Summer Curriculum Week 5

Week 5: Drums and Storytelling

Rabbi B brought in African Djambes for everyone to play with

This week, Rabbi B brought in all types of hand drums for the kids too play with. They used them in the following ways:

A) Show and Share:

Rabbi B brought in Djambes, Bongos, Tambourines, Cymbals and Shakers to teach the kids all about the percussion section of a band/symphony. He showed how they can be played in a variety of ways, fast and slow, loud and quiet, high and low and how if you hit the Djambe in different places it makes different sounds. 

 Following the beat of the leader

Rabbi B taught the kids that the percussion section set the speed of the music. The speed of music is called the Tempo. Rabbi B and the kids sand various songs and practices increasing and decreasing the Tempo. Rabbi B taught the kids that when music stays on Tempo (in time) it sounds good, but when the music does not go according to the tempo it can sound confusing and off.

It was fun when everyone sang Hashem is Here to a very fast tempo. Rabbi B also taught the kids the African Djambe song Shoshaloza which had a very nice tempo and beat.

Drums are fun!

Everyone also had a chance to play Follow the Leader. Each child had the chance to be the leader and play a drum beat. Then, everyone else tried to repeat the beat the leader played. This game got very creative and fun as the children came up with some amazingly innovative beats, some fast and some slow. 

B) Storytelling

Rabbi B also showed the kids how drums can be, and are, used to tell stories, especially in Africa. He told the kids the following story and had them add the sound effects with their drums:

Drums can make storytelling fun!

Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl who wanted to go to a friends house to play. They asked their mommy to take them and she said, "yes". So, they began walking to their friends house. 

Walking Sound 

Then the wind began to blow,

Rubbing hands on the drum to make Wind Sound

Then it began to rain,

One finger tapping on the drum

Then the rain got harder,

Harder tapping on the drum

Then the rain fell very hand and fast!

Fast and loud drumming

The boy and the girl started to run,

Fast drumming

Then they got to their friend house. They got up to the door and knocked three times

Bang Bang Bang

Nobody answered, so they knocked four times

Bang Bang Bang Bang

Their friend opened the door and they went inside and had a fun time.

The End

C) Craft:

Each kid got to design and create their own paper-plate drum. Once completed, they played a beat as Rabbi B played along on his Guitar. 

Taped Closed Paper-Plate Drums

Instructions:

1. Take 2 paper plates and decorate the outside of each plate

2. Put a handful of raw rice in one of the plates

3. Place the rims of the plates together and tape them shut

4. Drum

or for more advanced crafters:

Pipe Cleaner Sewed Paper-Plate Drums

1. Take 2 paper plates and decorate the outside of each plate

2. Place the rims of the plates together

3. Drill in 8 holes through the circumference of both plates 

4. Sew the plates together using yarn or pipe cleaners

5. Drum

Drumming with Popsicle sticks