fun idea- I hope it works :)

So, on musick8.com website (a WONDERFUL resource for us crazy elementary music teachers)  I found this fun idea that brings "pop music" into the music classroom. The teacher had the idea to assign different students a part of a layer that creates the pop song, (ex. a piano player playing a simple rhythm ostinato, a student playing a steady beat on the bass drum, a student playing a simple melody on the hand drum... etc.) The class then has to listen to what they are playing and see if they can decipher what the mystery song is.

I decided to do One Direction's song "What Makes You Beautiful". (this decision was quite simple because every time that I say that I am playing a song, the kids are like "Is it One Direction???") I gotta say, this song just makes me happy and it is super catchy, AND... it is super simple! The refrain melody is literally 3 notes (do do do do do do re mi re mi re do....) (for the music nerds reading this :) As I was figuring out the rhythm (Yay for rhythm dictation coming in handy!) I realized that the refrain rhythm is actually quarter note triplets, I was pleasantly surprised with the use of this more complicated rhythm pattern. A quarter note triplet is 3 notes for every two quarter notes. (I know ultimate music nerd, but hey this is kinda my career, major, life :)

I hope that my crazy talkative 6th graders will enjoy this activity and I pray that I can harness their attention for at least 10 minutes of class... it is a definite struggle! They are great kids, they just know each other TOO well and get along really well and just well will not stop talking! If anyone has any suggestions for this lovely age group I would LOVE to hear them!

Here is the song if you haven't heard it.