Rhythm Dictation: Frog in the Middle

Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today you can see I've got my old friends back, the frogs.
That's because we're going to be dictating the rhythm to "Frog in the Middle."
So let's come over to the heartbeat mat and get started.

All right, let's sing "Frog in the Middle" while pointing to each beat.
So, if you can, point on your screen with me as we sing "Frog in the Middle."
Ready go:
"Frog in the middle,
frog in the sea,
frog in the middle,
can't catch me."
Good. Now, for fun this time, let's sing it in frog language.
We're going to say "croak" because frogs can't talk, of course. Ready, go:
[Croak]
Now, did you notice, on that last line, any places where there were no sounds?
Point to the beat where you didn't hear a sound. If you're pointing right here,
you're correct. At the end of the song we had a quarter rest.
So let's put a rest right there.
Good, now, do you remember where it goes "can't catch me?"
How many sounds were in each of these beats? Do we need a TA or a TI-TI?
If you said TA you're correct. The end of the song goes TA TA TA rest.

Now, let's rewind to the start of the song and figure out, or dictate,
the rhythm of the whole thing. So, back to the beginning.
I'll say a rhythm and you tell me what rhythm you hear: TA, TI-TI, or rest.
What rhythm did you hear? If you said TA TI-TI TA TA, you're correct.
And that makes frog in the middle. TA TI-TI TA TA.
Now let's figure out the next row. Next we have:
Tell me what rhythm you heard. If you said TA TI-TI TA rest you are correct.
Now let's try to say the whole thing so far in rhythm language,
TA for the quarter notes, TI-TI for the two eighth notes,
and whisper rest when you get here. Can you sing it with me? Ready, go:
TA TI-TI TA TA
TA TI-TI TA rest.
Now, this song's not over. The next part of "Frog in the Middle" goes:
What do you think I should draw in these beats? Let's take a look.
We have the same rhythm as before: TA TI-TI TA TA,
and then we've already figured out this line: TA TA TA rest.

Now let's try to sing the entire song of "Frog in the Middle" with rhythm words.
From the beginning. Frog the beginning, point and say the rhythm words with me.
Ready, go:
TA TI-TI TA TA
TA TI-TI TA rest.
TA TI-TI TA TA
TA TA TA rest.
Great job. All right, this time I'd like you to do the singing by yourself.
I'll point along with you, but you're going to sing on your own,
without my help this time. Ready, go:
Good job.

Great job on the "Frog in the Middle" dictation.
From our website, you can download an activity page,
where you can dictate it yourself with paper and pencil,
and practice doing that one more time.
Just download the complete materials for unit one.
Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next time. you next time.