Rhythm Practice for Beginner Band

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This lesson is great for days where students need to get up and move while still practicing skills in the area of rhythm counting. Creating a variety of ways for students to learn the same content keeps students engaged while practicing and testing for understanding. This lesson will explain two different ways to implement rhythm practice in the beginner band classroom: Rhythm Bingo
and Rhythm Four Corners.


Rhythm Bingo

Materials Needed:

  • Rhythm Bingo by Cheryl Lavender: Level I or II
  • Instrument to perform rhythm (I use a drum so I can count while I play the rhythm).
  • Pencil, marker, or bingo chips for each student
  • Whiteboard/SmartBoard/Writing Surface for all students to see

Objective: 

  • Students will be able to identify rhythms based on the rhythm played and/or counted.

Lesson plan:

Before the lesson
  1. Make copies of the bingo cards.
  2. Prepare writing utensils or bingo chips to disperse to students.
During the lesson
  1. Hand out the bingo cards. You can have one per student, have students paired together, or allow for small groups.
  2. Pass out a writing utensil or enough bingo chips to cover the card.
    Pro Tip: If using a pencil, have students use a different symbol in the corner for each round so you don’t have to hand out multiple sheets or have them erase. If using a marker or colored pencil, have them switch colors each round and only make a dot in a corner with their color when the rhythm is called.
  3. Using the calling cards in the rhythm bingo bundle, play and count the rhythm multiple times for students to hear and look for on their sheet.
  4. Ask a student or the class to tell you what the rhythm should look like on the paper. As they are saying the notes, write them on the board for students to check their board once more.
  5. Continue this until a student has a bingo, 4 corners, or whatever pattern you decide to have them work toward!

Rhythm Four Corners

Materials Needed:

  • A display of rhythms with one in each corner. Here is a free download from Teachers Pay Teachers with 22 pages of beginner rhythms to give you an idea of what it looks like. You could easily create one more suitable to various students in Google Slides, as well.
  • Instrument to perform rhythm (I use a drum so I can count while I play the rhythm).
  • SmartBoard
  • A large space for students to move around.
  • Timer (I use my phone)
  • Printed pages with “1, 2, 3, & 4”
  • Optional: Tape to mark the edges of the 4 corners.

Objective: 

  • Students will be able to identify rhythms based on the rhythm played and/or counted.

Lesson plan:

Before the lesson
  1. Have the rhythm display prepared to show on the SmartBoard.
  2. Print “1, 2, 3, 4” and label the corners in relation to the numbers on the display.
  3. Optional: Tape the edges of the 4 corners so there is no “grey area” for where students are standing when the timer ends.
ex. Display on Smartboard →



Room Layout →



During the lesson
  1. Explain to students how the game works: Students will move to the corner of the room that matches the rhythm the teacher plays and/or counts. The goal is to be the last one standing.
  2. Display the first set of 4 rhythms. Choose one of the rhythms to play and count. This can be done once or multiple times, depending on the level of students in the classroom.
  3. Start the timer and give students 30 seconds-1 minute to move to the corner of the rhythm they think the teacher played/counted.
  4. Once time is up, play/count the rhythm again for students and ask which corner is correct. Anyone who is NOT in the correct corner is out and must sit down until the next round starts.
    Other ways students might get out:
              - Running
              - Talking more than necessary
              - Moving before the timer starts
              - Moving after the timer has ended
  5. This pattern will continue until there is one student left.
*If you are looking for a similar game to have students play with a guest teacher, check out this
YouTube video: Musical Four Corners: Level 1 and more by Mrs. King’s Music Corner.*


LESSON WRITTEN BY Chantelle Danderand - Band Director - Lincoln Park Middle School - ISD709

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