ALEX Learning Activity

This lesson integrates math into music while making a real-world connection to pizza.  Students are learning fractions in math using a pizza to divide shapes into parts with equal areas.  The same example is used to divide a measure of music into equal parts using rhythm.   Students will label rhythm patterns and discover how rhythms and fractions are related. 

The students will:

• partition a circle into 4 parts with equal area.
• label the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole using rhythmic patterns including a whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note.  
• write the unit fraction that corresponds to the rhythm.  i.e. Whole Note = 4/4, Half Note = 2/4 or 1/2, Quarter Note = 1/4, and Eighth Note = 1/8

1. Review whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes with students.  Remind them how many beats each note receives in 4/4 meter signature. 

2. Orally read rhythm patterns using whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes.

3. Distribute circular paper and pencil to each student.  The Rhythm Pizza Doc shows the rhythms and fractions the students will label during the activity.  

4. Tell the students you are going to tell them a story about a pizza. 

"You have an entire pizza to eat all by yourself!  Write the rhythm in the middle of your pizza (circular paper) that represents the entire measure in 4/4 meter.  Wait, your BEST friend just came over and wants a piece, too.  You're nice, so you divide the pizza equally.  Fold your paper down the middle and draw a line on the fold. Do not unfold the paper to draw the line.  Write the rhythm that represents each slice now.  Just as you are about to pick up your slice, the twins from across the street come over for a visit.  It would be rude not to share, so both you and your best friend divide your slices equally.  Fold your paper in the middle again and draw a line on the two folded sides. Write the rhythm that represents each slice. Finally, you think you can enjoy your pizza but your brother and his three friends come in the kitchen! They want pizza, too.  Fold your paper in half and draw a line on the two folded sides.  Write the rhythm that represents each slice in 4/4 meter.  You quickly pick up and eat your slice of pizza before anyone else can come over! The End!" 

5. Once students have labeled the rhythms, they should unfold the paper and write the fraction that corresponds to that rhythm.  Whole Note = 4/4, Half Note = 2/4 or 1/2, Quarter Note = 1/4, and Eighth Note = 1/8  

6. If time allows, the students may decorate their pizzas with their favorite toppings on the side where the rhythms and fractions are not labeled.  

7. Students should write their name on the side where the rhythms are labeled, especially if they decorated the other side. 

8. Turn in Rhythm Pizzas for assessment.   

The teacher will assess the students' pizzas for the following: 

• partition a circle into 4 parts with equal area.
• label the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole using rhythmic patterns including a whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note.  
• write the unit fraction that corresponds to the rhythm.  i.e. Whole Note = 4/4, Half Note = 2/4 or 1/2, Quarter Note = 1/4, and Eighth Note = 1/8

The teacher will need to cut enough circles for each student to have one. 

Pencils and/or crayons or colored pencils will be needed.

Students should know the whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note. 

Students should know how many beats each note receives in 4/4 meter signature.

Collaborate with a math teacher to make sure the students have learned the fractions for a whole (4/4), a half (2/4 or 1/2), a quarter (1/4), and an eighth (1/8). 

You may use this same lesson to review Rests instead of Notes. The fractions will be the same.  

The teachers at my school order pizzas that have not been sliced.  The students then use the pizzas to divide into fractions - whole, half, quarter, eighth. I use this same scenario in my classes when talking about beats and rhythm.