Grades 2–3
Beats of Silence
Write how many beats of silence each rest gets when a quarter rest gets one beat.
Music theory worksheet · Rests
Note and Rest Partners
Every note has a rest that lasts just as long. Draw a line from each note to its partner rest.
- Grade level
- Grades 1–3
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Topic
- Rests
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Naming whole, half, quarter and eighth rests, Matching each rest to the note of the same length, Counting beats of silence, Telling the whole rest from the half rest
What kids do
Printed on the sheet:
- A note and its partner rest last the same number of beats.
Teacher tip
Clap the note, then show its rest partner with silent open hands for the same number of beats. Doing both side by side makes the match stick.
How to use it
- Clap notes and open your hands, palms up, for rests.
- Pair every rest with its note twin on the board.
- Read the reminder box at the top of the sheet together, then do the first item as a class.
Watch for
Rushing through rests. Whisper “sh” on every silent beat to keep the time.
Talk about it
- Why do composers put silence in music?
- What does this symbol tell a musician to do?
Take it further
Have kids add one rest to a rhythm they already know and clap the new version.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More rests worksheets
Grades 2–3
Whole Rest or Half Rest?
A whole rest hangs under the line like a hole. A half rest sits on the line like a hat. Write W or H under each rest.
Grades 3–4
Note and Rest Math
Add the beats of the notes and the rests and write the total. A quarter note gets one beat.
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.