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Two Beats Against Three: A Rhythm Puzzle

5th grade nonfiction passage about polyrhythm: 206 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

5th grade nonfiction polyrhythm 206 words

Two Beats Against Three: A Rhythm Puzzle

Here is a rhythm puzzle that you can try at a table. It is called two against three, and it can feel a little like rubbing your tummy while patting your head. Musicians call it a polyrhythm, which means that several different rhythms are sounding at the same time.

Begin by imagining a line of six equal steps, and count them out loud: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. First, tap your left hand on steps 1, 3, and 5, which gives you three evenly spaced taps, and practice until that feels steady. Then, with your right hand, tap on steps 1 and 4, which gives you two evenly spaced taps.

Now put the two patterns together. On step 1, both hands tap at once. On step 2, nobody taps. On step 3, only the left hand taps, and on step 4, only the right hand taps. On step 5, the left hand taps again, and step 6 is silent before everything starts over at step 1.

Go slowly at first and keep saying the numbers out loud, because your brain naturally wants to make both hands do the same thing. After a few tries, the pattern suddenly clicks into place. Drummers in many parts of the world play layers like this together, and the combination creates a pulse that seems to roll forward.

Questions

  1. What does the word polyrhythm mean? in the text

  2. Which steps does the left hand tap? in the text

  3. Which steps does the right hand tap? in the text

  4. On which step do both hands tap together? in the text

  5. Why should you say the numbers out loud at first? think about it

  6. What happens after step 6? in the text

Words to know

rhythm
a pattern of beats in music
polyrhythm
two or more rhythms played at once
evenly
in equal amounts with the same space between
steady
keeping the same speed without wobbling
pulse
a regular beat
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One passage, three levels

The same topic and facts written three ways, so a mixed class can read and talk about one text. Each group’s sheet shows only a shape; the key says which is which.

● Easier · 170 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1

Try this rhythm puzzle at a table. It is called two against three. It can feel like rubbing your tummy while you pat your head. Musicians call it a polyrhythm. That means "many rhythms" at the same time.

Picture a line of six equal steps. Count them out loud: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. First, tap your left hand on steps 1, 3, and 5. That makes three even taps. Practice until it feels steady. Then tap your right hand on steps 1 and 4. That makes two even taps.

Now put them together. On step 1, both hands tap. On step 2, no one taps. On step 3, only the left hand taps. On step 4, only the right hand taps. On step 5, the left hand taps. On step 6, it is quiet. Then it starts over at step 1.

Go slow at first. Say the numbers out loud. Your brain wants both hands to do the same thing. After a few tries, the pattern clicks. Drummers all over the world play layers like this. The mix makes a beat that seems to roll forward.

▲ This passage · 206 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7

Here is a rhythm puzzle that you can try at a table. It is called two against three, and it can feel a little like rubbing your tummy while patting your head. Musicians call it a polyrhythm, which means that several different rhythms are sounding at the same time.

Begin by imagining a line of six equal steps, and count them out loud: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. First, tap your left hand on steps 1, 3, and 5, which gives you three evenly spaced taps, and practice until that feels steady. Then, with your right hand, tap on steps 1 and 4, which gives you two evenly spaced taps.

Now put the two patterns together. On step 1, both hands tap at once. On step 2, nobody taps. On step 3, only the left hand taps, and on step 4, only the right hand taps. On step 5, the left hand taps again, and step 6 is silent before everything starts over at step 1.

Go slowly at first and keep saying the numbers out loud, because your brain naturally wants to make both hands do the same thing. After a few tries, the pattern suddenly clicks into place. Drummers in many parts of the world play layers like this together, and the combination creates a pulse that seems to roll forward.

■ Harder · 196 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.1

Try this intriguing rhythm puzzle at a table. It is known as two against three, and it can feel remarkably like rubbing your tummy while patting your head. Musicians call it a polyrhythm, a word meaning "many rhythms" sounding at the same time.

Begin by imagining a line of six equal steps, and count them aloud: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. First, tap your left hand on steps 1, 3, and 5, which produces three evenly spaced taps, and practice until it feels perfectly steady. Then, with your right hand, tap on steps 1 and 4, which produces two evenly spaced taps.

Now combine them. On step 1, both hands tap simultaneously. On step 2, nobody taps. On step 3, only the left hand taps, and on step 4, only the right hand taps. On step 5, the left hand taps again, and step 6 is silent. Then the whole cycle begins once more at step 1.

Proceed slowly at first and say the numbers aloud, because your brain instinctively wants both hands to do the same thing. After several attempts, the pattern clicks into place. Drummers in many parts of the world play layers like this at the same time, and the combination creates a pulse that seems to roll steadily forward.

Download as one PDF

How to use it

  1. Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
  2. Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
  3. Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.

Ideas for class

  • Before reading, put rhythm, polyrhythm, evenly, steady and pulse on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the text will be about.
  • Read it aloud once while students follow along, then have them reread it alone or with a partner. At a calm 100 words a minute it takes about 2 minutes to read aloud.
  • Use the Read it big button (or B) to put the text on the projector, and Show answer on one question at a time so the class commits to an answer first.
  • Question 5 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
  • Ask students to write one question the passage did not answer, then look for the answer in a book or on a classroom screen.
  • Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "Two Beats Against Three: A Rhythm Puzzle"?

It was written for 5th grade. It has 206 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 5.7. That is a formula's estimate from sentence length and syllables, and it is not a Lexile or a guided reading level, so check it against your students.

What do the questions ask?

There are six. 5 ask for something the text says directly and 1 ask the reader to work something out from clues. Each has an answer in the key, and the answers are written as a teacher would accept them, not as the only possible wording.

How long does it take to read?

About 2 minutes read aloud at 100 words a minute. For a one-minute fluency check, paste it into the fluency timer and use the word count.

Can I print it?

Yes. Print student copy gives the passage, the questions with lines to write on, and the word meanings. Print with answers gives the same page with the answers filled in. Both are made in your browser.

Is this passage from a published book?

No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.

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