Christmas Rhythm Improvisation Composition Prompts

This Christmas printable activity is intended for use in musical instrumental lessons, (or class music lessons where pitched instruments are available), to:

• Support strong rhythmic skills
• Make improvisation fun and accessible
• Develop musical expression through the use of dynamics, tempo, articulation and pitch
• Incorporate an understanding of time signatures
• Inspire composition

Includes

• Five Christmas/winter themed cards
• Six sets of rhythm cards, of varying complexity (in the time signatures 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8)
• Instructions

The five themes included are:

• A cosy cottage
• A cold, snowy day
• Icy blue penguin party
• A wintry wonderland
• A snowy village

Activity instructions

• Choose a set of rhythm cards and a theme
• Place the rhythm cards in the spaces on the theme page in any order you like
• Identify the time signature and place it in the space on the theme card
• Clap the rhythm
• Think about the theme - how might you use articulation, tempo, pitch and dynamics to convey the theme in your music?
• Playing your instrument, improvise a melody inspired by the theme, using the rhythm on the cards
• Try changing the order of the rhythm cards, using a different set of rhythm cards or using a different theme
• Extend the activity by developing longer compositions