Slap Happy Music Math is a wacky music review game for reinforcing rhythm values in elementary music students. The music teacher draws a large circle on the white board and writes the answers to 10-12 music math questions (Example: Half Note + Whole Note = 6 Beats). Students slap the number in the circle that provides the correct answer (Example: 6).
Write six music math problems on the white board:
1) Whole Note plus Half Note
2) Quarter Note plus Half Note
3) Quarter Note plus Whole Note
4) Whole Note plus Whole Note
5) Quarter Note plus Quarter Note
6) Half Note plus Half Note
Ask the students to add the values and provide the answer to each problem until the class is moderately successful.
Draw a large circle on the white board. Write two sets of the numbers 1-10 within the circle. One set on the left side of the circle, and one on the right. The numbers can be in random order.
Divide students into two teams. Girls and boys teams always work well. Establish a "batting order" for each team.
Call the first player from each team to the board.
Tell the students, "I will call out two rhythms to add together. Add the values of the rhythms as fast as you can, and then slap the number in the circle that provides the correct answer. The first one to slap the right answer gets a point for their team. Your team members may not help you. If they do, the point will automatically go to the other team. The team with the most points when the class period ends is the winner."
Begin game continuing to call players from each team until time runs out.