Instrumental Activity Book - Jelly on a Plate

The "Jelly on a Plate" section of the Instrumental Activity Book presents a playful and engaging song that is perfect for teaching young learners about rhythm and the concept of a rest in music. The song's lyrics are simple and repetitive, making it easy for children to remember and sing along. The words "Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate, wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on a plate" are set to a tune that includes rests, which are moments of silence in the music. The song also has a second verse with the lyrics "Sausage in a pan, sausage in a pan, turn it over, turn it over, sausage in a pan," adding variety to the activity.

To reinforce the musical concept of a rest, the book provides a series of rhythm work ideas that serve as pre-instrumental activities. These activities involve chanting the rhythm of the song while performing different actions during the rests, such as tapping knees, making a 'shh' sound, freezing, or clapping. Additional exercises include tapping claves or alternating between tapping the rhythm on the floor and tapping claves during the rests. These activities not only make learning about rests fun but also help to develop coordination and a sense of timing in young music students.