Rhythm Wars: lightsaber rhythms (pool noodles)

This month I introduced my students to "Rhythm Wars".  I purchased Rhythm Wars from Teachers pay Teachers website.  They are created by Amy Abbott.  Here is a link to get more details and to purchase your own copy.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rhythm-Wars-Poison-Game-ti-tika

Amy has created several different versions to meet your rhythm needs.
I like them because they are mp4 video that was created in PowerPoint.  The rhythms move on the screen just like the words do in the movie "Star Wars".  You don't have to worry about changing the slides.  Just push play and let it go.  This way I can wander around trying to catch students who either play the "poison" rhythm or who are playing rhythms incorrectly. 

Rhythm Wars is played just like "Poison Rhythm".  There is one rhythm pattern that is the "poison" rhythm.  Students play rhythms, but when they see the "poison" rhythm the cannot play it or they are out.  I also get students out for playing rhythms incorrectly (e.g. like playing on a rest).  The teacher is the only one who can say who is out.  When a student tells another student they are out, they will be out. Here are some snapshots of the Rhythm War file from Amy Abbott. 

This is the poison rhythm in the ti-tika version.

This is what you see after each poison rhythm. There is also an alarm sound that plays.

For the first week lesson we played the game using rhythm sticks.  I told the students if they did well this week, we would use lightsabers next week. 
I made the lightsabers from Pool Noodles that I bought at my local Dollar Tree store.  I bought 16 of them that I cut in half.  Then I used duck tape and electrical tape to make the handles look like lightsabers. I also bought two laundry bags at the Dollar Tree to store the lightsabers in.  Each bag holds 16 lightsabers.

Before I let them have a lightsaber I went over the rules and expectations.  I told my students that if they can't follow the rules, then they will not participate in this activity.  I modeled the activity for the class with another student.  I showed them how to play the rhythm on their partners lightsaber and things to they need to be careful with.  Then I had students find a partner and a spot in the room where both players could see either the Promethean board or my big monitor.  They also has to decide who was player one and who was player two.  Each player takes a turn to play a rhythms, but they had to be careful not to play the poison rhythm. 

Here is a video of some of my students playing the game.  They chose to trade spots each time so that they could take turns seeing my big monitor.  My monitor sometimes has a clearer view than my Promethean board (I have an old projector, but soon will have a new one).  This not the best video.  I was using my iPad to take it and realize I need to hold the iPad in landscape mode rather than Portrait. 

Here's some pictures of my students using the lightsabers.