8 ‘Ridiculously Easy’ Steps To Introduce The Whole Rest
See below for a Free Printable Pack to go with the post.
Teaching music theory in the homeschool is not difficult at all, if you know the exact steps and have the correct tools needed to get the job done.
Today, I’m not only going to give you the necessary tools but I will also explain the exact steps you can use to easily introduce the Whole Rest to your kids.
So what are Whole Rests? They are similar in value to Whole Notes, but no note is played.
They basically extend the silence by four beats.
And here’s how you can introduce the Whole Rest to your kids in the homeschool.
Show The Note And The Rest
Yes, it is that easy.
Show them the flashcard of the note and the rest side by side.
If you haven’t already introduced the Whole Note, do that first, you can find the steps, flashcard and printable in the post 6 ‘Easy Steps’ To Teach Whole Notes.
Tell them that the Whole Rest (point to it) is similar to the Whole Note and consists of 4 beats.
Explain The Difference
Don’t forget to explain the difference.
With a Whole Note, we actually play a note, but with a Whole Rest we don’t play a note, rather, there is silence for 4 beats, wherever there is a Whole Rest.
Ask Them Both Names
Yes, ask them to tell you the alternate name for the Whole Rest.
Since they know that the Whole Note is called a Semibreve, it is very likely that they will make the connection and tell you that the alternate name for the Whole Rest is a Semibreve Rest.
Clapping
Now comes the interesting part. Ask them to clap the Whole Rest.
Remember, a Whole Rest means there is silence for 4 beats, so there is no clapping only counting four beats.
Understanding The Whole Rest
To make the previous step less confusing, you draw or show a Whole/Half or Quarter Note before the Whole Rest. Then ask them to clap.
So, they should clap for the specific note you drew, then count the correct number of beats for that note, and finally count 4 more beats to signify the Whole Rest.
On The Keyboard
Repeat the above step on the keyboard.
Have them play the note first and count the corresponding number of beats and then count an additional 4 beats to signify the Whole Rest.
Writing The Whole Rest
Now teach them how to correctly write the Whole Rest.
It hangs from the fourth line within the third space.
Please use the printable I have included for this exercise.
Identifying The Whole Rest
Finally it is time to look at different sheets of music and identify the Whole Rests.
Again you have use the printable I have included for this post.
Easy isn’t it?
I promised you, you can do it.
You know you can do it, so don’t wait a minute longer, grab the printable and go get started.
Karen Cadera
Founder/Creator
Mom, Teacher, Minimalist, Zero Waste Enthusiast, Multi Pod.
My daughter loved the games, but there were also worksheets and videos. The weekly lesson plans were complete, and I never questioned what I should be doing next.
This program reminded me (and allowed me to teach my son) how to read music. To me, that was the most important thing that we learned together. Of course, it was very rewarding for me to watch my son play the piano with both hands at the same time, while reading sheet music. His favorite parts of the course were actually playing the songs and doing the worksheets provided.
Download the FREE Music Theory Worksheet
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