This is a good song to introduce half rests. I introduce half notes and half rests in 2nd grade. I usually use the following lesson with the Silver Burdett and Ginn 2nd grade series, which has a song called Sunset. It says it's a Native American folk song, but it has a copyright. So, instead, I suggest using this song to teach the same thing.
1) Pass out a copy of this song to the class.
2) Sing through the song and ask students to point along.
3) Sing again and ask students to raise their hands when they see/hear half notes. Discuss that there are 2 half notes in the song, both on the rhyming words of "late" and "gate."
4) Sing again, and along with raising hands on half notes, ask students to whisper "rest" on quarter rests. Discover that there are 2.
5) Point out the half rests, and before mentioning what they are, ask the students if they can guess by listening as we sing. What could they be? Help them to discover that they are rests with 2 beats, like 2 quarter rests next to each other. You could use visuals on the board to help.
6) Show them how when a half rest sits on a line on the staff, the line just melts into the other line, so it looks like a rectangle.
7) Sing again, and half students continue to raise hands on half notes, and whisper "rest" on quarter rests, and this time also whisper "rest rest" on half rests.
In subsequent lessons, review the above and add instruments. Ideas:
- Add a sustaining rhythm instrument on the half notes, such as finger cymbals.
- Add maracas on the rests.
- Add xylophones/metallophones on the beat.
