1. Before class begins, it is the teacher’s responsibility to use some kind of musical notating software to create the rhythms. If a teacher is unfamiliar with musical notations, here is a website that can help explain the basics of rhythms: http://www.therhythmtrainer.com/
This website is a game, and if a teacher would like, they can use this at the beginning of the class to help the students familiarize themselves with musical rhythms. Once a teacher understands this concept, they can use a software such as Finale or Note Flight to write out rhythms. The teacher can print these rhythms out, or they can just draw the rhythms on notecards.
2. The teacher will begin class by asking the students to pull out their World regional geography (2012) textbooks. Once the students do so, the teacher will then discuss with the students that this upcoming reading assignment will be Chapter 10: East Asia. The teacher must make it clear that some of the vocabulary words in this chapter are new, and today they will learn these new words in a unique way – they will learn the words by using musical rhythms.
3. The teacher will then pass out the musical rhythm sheets to each student (if they chose this route).
4. The teacher will then just have the students clap single beats (quarter notes) with them. This should be relatively easy for everyone to follow.
5. While clapping these single beats, the teacher will then speak, “DOO-DOO, DOO-DOO”, while they are clapping to demonstrate to the students that each “DOO” fits with each clap. The teacher will have the students repeat after them. Repeat this task as needed.
6. Now, the teacher will either tell the students to look at their rhythm sheets at the first bar only, or the teacher will hold up a notecard with this bar (depending on which route the teacher takes). The teacher will then repeat the “DOO-DOO, DOO-DOO” clapping/speaking exercise. Repeat as needed.
7. The first word that the teacher will demonstrate is ‘sector.’ The teacher will then change, the “DOO” words to “SEC-TOR, SEC-TOR”. Students will repeat after the teacher.
8. The teacher will thusly continue this same exercise. Different rhythms will be required for the next few words. The second word is ‘arable.’ The corresponding rhythmic phrase is “DOO-DAY DOO, DOO-DAY DOO”; “ARA-BLE, “ARA-BLE”.
9. The third word is ‘repression.’ The corresponding rhythmic phrase is “DOO DOO-DAY, DOO-DAY”; “RE-PRE-SSION, RE-PRE-SSION.”
10. The final word is ‘degradation.’ The corresponding rhythmic phrase is “DOO-DAY DOO-DAY, DOO-DAY DOO-DAY;” “DE-GRE-DA-TION, “DE-GRE-DA-TION.”
11. After the exercise, the teacher can then write these four words on the board: Sector, Arable, Repression, and Degradation. The teacher can pronounce the words, and have the students repeat after them just to get more practice. For homework, the students must find the definitions of these four words.