Counting claps and drum beats

Say: “Today we are musicians and counters. Music has a beat, like a heartbeat. Put your hand on your chest. Can you feel bump, bump, bump? That is a steady beat. It does not go faster and it does not go slower.”

Do: pat your knees slowly and steadily. Pupils copy. After a while change to clapping, then to tapping the table, then back to knees. Keep the same speed all the time.

Say: “Now let’s count our claps. One number for each clap. Not two numbers for one clap.” Clap 10 times while everyone counts aloud: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.” Point to each number on the board as you go.

Say: “Now we will count in Welsh. Listen, then copy me.” Clap once for each word: un, dau, tri, pedwar, pump, chwech, saith, wyth, naw, deg (1 to 10). Pupils echo each word as they clap. If a pupil speaks Welsh, ask them to lead the second time.

Ask: “How many claps was that?” (10) “Which number did we say on the very last clap?” (10, deg) Say: “The last number we say tells us how many.”

Say: “Sit down and look at Task 1. There are 4 boxes, and each box has a picture. I will clap. Do not count out loud. Count in your head, or put up one finger for each clap. When my hands go down, I have finished. Then write how many claps in the box.”

Do: use exactly these numbers. Do each one twice, slowly, then wait for pencils to go down before the next one.

• Star box: clap 4 times.
• Harp box: clap 7 times.
• Dragon box: tap the table 11 times.
• Daffodil box: tap the table 13 times.

Say before the dragon: “Now I will tap the table. Listen hard, there are more taps this time. You may need more fingers than you have!” Pupils who run out of fingers can make a small mark on the edge of the page for each tap.

Say: “Pencils down. Do not rub anything out. Let’s check together.” Do each one again while the class counts aloud with you: star 4, harp 7, dragon 11, daffodil 13. Pupils put a small tick next to each box they got right.

Ask: “Which picture had the most claps or taps?” (the daffodil, 13) Walk round and look for numbers written back to front, such as a 7 facing the wrong way. Show the right way on the board.

Say: “Task 2. Count the drums next to each picture. Touch each drum with your pencil as you count. One touch, one number. The drums sit in rows of 5, so a full row is always 5.” Pupils write each number in the box.

Walk round. Pupils who lose count can put a tiny dot on each drum as they count it. Ask a pupil who finishes: “How did you count the castle drums?” (Some will say “5, 10, 15”: praise this.)

Say: “Task 3. Each circle is a beat. On the top row, colour 8 beats. Start at the left. Count as you colour, and stop when you get to 8. On the bottom row, colour 12 beats.”

Ask: “Point to your 8 coloured beats and clap them for me.” Pupils clap once for each coloured beat, touching it as they clap.

Say: “Stand up beside your chair. We will count backwards from 10 to 0, one number on each clap. On every number, make yourself a little bit smaller. When we get to 0, freeze like a statue!”

Do: clap the steady beat while everyone counts: “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, freeze!” Do it twice. The second time, pupils choose their own statue shape. A statue is still and silent. Praise the stillest statues.

Say: “Now we count on past 10. I clap, you count.” Clap while pupils count from 1 to 20, pointing to the board. Then: “This time start at 8.” Count 8 to 15. Then: “Start at 12 and count backwards.” Count 12 down to 5.

Say: “Sit down and look at Task 4. Each drum has a number, but some drums are empty. The top drums go forwards, so the numbers get bigger. Point and say them with me: 8, 9, 10…” Pupils write the missing numbers. “The bottom drums go backwards from 12, so the numbers get smaller.”

Say: “Task 5. Three drummers played in a concert. Cerys played 12 beats. Osian played 9 beats. Amir played 14 beats. Who played the most beats? Draw a circle round that drummer.”

Say: “Now write the 3 numbers in order. The smallest number goes in the first box, the biggest goes in the last box.” Pupils who are unsure can find the numbers on the board and see which comes first, or count the dots under each drummer.

Say: “Task 6. Now you make a rhythm. Choose a number of beats from 5 to 20. Draw that many beats as circles in the big box. Then write your number.”

Do: pairs swap sheets. One pupil claps their partner’s beats, touching each circle, while the partner counts aloud. Ask: “Did the claps match the number?”

Ask 2 or 3 pupils to clap their Task 6 rhythm while the class counts aloud. If the number is 10 or less, count it again in Welsh.

Ask: “Who clapped more beats, Gwen or Deio? How do you know?” (use the names of the pupils who shared) · “Is 14 bigger or smaller than 9?” Say: “Da iawn, everyone! (Well done!)”