached out and pinched my knee.
My friends all started laughing,
but the joke was lost on me.
And then I got my second pinch.
I felt it on my ear.
And then I felt a third and fourth.
You guessed it–on my rear.
I asked, “Why are you pinching me?
I think it’s very mean!”
They said, “Today’s St. Patrick’s Day
and you’re not wearing green.”
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everyone! Don’t forget to wear green and to listen to lots of Irish Celtic music or other music by great Irish artists like U2, Clannad, Van Morrison the Cranberries, etc in honor of this wonderful holiday this week. I hope you enjoyed this special Saint Patrick’s day Top 10 Tuesday music activity. For a complete list of the Top 10 Tuesday musical instruments under $40 that can be used to help promote music education in the home, click HERE. For an archive of all of the previous Top 10 Tuesday music activities, click HERE. I hope to see you back here next week and every week thereafter for some more musical fun. Until then, play on!
