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Players take turns reading and clapping rhythms written on popsicle sticks. pulling as many sticks as they can without getting “Busted”, the player with the most rhythm sticks wins.

Description: Players sit in a circle with game in the center. First person pulls out a stick and claps/chants the rhythm written on the stick while other group members check for understanding. If the rhythm is performed correctly, play moves to the next student. If the rhythm is performed incorrectly, students help one another to correct the mistake. Then play continues to the next student (and around the circle) in the same manner. Once the second round of play begins, the first student pulls a second stick and adds it either before or after the previous turn’s stick. Then that student must read/clap/chant both rhythms consecutively before moving on. This builds fluency. Play continues as students pull sticks and add them to their collection of rhythms. Look out! If you pull a BUSTED stick, you keep the busted stick but have to put ALL of your sticks that you’ve won back into the center jar and start over on your next turn. After all the sticks have been drawn, the game ends. Whoever has the most rhythm sticks at the end of the game wins!

You can also create advanced versions of this game with more difficult note values and rhythms and meters.

Musical Objective: Students will practice reading rhythms. Students will strengthen ability to read longer rhythmic phrases by adding on new rhythms to each measure.

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