Consider Using Shapes, Part 1

For a while now, I have been incorporating shapes into my music classes - shape rhythms, shape notations, student artwork using shapes they either draw or form with classroom instruments.  There are many possibilities:

Here, students chose two basic shapes to draw on a 1/4 sheet of paper, then worked in groups to arrange them.

The orientation of the papers opened up many possibilities......

......and begged the question, "Where is the beginning?"

In this activity, students used the shapes to notate rhythm patterns.  Square = ta (rest); Circle = ta ta; Triangle = ta-ti ta; Rectangle = ta ta-ti.  Once numerous permutations of the shape rhythms were explored, students were given classroom instruments to play their patterns: triangles play, well obviously, triangles.  Drums played the circles.  Wood blocks played the rectangles and sand blocks played the squares.

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