Rhythm Pizza
Rhythm Pizza is a very helpful tool for students who have trouble understanding note values and what notes equal each other. I’m talking about the ones you are trying to explain 8th notes to and they haven’t even learned fractions. I also learned that a lot of kids don’t even know what the word “quarter” means. I showed a student (who didn’t know what a “quarter coin” was) a $.25 coin and asked him what he called it, and he looked at me like I was strange and said “twenty-five cents.” If that is common nowadays, they might have more trouble with quarter notes than I did! Maybe I’m showing my age, but I’ve always called $.25 a quarter. At least I’m not old enough to call it “two bits!”
Anyway, it’s better to explain how notes equal each other, rather than fractions. I think Rhythm Pizza is a great way to explain it because it is more fun and also more helpful if students use manipulatives to learn music theory concepts.
Rhythm Pizza works best if you glue it to foam board and cut it out with scissors. I don’t think you will regret using this to explain 8th notes to your students. Plus, you’re giving them a head start in their math class!
