This page explains Rhythmic Patterns, which are the basis of a five-week thematic unit that is motivated by a need for new models of RATIO.
Clapping Patterns: Many teachers use clapping patterns for different purposes in their classroom. You may be using them lately to call the class to your attention. Being able to reproduce a clapping pattern may be a goal of your curriculum on patterns in general.
Fraction Patterns: An alternative way of looking at clapping would note that clapping a certain number of times within a time-interval cuts that time-interval into equal parts of the whole, and thus creates fractions of the interval. You may have used this in your class as a linear model of fractions.
Ratio Patterns: When two fraction patterns are done simultaneously for the same time-interval, we get a ratio pattern. You can get a Music Teacher's explanation of this, or a Math Teacher's explanation written expressly for this unit.
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