Art Form: Music
Supplies Needed
The Smallest Spot of a Dot book
Vocabulary
Steady beat - Consistent pulse; “heartbeat” of music
Tempo - Speed of the beat
Ostinato - Repeated pattern
Stanza - Group of lines forming a unit, often ending with rhyming words
Rhythm - Long and short sounds
Instructions
1. Read the book, The Smallest Spot of a Dot, and talk about the main idea.
2. Notice the words on the first four pages are arranged differently than the rest of the book. After page four, the words and lines are arranged in groups(stanzas) with rhyming words at the end of each line.
3. Pat the steady beat using a moderate tempo (medium speed). Change to a patclap pattern. Keep repeating this steady beat pattern (ostinato).
4. Read each line of a stanza in a rhythm. Make each line last four beats. Sometimes, you’ll say several syllables in a single beat! Slow the tempo if needed.
5. Go back and read the whole book. The first four pages will be read regularly (not in a rhythm); after that, read the book rhythmically!
Extensions
Say the title of the book in four beats using a rhythm. When you decide on the rhythm, say the title twice.
Read the book saying the title twice (using your rhythm) after each page.
About
The REimagining and Accelerating Literacy through Arts Integration (REALAI) grant supports the literacy achievement of 3,200 students and 170 teachers, media specialists, and literacy coaches across six schools in Georgia and South Carolina.
In addition to professional learning for educators, this project contributes significantly to school library collections through the purchase of developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant books.
This grant also includes parent events to provide families with access to books and other content about how to support their child’s reading development.