Home›Lesson Plans›The Arts›Music · Grade 3

Reading Rhythms

Third graders learn to read simple rhythms — looking at the notes, counting beats, and clapping them with “ta” and “ti-ti” — turning written music into sound.

Grade 3Notation35 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Read a rhythm.
  • ✓Count the beats.
  • ✓Order the steps.
  • ✓Clap what you read.
Essential Question

Written music is like a code — and you can learn to read it! How do you read and clap a rhythm?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Reading Steps

Project this and have children put the rhythm-reading steps in order.

🎵 Put the rhythm-reading steps in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Listen · Explore · Create · Perform · Reflect)

35 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Listen — Music Is a Code

4 min

Written music is a code you can read — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a rhythm on a line.
  • Ask how to read it.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Reading Rhythms

9 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Order the Reading Steps.
  • Order them.
  • Say “ta” and “ti-ti.”

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say them.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

10 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Look at a rhythm.
  • Clap it slowly.
  • Say it with ta/ti-ti.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Clap.
  • Say it.
4

Perform — Perform

8 min

Children perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Read and clap a rhythm.
  • Keep a steady beat.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Read it.
  • Keep steady.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

4 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the first step.
  • Say ta and ti-ti.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Say them.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Music).

NCAS
MU:Pr4.2.3

Read and perform rhythms.

NCAS
MU:Pr5.1.3

Practice reading notation.

NCAS
MU:Cr1.1.3

Explore reading music.

NCAS
MU:Re7.1.3

Respond to notation.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Rhythm-step cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First ___, then ___.”
  • Clap together.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with look and clap.
  • Order two at a time.
  • Clap slowly.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Read a longer rhythm.
  • Write your own.
  • Add eighth notes.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎵Rhythm cards
  • 💻Order the Reading Steps
  • 👏Hands to clap
  • 🖍️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

readto turn notes into soundrhythma pattern of notesnotea music symbolbeatone steady pulsetaa one-beat soundti-titwo half-beat soundscountto track the beatssteadyeven and regular
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a good FIRST step in reading a rhythm?
Look at the notes on the line.
QUESTION 2
What sounds do you use to clap rhythms?
“Ta” for one beat and “ti-ti” for two half-beats.
QUESTION 3
What should you keep the whole time?
A steady beat.

Reflect: read a rhythm.

Have children clap a simple written rhythm, saying “ta” and “ti-ti.” A printable reading sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Reading RhythmsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Reading RhythmsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Reading RhythmsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: beat, count, note, read, rhythm, steady, ta, ti-ti
  1. even and regular
  2. two half-beat sounds
  3. to track the beats
  4. to turn notes into sound
  5. a one-beat sound
  6. one steady pulse
  7. a music symbol
  8. a pattern of notes

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a good FIRST step in reading a rhythm?
  2. What sounds do you use to clap rhythms?
  3. What should you keep the whole time?
Answer key — Part A: 1) steady · 2) ti-ti · 3) count · 4) read · 5) ta · 6) beat · 7) note · 8) rhythm
Part B: 1) Look at the notes on the line. 2) “Ta” for one beat and “ti-ti” for two half-beats. 3) A steady beat.