Make and Play: Pellet Drum

It's a new month, which means a new unit in our Homeschool Preschool from Mother Goose Time.

This month we are studying Sights and Sounds with the first week focusing on the Orchestra.

"By exploring musical instruments, children hear sounds, tones and learn to communicate without words."-MGT

Today we studied DRUMS, and it is the percussion instrument my one year old son knows full well and can play right alongside his older sister. Ha! 

Our lesson started with me asking my 4 year old, "What could we use to make drums?" 

 Avaleigh proceeded to beat on the wall, globe, chair, table, and even her legs.  

Anything can be made into a drum, and I explained that today we would make a Pellet Drum.

The supplies needed are: thick paper plate(s), straw, beads, yarn, crayons or markers, and a stapler.

The first thing my girl did was decide on tha pattern of the beads she wanted to place on her 2 pieces of yarn.  Because she is into all things rainbow, naturally that is the pattern she chose.

I only tied off the 2 ends so the beads would stay towards the end of the piece of yarn.  

She completed 2 of these and it was fantastic fine motor skills practice.

After lacing her beads, she colored her plate with a rainbow circular pattern like that depicted on the "Make and Play" card.  I then used a stapler to attach all the parts.  I only lined up the spots for Avaleigh and she then pressed hard on the stapler to connect everything.

In hindsight, I should have had her use 2 plates (one for the front and one for the back) but it still worked out well and she had fun.  By only using one plate, her straw seemed a little more bendy and too flexible.  Having 2 plates would have provided the stability needed to keep the drum beating easier.  She played with her drum quite a bit by twisting the straw in her hands causing the beads to hit her plate and create beats.  She really enjoyed this activity.

As she played, I struggled to capture non blurry pictures!  This was the best I was able to take.

My little percussionist.

The rest of this week we will be discussing woodwinds, horns, stringed instruments, and the piano!
So go make your pellet drum with your little one and come back and see us next week as we study the Sights and Sounds of the Outdoors.  Until then,

Happy Music Making!


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Linky Party: Music In the Classroom....Nay or YAY!!!!

YAY!!! I know yall know how much I like to search You Tube for school videos.... so I thought about making a little linky party for all those great finds all us teachers search high and low for.

Let me tell yall a little secret... I am not a fan of rap, hip-hop, or much of today's music.  I grew up on the alternative radio of the '90's (love it), but I now listen to Texas Country and Christian radio.  Obviously my taste in music clashes with what my kids like, but when it comes to learning, some of these rap songs couldn't be better I think.   Go to You Tube.... yes right now.... just open a new tab... type in Mr. Lee.  See all those different songs about Science?  My kids LOVE them.  In fact after I showed the one on the Rock Cycle a few weeks ago, tons of my kids went home and searched more songs of his.  Warm fuzzy feeling taking place:)

One of my students came in the following day and said, "Mr. Johnstone, can we please listen to the Phases of the Moon by Mr. Lee?  I love that one."  Wait.... you want me to play you a learning rap song??? Ummm YES!!

So without further ado... here a few that were my students favorites this year....
BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR....
Meet Mr. Lee (also has lots of science and math songs)

 MATH....
Meet Mr. Duey (great math songs)

 SCIENCE....
Meet They Might Be Giants (Science songs for all ages)

Do you have any songs that you love to play for your kids?  Link up and share! (this is my 2nd linky party... I hope it works right!)