PERCUSSION
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Theme One: Percussion Instruments to Children’s Themes
Lesson One: Sing and Dance.
Resources: • CD Player • CD 1 Children’s themes • Resource book • Pictures of musical instruments o Piano o Saxophone o Trumpet o Drums o Violin o Guitar • Lyrics to ’Old McDonald Had a Band’
Set up Place pictures evenly around the room for a clear view for all children to see. Set CD player up with CD 1 for the lesson
Lesson outline Activity 1: Dance to the different beats Activity 2: Introduction to sounds Activity 3: Recognizing percussion within the music. Activity 4: Games
Activity 1: Dance and Sing to the different beats Use tracks 1 & 2 on CD 1 to sing and then to sing and dance as explained below. The first part of this activity is to get the children to Dance to the different beats. Following this repeat these tracks to get the children to Sing and Dance to these different beats. The music in these tracks have been designed around the popular children’s melodies: ‘twinkle twinkle little star’ and ‘row row row your boat’. In this activity use these two songs as an introduction for the children to ‘find their feet’ with the music. As most children’s songs comprise of a basic 4/4 beat and similar chords, try to sing different songs to the music.
Dance Using tracks 3 – 6, Dance to the different beats on CD 1. The instruments that are pictured around the room have all been used in this music. The children will notice the music change in both tempo (speed) and variation of instruments. There are four different speeds: 1. The music begins at a regular pace. 2. The music gradually slows to a walking pace. 3. The music then speeds up to a moderate pace 4. Finally the music finishes at the regular pace it began. These will inspire different movements and create a sense of freedom. Sing and Dance Using tracks 1 & 2 again, sing and dance to the different beats on CD 1. Use this time to sing and dance around the room while you listen to the different sounds that have been created. Some children may notice different melodies within the music. Try pausing the CD to allow them to continue singing. When you un-pause the CD let them all catch up to the beat of the music. Pause the CD again listening to where the children are up to in the song. Some children may be slower or faster depending on how they are interpreting the beat. Question: Does the beat help us to sing? Is the beat there to help everybody to sing and dance at the same pace?
Help to bring all children back to the same pace by clapping your hands while you sing or by marching and singing at the same time.
Activity 2: Introduction to sounds Recognising the sounds of different Percussion instruments Tracks 7 -12 Have six different Percussion instruments played one at a time (five seconds each) with a two second gap between each sound. Pause the CD at each gap and point out that instrument. Ask the children to demonstrate by play-acting how they think that instrument is played. The instruments are: • Tribal Drums • Jazz Drums • Rock ‘n’ Roll Drums • Country Drums • Classical Drums • Latin Drums Song ‘Old McDonald Had A Band’ (Tracks 13 – 15) Children are asked to listen to ‘Old McDonald Had a Band’ (see attached lyrics). Where children are normally asked to think of an animal sound in the chorus, they will be asked to think of an instrument instead. This activity will help children to recognise different instruments and how they are played and sound within childrens music. Note: Track 13 is the piano playing an initial verse for the children to familiarize themselves with the song. Track 14 is the completed song with a full band ensemble without any percussion. A New instrument is introduced in each of the chorus sections. Children are asked to put their hands up when they hear a different instrument or sound. When they do, ask if they can identify that sound. As the song continues, ask the children to go to the picture of the instrument that is playing and act out how they believe it may be being played. You can use this time to pause the song and discuss these sounds. This will create knowledge of the instrument and an idea of how it works. Singing along to the instrument and acting out how it works When this piece has finished playing, repeat the song (track 14) now that all children know what the instruments are without interruption. Children will be asked to sing along to the music and act out the playing of the instruments for the whole song.
Activity 3: Recognizing percussion within the music. Following this play track 15 which is the completed ‘Old McDonald Had a Band’. This time it will be accompanied with a drum beat while the children sing and act out the song again. When the song is complete, discuss what was different about the song. Get the children to reflect on the piece of music and discuss how the introduction of percussion altered the piece.
Activity 4: Games:
Musical Chairs The old favourite. With one fewer chairs than people, a short snippet of music is played while the people move around the room. When the music stops everyone tries to sit on a vacant chair. (Only ONE person per chair) The person who doesn't find a chair is out. One chair is taken away and the game continues until only one person (The Winner) is left. Musical Statues This is like Musical Chairs, but when the music stops, the players have to keep still. Anyone who moves, quivers, shakes etc is out. The winner is the last one still playing.
Listen and Move Place shapes on the floor in a circle. For example guitars, saxophones, piano etc. Children walk around circle while listening to music. If the music is loud the children move fast. If the music is quiet the children move slow. If the music stops, the children stop on the closest shape and act out how that instrument is played. Young children like to play it this way. To make it more challenging for older children have 1 less shape than the number of children. Continue remove shapes as the children are 'out'.
King Piano This is a game of memory and laughter! Here's how it works. Players sit in a circle and everyone decides what instrument they will be and what signal they will use to reflect that instrument. For example; someone may be a guitar and act out how the guitar is played. One person is King Piano and their signal is acting out how to play the piano. King Piano is the "head" of the circle and there should be an empty chair or empty space between him/her and the next player, who is the back of the circle. When play begins King Piano starts. King Piano makes his/her signal and then another player's instrument signal. That player then has to make their signal and another player's instrument signal. Play continues uninterrupted until someone goofs! The player who goofs goes to the back of the play circle and all other players move up. The goal of each player is to become King Piano. This can happen when King Piano makes a mistake and has to go to the end of the line. King Piano then has to become whatever instrument the new King Piano was and use this new signal. The new King Piano has to remember that they are now the King Piano signal. It gets confusing and that is part of the fun! Note: It may be a good idea to set a time limit on play or just let the group keep playing until you see that the interest and enthusiasm is lagging.
Theme One: Percussion Instruments to Children’s Themes
Lesson Two: Draw
Resources: • CD Player • CD 1 Children’s themes • Pictures of percussion instruments • Stencil sheets • Butchers paper • Paints • Foam sticks • Bucket of water
Set up ¾ Fill a large bucket with water and place in view for all children to see. Have paper, stencils and paints available for all children
Lesson outline Activity 1: What does sound “look” like and how does sound work? Activity 2: Designing your drum Activity 3: Making sounds Activity 4: Games
Activity 1: What does sound look like and how does sound work? Place your large bucket full of water in the middle of the room. Put your finger in the water and pull it out allowing the water to ripple to the sides of the bucket. Explain to all children that this ripple in the water is similar to the invisible ripple of sound that is created when you play a drum or any other instrument. Let all the children have a go at putting their finger in the bucket and creating a ripple. When everyone has had a turn empty the bucket and turn it upside down between your knees. With a paint brush, hit the bottom of the bucket making a hollow drum sound, this will help to explain why drums and most percussion instruments are normally round. Let all children have a turn at hitting the bottom of the bucket with the paint brush creating the sound of a drum. Stop to reflect that even though it is the same surface they are tapping; different sounds will be created based on how hard they hit it and what part of the bucket they tapped.
Activity 2: Designing your drum Now that you have helped to establish what a drum looks and sounds like, let all children design their own drum on the butchers paper or stencils provided. Walk the room helping the children to design their own individual drum.
Activity 3: Making sounds When all drums are complete, gather up the group to form a drum kit. Standing in a line or a circle, while holding each individual drum, allow one person from the group using the foam sticks provided to tap each person on the head. The child tapped on the head can then make the sound of their drum which they are holding. Use CD 1 track 16 to hear different sounds that are used to create real drum noises. The onomatopoeia (sound) could be anything from a ‘bang bang’ sound to a ‘moooooo’. Some sounds you will hear on the CD are: • Bongos • Animals • Cars • Tom-toms • Laughs • Telephones
Activity 4: Games:
Hot Potato Now that you have established a sound for each drum, play a variation of ‘Hot Potato’. Pass a ball around the room quickly. Whoever is in possession of the ball must create their drum noise and then pass the ball on. If the ball is dropped or slowed, that participant must make a percussion sound and sit down.
Run and Find On the command (from the list below) the children have to run to the area that has a picture of that instrument and act out the appropriate action. After a while, start removing the last player to comply, until only one remains. • Drums • Piano • Violin • Etc. etc. • Orchestra (Run to an area that has a picture of ANY INSTRUMENT and play that instrument)
Pass and sing the Parcel Wrap a bar of chocolate (or some other gift), in a layer of paper, every layer contains a song. Now wrap it in another layer and repeat until you have about 10 layers. Sit everyone in a circle and play a short snippet of music. When the music stops, the person holding the parcel removes ONE layer of wrapping and has to sing the song. Repeat until the last layer of wrapping has been removed. The winner keeps the present.
The Chocolate (or Jelly) Game Sit everyone in a circle and place a tray in the middle with a hat, scarf, gloves, knife and fork, die and a wrapper bar of chocolate. In turn, players throw the die, If they throw a SIX, they must put on the Hat, Scarfe and Gloves before they start to unwrap the chocolate with the knife and fork, ad then start to eat it. To speed up the game add a second die and require a Double SIX. The Jelly Variation is to turn out a set jelly onto a plate and eat it with the knife and fork.
Theme One: Percussion Instruments to Children’s Themes
Lesson Three: Create
Resources: • CD Player • CD 1 Children’s themes • Pictures of percussion instruments • Paints • Paint brushes • Glue • scissors • Recycled materials from home o Food / ice cream containers o Cardboard rolls o Rubber bands o Rice o Bell Set up Place all materials bought from the homes into categories (containers, rolls etc). Organize adequate resources to make these instruments.
Lesson outline Activity 1: Creating a drum from recycles materials ‘The Tupperware Tom’ Activity 2: Getting a sound out of your drum Activity 3: Forming a band Activity 4: Games
Activity 1: Creating a drum from recycled materials Ask children to bring in recycled materials from home to create a drum that really works. Using the above mentioned resources, help all the children to create a percussion instrument. Using the resource book as a guide for the children to see what percussion instruments may look like and perhaps guess how they sound when played. Some examples of percussion instruments:
Bells Maracas Castanets Drums Cymbals Gong Triangle Tambourine
The Tupperware Tom You will need: • One round Tupperware container • Three regular shopping plastic bags • Two pieces of regular paper • Two industrial rubber bands (the thick red type) • Water glue (flour and water) and newspaper to paper mache the container • One pair of scissors • Paint and paint brushes Making your Tupperware Tom 1. Flatten two plastic bags one on top of the other with two pieces of paper between them 2. Stretch out the plastic bags over the top of your Tupperware container 3. With the help from a friend, stretch the rubber band around the lid of your Tupperware container securing it and the lip holding in place your plastic bag 4. Using your scissors, cut off the excess plastic bag 5. Mache your Tupperware container and wait till it dries 6. Paint and decorate your Tupperware Tom Playing your Tupperware Tom Using the ends of your paint brushes, lightly tap the top of your Tupperware Tom making a percussion sound.
Activity 2: Getting a sound out of your drum Now that all the drums are completed, have children form groups and explore the other percussion instruments that they have created. As the definition of a percussion instrument is to be hit with a stick, use the paint brushes as drum sticks for the children to make a sound with their instruments. Playing different songs on your CD player, allow the children to play along to the beat with their percussion instruments. For this activity you can use the CD provided or other songs you may have in the centre to inspire different beats.
Activity 3: Forming a band Ask the children to get into groups of three or four. Each group should have a different percussion instrument in it so they form small bands. Give each group some time to put together a small drum roll for the rest of the class as a demonstration of how their percussion instruments work.
Activity 4: Games,
Hot drummer Everyone sits in a circle with their new percussion instrument passing two drum sticks around with music playing in the background. When the music stops suddenly, whoever is holding onto the drum sticks must play their instrument. Continue this until all children have had a turn.
Treasure Hunt Divide kids into teams 1 through 5 depending on how many are at the party. Make up pictures of instruments e.g. drums, guitars, pianos, flutes, violins (same instruments on same colour paper so teams only find their own ) and scatter them all over the house (and outside, to, if weather permits). Hint: Time the hunt and see which team gets done first. A prize may be offered for the first team to finish.
Play that instrument Your group should be sitting in a circle again with one person in the middle. The person in the middle can go to anyone in the circle and ask them to act out a certain type of instrument The person who was asked the question has to act out the specific instrument requested of them to becomes the person in the middle.
Theme One: Percussion Instruments to Children’s Themes
Lesson Four: Listen
Resources: • CD Player • CD 1 Children’s themes • Pictures of percussion instruments • Bells and tambourines
Set up Place CD player in reach of the teacher as you will be required to pause it a lot.
Lesson outline Activity 1: Listening to separate sounds Activity 2: Identifying other sounds Activity 3: Repeat that beat Activity 4: Games
Activity 1: Listening to separate sounds Using CD 1 track 17, listen to the different beats and sounds. The individual sound section on the CD breaks down the drum beats to one sound at a time. Get the children to investigate each sound and discuss where it may have come from and where they might have heard something similar. Playing CD 1 track 17, you will have two seconds between each sound, pause the CD after each sound and discuss where it may have come from and what the instrument that created that sound may have looked like. When the children have decided what they think it looked like use the picture book to display the actual instrument for each sound.
Activity 2: Identifying other sounds Using CD 1 track 18, listen to and identify a whole mixture of sounds: When percussion instruments sounds are made, get the children to try and identify the sound to the correct picture in the percussion and sound book. As an extra activity, get all children to recite the name of that instrument as well. When non-percussion instrument sounds are made, get the children to stand up and act out where they believe that sound may have come from. E.g. a telephone ringing, the sound could be acted out as picking up an imaginative phone and answering it. Some sounds the children are likely to hear are
Bells Maracas Castanets Drums Cymbals Cows Gong Cat Train Triangle Violin Xylophone Tambourine Traffic Train Plane Door closing Laughter Scream
Use this time to listen to other music in your centre and again get all children to identify different sounds they may have heard within the music.
Activity 3: Repeat that beat Using what’s around you in the centre, get children to find basic objects that can make a noise and keep a beat, this can be anything from tapping the desks to stamping your feet on the floor. When everyone has found a good ‘BEAT MAKER’, clap some basic beats for the children to copy back to you. When they have built confidence have them try to copy the 10 simple beats that are on CD 1 tracks 19 - 28. The beats cover a range of abilities. Pause the CD after each beat and then have the children repeat that beat with you.
Activity 4: Games,
What’s that sound? With the instruments you have in the centre, choose an instrument one at a time to make a sound while the children have their eyes closed or backs turned. Whoever guesses correctly can come up and join you to help make the next sound.
Hand Pat Players form a circle, cross arms, and lay their hands flat on the table or floor. Someone is picked to start the pat and each hand pats the table in its turn. If someone pats their hand twice, then the direction changes and the patting goes the other way. Remember, your arms are crossed so you have to watch carefully and wait your turn to pat! If someone lifts their hand to pat when it is not their turn, or does not pat when it is their turn, that hand is out. Play continues until there is only one hand that has not made a mistake left in the circle.
Musician Whispers Sit everyone in a circle. Whisper a style of music to one person. They, in turn, whisper what they heard to the next person, and so on. The last person announces what they heard and says one type of instrument used in that style of music.
Knock Knock Everyone sits in a circle except one who is given a pillow and blind-fold. They then go and place the pillow on a persons lap, sit on it and say “knock knock�. The person should make the sound of their favourite musical instrument; this can be done only 3 times. If the blind person guesses the name of the instrument, they should now be given the blind fold and the game run over again - after everyone has changed their places.