Instrument Aikendrum

Kindergarten students have been learning all about our classroom percussion instruments. They've learned to identify the instrument names and play them using correct technique. I got the idea from Mrs. Mattson's Music Room to use this "Aikendrum" activity to review all that they've learned. First, I introduced the song and we talked about what they heard. The students loved hearing all of the silly things Aikendrum was made from.

(http://rovingfiddlehead.com/kidlit/flannel-friday-aiken-drum/)

Next, we learned the song and sang it together. I used Raffi's version.

Then, I had a few students come to the board to choose their own Aikendrum food items and we sang the song again.

After some fun singing together, I told the students that they were going to get to be even more creative together and create an Aikendrum from our classroom percussion instruments. I put them into groups, gave them a bucket of instruments, and the fun began. Once they were finished creating their Aikendrum, they worked together to draw a picture of each instrument part and write the instrument's name in the blank for their creation. They also tried to sing their own version of the song.

Here are a few pictures of what they came up with:

Here is a copy of the worksheet I made for those interested. Enjoy!

Woods, Metals, and Skins - Oh My!

Our Kindergarten students have been learning all about the classroom percussion instruments. They've learned their names and how to play them with correct technique. Recently, they learned that we can categorize these instruments into 3 groups: Woods, Metals, and Skins.

After learning to categorize the instruments, I show the students how we can use a shape to represent each group. I pass out the instruments and they have to group themselves according to their instrument and shape.

Next, I show the students these Aleatoric Maps, created by my friend Charlotte, and they play their instrument as I trace the line. You can also trace from each end point as well as point slower or faster. We do several of these together and then I have a few students come to the board to make one collaboratively. 

Finally, I have the students work in groups to create their own maps. They take turns creating their line with a piece of yarn and then place the shapes (cut out on the die-cut machine) wherever they want. The student who created the map gets to be the pointer while the other students play. The students really enjoyed this and I loved seeing all of their creativity. It also gave me a chance to work one-on-one with any students who were still struggling with technique or playing on cue. Here are a few pictures of them hard at work in their groups:

John Kanaka!

My third grade classes have been focusing on folk songs. We have added Orff accompaniment, learned the cross-over technique, and performed line dances. They really enjoyed our activity with the song John Kanaka!

First we talked about the history of the sea shanty:

Then, we learned the song and discussed how the steady beat of the song might have helped sailors get their work done more efficiently. As we listened, the students identified the macro and micro beats and we practiced by using a pat-clap-pat-clap pattern.

Next, the students transferred the macro/micro beats to a hand clapping game. First we practiced with paper plates:

Holding the plate flat with their left hands, students pat the plate with their right. Then, they clap their right hands beneath and plate, pat the plate again, and clap their hands above the plate. They continue this pattern throughout the song feeling the macro beat (patting the plate) and the micro beat (clapping hands below and above): plate, below, plate, above, plate, below, plate, above.

After they had a the movements down, we added tambourines and turned it into a circle dance!

We got really fancy and rotated our outer circle on the fermata! Great job, third graders!

Drumming Fun!

Our school was so lucky to have Dr. Arvin Scott visit us recently!  He is a drumming professor from the University of Georgia and in addition to teaching, presents at percussion clinics, master classes, and workshops around the world.  He also founded a community-based youth program in Athens, GA called Drumming for Success.  According to his website, "it provides percussion classes and hand drums for all the kids while encouraging academic achievement, character building, and creativity through personal goal accomplishment and group cooperation."

 

Dr. Scott performed for us on several of his instruments and explained a little bit about the language of drumming.  Then, he got volunteers from the audience to come up and try out the instruments!  It was so neat to watch the students perform a steady beat and various rhythm patterns that we have been working on all year!  What a great assessment.  ;)  After seeing how successful the students were and how excited they got, I am inspired to get more drums for the music room. 

 

Here are a few pictures of our drumming fun...