Submitted by Tina Morgan, Mississippi

Idea posted May 2, 2003

Question: I've been using popsicle sticks as manipulatives for kids to make ta and ti-ti four-beat patterns. One of my first graders wants to do half notes. What could I use as the note head for half notes?

Answer: I use tongue depressors with rests drawn on them, so I'm sure you could do the same for half notes.

I do the same thing with my kids - I have only 5th and 6th graders. Years ago, I got really industrious and cut many sticks in half and glued them to two regular sticks, creating the bar that connects two eighth notes. My baggies contain four popsicle sticks to represent "beat" (or ta), four connected sticks to represent "beat and" (or ti ti), and two tongue depressors with quarter rests drawn on them.