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Math and Music
featuring Rhythm Mathematics
What does a fraction sound like — or how about a shape? In this year’s new Math and Music program, Phil teaches students how to “hear” math by introducing the mathematical properties of music.
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Phil uses high energy drumming with standards-based math activities |
ASSEMBLIES
- Math and Music -
In Math and Music, your students will enjoy Phil’s new high-energy
Rhythm Mathematics activities that are designed to reinforce basic math facts.
In addition, they will discover how music throughout their world is based on patterns and
fractions.
Rhythm Mathematics
Phil begins the program with an exciting sequence of standards-based math activities that combine popular math
manipulatives, entertaining rhythm games, and interactive drumming. He also features various students who drum Indian Punjabi rhythms on a piece that reviews multiplication facts.
Patterns
Using a telephone as his instrument, Phil plays melodic patterns from Beethoven symphonies, rock music, and popular movie soundtracks. From these simple short and long tones, Phil demonstrates how composers use patterns to provide structure and symmetry in their music.
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Patterns on a Native American cedar flute |
One of the highlights of the presentation is Phil’s adaptation of a Native American acorn grinding song, which features a repeating four-note rhythmic pattern. Phil plays a cedar flute (left) and involves three audience members on a variety of authentic Native American instruments including a beautiful circular frame drum.
Fractions
Referencing the ancient Greek mathematician, Pythagoras, Phil demonstrates how
songs from all over the world share the same fractions in common.
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Fractions on an Indonesian xylophone |
To develop this further, he plays a five-note melody on his Indonesian bamboo xylophone (right), and shows how the same five notes, or fractions, are repeatedly used in music from Mexico, Africa, China, and the Caribbean.
FAMILY NIGHTS
- Musical Math -
Musical Math begins with Phil’s interactive Rhythm Mathematics drumming activities. The students also learn how to make
instruments with geometric shapes and fractions, and then apply their knowledge to build origami poppers and drums.
Afterwards, everyone assembles into a giant drum circle for a concert featuring rhythms from around the
world.
FREE MATH MANIPULATIVES
The following multimedia activities relate to this program:
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Unifix Cube Drum Machine
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Musical Fraction Bars |
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Playing Fraction Pies
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Morse Code Music |
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Pattern Block Rock |
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Musical Fraction Tubes |
