Exploring the Connection Between Music and Math

This week we began reading and performing rhythmic notation, emphasizing the connection between music (rhythm patterns) and language (words and syllables). The quarter note, quarter rest, and eighth note pair were the first symbols to be introduced. Students have learned the value of each symbol in 4/4 time (or Common Time) and have practiced reading and performing simple rhythm patterns from notation. Another connection we explored was between music and math, which was strongly emphasized through the subdivision of beats. By assigning values to each of the notation symbols, students were able to solve "Rhythm Math" problems involving addition, division, and exponents. In the first video below, students work on solving their first Rhythm Math problem. Deundria explains how she solved one of the Rhythm Math problems in the second video.

#connections #notation