[{"_1":2,"_201":-5,"_202":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4},"pages/Activity.page",{"_5":6,"_7":8},"origin","http://mizzen.org","dehydratedState",{"_9":10,"_11":12},"mutations",[],"queries",[13,42],{"_14":15,"_16":17,"_36":37,"_40":41},"dehydratedAt",1756465322340,"state",{"_18":-5,"_19":20,"_21":22,"_23":-5,"_24":25,"_26":25,"_27":25,"_28":-5,"_29":-5,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35},"data","dataUpdateCount",1,"dataUpdatedAt",1756465322295,"error","errorUpdateCount",0,"errorUpdatedAt","fetchFailureCount","fetchFailureReason","fetchMeta","isInvalidated",false,"status","success","fetchStatus","idle","queryKey",[38,39],"activity-collections","featured","queryHash","[\"activity-collections\",\"featured\"]",{"_14":15,"_16":43,"_36":197,"_40":200},{"_18":44,"_19":20,"_21":15,"_23":-5,"_24":25,"_26":25,"_27":25,"_28":-5,"_29":-5,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35},{"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_32":53,"_54":55,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_79":80,"_91":92,"_122":123,"_124":125,"_134":135,"_136":137,"_162":196,"_70":46},"id","4153ea7a-a962-47f9-89e9-2d0ab568715e","createdAt","2025-07-28T19:34:53.280Z","updatedAt","2025-08-13T21:05:56.336Z","title","Break the Box","PUBLISHED","partner",{"_45":56,"_47":57,"_49":58,"_59":60,"_61":-5,"_62":-5,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":31,"_68":69,"_70":69},"595054d7-3957-4576-a1a0-83c865212972","2025-07-28T19:03:42.658Z","2025-08-18T23:53:54.109Z","name","Jazz at Lincoln Center","contact","profilePhoto","logo","f1ad6251-828c-40ca-8b03-e8418d35940a","visible",true,"deleted","slug","jazz-at-lincoln-center","slugOrId","overview","Students learn basic stick notation and how to organize the notation into bars. They layer created patterns to alter the depth and complexity of the sound.","duration",120,"gradeFrom",3,"gradeTo",8,"tags",[81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],"music","art","creativity","sound","collaboration","team building","performance","listening","problem-solving","self-expression","heroImage",{"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":94,"_59":95,"_96":-5,"_32":97,"_98":99,"_100":31,"_101":102,"_103":102,"_104":105,"_106":95,"_107":108,"_109":110,"_111":112,"_113":95,"_114":97,"_115":102,"_116":-5,"_117":-5,"_118":119,"_120":121},"9ae79c9a-c6b1-45bf-a05c-245dfeca1bf0","2025-08-05T17:21:05.381Z","hero-image-ckvtucmelc7b00803jxoihm6x","note","ACTIVE","type","FILE","isAttachment","fileUuid","dcd3f562-dfbb-4647-9ee7-fc3b89070a8b","fileS3Key","fileS3Bucket","mizzen-platform-asset-uploads-production","fileName","fileExtension","jpeg","fileMimeType","image/jpeg","fileSize",2667690,"legacyFileKey","fileAutoThumbnailStatus","fileAutoThumbnailUuid","linkUrl","thumbnailUuid","fileUrl","https://ucarecdn.com/dcd3f562-dfbb-4647-9ee7-fc3b89070a8b/","thumbnailUrl","https://ucarecdn.com/dcd3f562-dfbb-4647-9ee7-fc3b89070a8b/-/resize/1000x/","template","DEFAULT","categories",[126,130],{"_45":127,"_59":128,"_70":129},"7e195ef1-025e-4a41-94f6-2e85c2c3b4e3","Arts in Action","arts",{"_45":131,"_59":132,"_70":133},"f6e93f23-bfdc-48ae-a780-9480fa2a95e9","Digital Voices","digital-voices","learningStandards",[],"collections",[138],{"_45":139,"_47":140,"_49":140,"_141":142,"_164":165,"_193":173,"_194":46,"_195":166},"284d214b-2a7a-42df-a6a7-8d69c31cde03","2025-07-28T21:53:08.808Z","activity",{"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_79":143,"_144":145,"_146":147,"_148":149,"_150":151,"_152":153,"_154":155,"_156":157,"_158":157,"_159":157,"_91":93,"_122":123,"_124":160,"_134":161,"_162":163,"_70":46},[81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],"learningObjective","

Write a basic rhythmic pattern.
Play their rhythmic pattern with the beat.
Play their rhythmic pattern both straight and with swing.

","materials","

Hour 1

Blank sheets of paper
Pencils
Google's Metronome TIP: Using the search term “Google metronome” in Google will not direct you correctly. Instead, just search for “metronome”.

Hour 2

Pencils

","preparation","

Hour 1

Read through Break the Box activity.
Print

Music Symbols 1, 2, 3, and 6 - 1 set
Break the Box handout - 1 set
Music Bars - 1 per student

Set the metronome for 72 beats per minute (BPM)

Hour 2

Post Music Symbols on the wall.
Set the metronome for 72 BPM

","worksheets","

Hour 1

Hour 2

Music Bars
Music Symbols 1, 2, 3, and 6

","multimedia","

Hour 1

\"The Flow\"

Hour 2

\"Swing v. Straight\"
\"Rhythm Patterns - Write the Notation\"

\"Rhythm Patterns - Write the Notation\"

","steps","

Hour 1
Engage - 5 minutes
- Play \"The Flow\"
- Ask after each section:
Explore I - 15 minutes
- Say, “Music makes us feel; it creates emotions through sound combinations. Music composers write and share these combinations with the use of symbols. The symbols tell musicians what to play, when to play and for how long to play. Four such symbols are the heart, TA, Rest and TI-TI.”
- Post Music Symbol 1.
- Explain that the heart represents the beat. The speed of the beat is the tempo.
- Play the metronome at 72 beats per minute (BPM). Invite students to step to the beat.
- Post Music Symbols 2, 3 and 6.
- Point to Music Symbol 2. Step in place and clap while counting, “1, 2, 3, 4” (repeat). Steps, claps and counts should match the metronome clicks.
- Prompt students to count the clicks, then step while counting and finally clap while stepping and counting.
- Pause movements.
- Point to Music Symbol 3, step in place, unclap [move your hands apart] and mouth, “1, 2, 3, 4” (repeat). Steps and unclaps should match each click. Prompt students to join. TIP: We unclap and mouth the counting because the symbol is a rest and signals that no sound should be made.
- Play metronome. Prompt students to step to the clicks, then mouth “1, 2, 3, 4” and finally unclap while stepping and mouthing.
- Pause movements.
- Point to Music Symbol 6, step in place, clap twice with each click. Say, “1 and, 2 and, 3 and, 4 and”, clapping with each ‘number’ and ‘and’. You will have two claps per click - one clap happens with the click and the other in between two clicks.
- Prompt students to:
Extend I - 20 minutes
- Say, “Now it’s your turn to play with the symbols and create your own rhythmic pattern.”
- Distribute blank sheets of paper, one per student.
- Allow the students to write a series of symbols and clap them out.
- Play the metronome at 72 BPM while students are writing.
- Select volunteers to clap their rhythmic pattern to the metronome. Ask students to echo clap back. Repeat with all volunteers.
Extend II - 15 minutes
- Say, “Musicians organize symbols into sections called bars. Four beats per bar is the most common. This means the symbols in each bar must add up to four counts.”
- Prompt students to group their symbols by boxing every 4 beats. Remind students that:
- Direct students to draw 4 hearts on the top line of each box. Number the hearts 1 through 4.
- Students should check that their symbols line up with each heart correctly. (Refer to the Break the Box Activity Diagram sheet for an example.)
Reflect - 5 minutes
- Post Break the Box Handout.
- Play metronome at 72 BPM.
- For each row:
- Point to the row, step to the beat, and clap and count the rhythm. (Refer to the Break the Box Activity Diagram sheet for examples.)
Outcomes to look for:
- Students can clap their rhythmic patterns in tempo.
Hour 2
Engage - 10 minutes
- Post Music Symbols 1, 2, 3 and 6 and the Break the Box Handout.
- Play metronome at 72 BPM.
- Ask students to read the symbol by counting, stepping and clapping when you point to one. Do not point to Music Symbol 2.
- Repeat until students are comfortable.
- Ask:
- Have students read the symbols as you point, this time including Symbol 2.
- Repeat until students are comfortable.
Explore I - 10 minutes
- Ask:
- Say, “Tempo is the beat’s speed. The speed affects the music’s feeling.”
- Play the metronome at varying BPMs. Invite students to step along.
- Ask:
- Say, “When you’re deciding how you want the music to feel, picking the tempo is important. You want to play your composition or written song at different tempos before selecting one.”
- Point to Break the Box Handout.
- Play metronome at 72 BPM.
- For each row:
- Move the BPM higher and lower. With each move:
Elaborate I - 10 minutes
- Distribute Music Bars.
- Have students work in pairs to create a rhythmic pattern.
- Next, students should pick their tempo.
- Have students select their preferred BPM.
- Prompt students to perform their patterns while their peers listen. Peers should guess the feeling the pattern is attempting to evoke.
Explore II - 15 minutes
- Say, “We’ve been playing straight, but jazz musicians play with swing. We’re going to watch a video to learn what that is.”
- Play “Swing v. Straight.”
- Play the metronome at 72 BPM.
- Explain to students that they will practice clapping with accents.
- Demonstrate by clapping while counting. Keep each clap at an even volume. Stand straight and tall while clapping, like a marching band. (“Straight”)
- Have students repeat.
- Now, demonstrate accents by clapping a bit harder and louder on counts 1 and 3. (“A1”)
- Have students repeat.
- Next, demonstrate accents by clapping a bit harder and louder on counts 2 and 4. Lean one shoulder forward on counts 2 and 4. (“A2”)
- Have students repeat.
- Tell students that you’ll call out straight, A1 or A2. When they hear “straight”, they should clap straight. When they hear “A1”, they should accent counts 1 and 3, standing straight like a marching band. And when they hear “A2”, they should accent counts 2 and 4 and lean one shoulder forward slightly.
- Repeat until students are comfortable.
- Prompt students to add accents to their rhythmic patterns by marking symbols with a star.
- Have students practice playing their patterns with the accents added.
- Select volunteers to play their accented rhythmic patterns while remaining students echo clap. Play the metronome at the students selected BPM.
Elaborate II - 10 minutes
- Pair students.
- Direct students to combine their rhythmic patterns. They can layer them, playing more than one at the same time. They can place them in any order. They can also copy any of the patterns and repeat.
- Select volunteers to play their rhythmic patterns. Remaining students echo clap.
- Ask any willing volunteers to clap their accented rhythmic patterns after they’ve changed the metronome to a different BPM. Remaining students echo clap.
- Pair the partners and repeat above. Next students should build a 16-bar rhythmic pattern by combining their pattern with a peer’s.
Reflect - 5 minutes
- Distribute Music Bars.
- Play \"Rhythm Patterns - Write the Notation.\"
Outcomes to look for:
- Students can:

","examples","","versions","variations",[127,131],[],"facilitationTips",[],"collection",{"_45":166,"_47":140,"_49":167,"_98":168,"_51":169,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_170":171,"_73":172,"_75":76,"_77":173,"_174":-5,"_91":175,"_183":31,"_39":31,"_79":184,"_191":192,"_68":-5,"_122":123,"_70":166},"a1a796ed-149f-4285-932c-02c35498c883","2025-08-13T21:06:06.595Z","MODULE","Fascinating Rhythm","introduction","The JALC-AC’s second module, Module 2: Fascinating Rhythm encourages students to explore the rhythms, or patterns of their lives. Students learn how to represent rhythmic patterns through symbols – both random and those used by musicians and musical educators – arranging and rearranging the symbols to create sound and movement.",600,6,"updatedBy",{"_45":176,"_47":177,"_49":177,"_59":178,"_96":-5,"_32":97,"_98":99,"_100":31,"_101":179,"_103":179,"_104":105,"_106":178,"_107":108,"_109":110,"_111":180,"_113":178,"_114":97,"_115":179,"_116":-5,"_117":-5,"_118":181,"_120":182},"f7cb5043-f7a7-4e48-b9e6-6b195927bf43","2025-08-05T18:19:03.764Z","hero-image-ckwdrsxlwe6190803tst4kcl4","53c000d8-5edf-4702-9807-91f0ef07ffa7",633007,"https://ucarecdn.com/53c000d8-5edf-4702-9807-91f0ef07ffa7/","https://ucarecdn.com/53c000d8-5edf-4702-9807-91f0ef07ffa7/-/resize/1000x/","hideListing",[82,83,185,186,81,187,87,188,189,190],"dance","design","movement","skills development","teamwork","problem solving","exploreOrder",5,"order","activityId","collectionId",[],[198,46,199],"activities","preview","[\"activities\",\"4153ea7a-a962-47f9-89e9-2d0ab568715e\",\"preview\"]","actionData","errors"]

Break the Box

Break the Box

Break the Box

Overview