Spooky Beats Substitute Guide
Substitute Lesson Plan Zero Tech Required No Music Experience Needed
🎃 Spooky Beats: Ta & Ti-Ti
Kindergarten General Music • Estimated Time: 35–45 Minutes
Materials Needed
Printed Worksheets • Pencils
Crayons • Chalkboard or Whiteboard
Non-Musician Crash Course (Read This First!)
You don't need to read sheet music or sing! In Kindergarten, rhythm is just steady clapping and word patterns. The whole lesson revolves around two friendly rhythm characters:
♩
ta (sounds like "tah")
1 Big Beat = 1 Steady Clap
Spooky word: "GHOST" or "CAT". Like taking 1 giant, slow monster step.
♫
titi (sounds like "tee-tee")
2 Quick Beats = 2 Fast Claps
Spooky word: "SPI-DER" or "CAN-DY". Like two quick little scamper steps.
Phase 1 • 8 Mins
Spooky Steady Beat Warm-Up (Echo Game)
Goal: Get kindergarteners sitting criss-cross on the rug and clapping to your steady pulse.
Say to Class: "Good morning, musical ghosts and goblins! Put your listening ears on. Whatever beat my hands clap, you must clap right back like a spooky echo!"
Pattern 1 (Slow Ghost):
Clap 4 slow steady claps. Say: "Clap... Clap... Clap... Clap..." Kids echo back.
Pattern 2 (Scary Knees):
Pat knees 4 times, then whisper "Shhh!" with finger to lips. Kids copy.
Pattern 3 (The Spider):
Two quick claps + two slow claps: "clap-clap, clap, clap". Kids echo.
Phase 2 • 10 Mins
Introducing Ta & Ti-Ti on the Board
Draw these two shapes on the whiteboard or chalkboard in big, clear strokes:
1. Draw the "Ta" Note 1 Beat
Draw a stick pointing up, and color in a solid circle at the bottom.
Script: "This is ta! When we see ta, we say 'ta' and give ONE big clap. Let's do it together: ta!" (Clap once).
2. Draw the "Ti-Ti" Notes 2 Quick Taps
Draw two sticks with dots at bottom, connected by a roof bar across the top.
Script: "These best friends hold hands across the roof. They are ti-ti! We clap twice fast: ti-ti!" (Clap-clap).
Quick Word Test: Ask class to shout out if words are Ta (1 clap) or Ti-Ti (2 claps):
Bat = ta Pumpkin = ti-ti Ghost = ta Candy = ti-ti
Spooky Beats Kindergarten Music • Substitute Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2 (Turn over for Worksheet Guide & Activities) ➔
Worksheet Guide
Guided Worksheet Walkthrough & Games
Hand out: "Spooky Beats!" Worksheet + Pencils
Phase 3 • 15 Mins
Directing the 3 Worksheet Sections Step-by-Step
1 Top Banner: The Ghost & The Pumpkins Finger Tracking (2 mins)
Have students put their index finger on the witch-hat ghost. Read together: "A quarter note gets one beat. We say ta." Have everyone say "ta" and clap once. Next, slide finger to the 3 pumpkins. Read: "Two eighth notes together make one beat. We say titi." Clap twice fast!
2 Section 2: "Draw the Notes!" (Tracing & Drawing) Fine Motor Practice (5 mins)
Left Side (ta - quarter notes):
Have students trace the 3 dashed gray notes. Then in the 3 empty boxes, instruct: "Draw a tall stick going up, then color in the pumpkin seed at the bottom!"
Right Side (titi - eighth notes):
Trace the 3 pairs of gray notes. In the 3 empty boxes, instruct: "Draw two sticks side-by-side, color two dots at the bottom, and draw a roof connecting them!"
Sub Tip: Kindergarten notes will look messy or wobbly. Praise effort over perfection! If it has a stick and a circle, it is a great note.
3 Section 3: "Create Your Own 4 Beat Rhythm!" Creative Composition (8 mins)
Explain that each box is 1 beat. Students choose either a ta or a titi to draw in each of the 4 boxes:
Model on the Board: Draw: [ ta ] [ titi ] [ ta ] [ ta ]
Clap & Chant: "ta - ti-ti - ta - ta!"
Partner Share: When finished, each student turns to their neighbor and performs their custom 4-beat rhythm by clapping and chanting out loud!
Phase 4 • 7–10 Mins
Active Closing Game: "The Haunted House March"
Have all students stand behind their chairs or in a safe circle on the rug for a no-tech movement break:
When Sub calls "GHOST MARCH!" (ta)
Students march in place with slow, giant footsteps, saying "ta, ta, ta, ta" on every step.
When Sub calls "SPIDER SCURRY!" (titi)
Students tiptoe quickly in place with fast little feet, whispering "ti-ti, ti-ti, ti-ti".
Call out changes back and forth: "Ghost march!... Freeze!... Spider scurry!... Freeze!" Kids love trying to freeze like statues!
Attention Getters
Sub says: "Hocus Pocus!"
Kids say: "Everybody focus!" (Hands on heads)
Rhythm Clap: Clap ta - ti-ti - ta. Students must freeze and clap the exact rhythm back.
Fast Finishers
1. Color the Characters: Color the witch cat, pumpkins, candy corn, and haunted house.
2. Back of Paper: Turn worksheet over and draw 4 giant pumpkins with their own notes inside.
Substitute Name: ___________________________ Date: _______________
"Leave completed worksheets in the music turn-in basket."
