The people who worked at the store were very pleasant they even showed us around. DJ fell in love with this drum set. My goal of this visit was to show them a variety of instruments, so they could really think about what musical instrument they would like to learn. It was clear to everyone what DJ interest was. It was clear to me that I have to prepare an isolated area for DJ's music time in the near future, or purchase a year supply of Tylenol if I am going to follow this childs' musical interest.
After all the politeness I felt obligated to purchase something. So the kids helped me to decide on this.
The Music Maker
Well those who still stayed interested in this musical instrument had questions. What does this mean? asking about the musical notes. I printed some materials from Montessori for Everyone. The Musical Family Sort Work, and The Musical Notes Match Work.
The questions kept coming, and coming from my kids so I decided it was time for a science lesson in sound.
The Box Guitar
Get a box, elastic bands. Stretch the elastic bands around the box.
Pluck and strum the strings to make sound.
Objective: Make different sounds by plucking strings of different thickness and length.
Equipment: Plastic straws,clay,cardboard,scissors,tape,ruler.
1. Cut straws to 9,8,7,6,5 and 4cm lenghts.
2. Cut out strip of cardboard(11cm x3cm) and line up straws along it, about 1cm apart tape them in place.
3. Put some clay at the bottom of each straw.
4. Blow quickly over the pipes to make different musical notes.
Objective: Make different musical sounds with pipes of different lenghts.
Grab a string, and three metal rods.
1. Tie the metal rods along a length of string.
2. Hold the string ends and listen to the metal rods hitting against each other.
3. Next, raise the strings ends to your ears.Objective: To listen to sounds traveling through the air and through a solid.
They also learned about wavelengths by taping a string to a table and moving the string from side to side. This helped them visualize sound waves. Learning about reading music, and the different music instruments have helped my kids to really think hard about what instrument they really want to begin formal lessons with. DJ is sticking to the drums. However until that time comes I have managed to keep him occupied with these.
Here he is practing with the handbells "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".
I must say he is pretty good at this song. I don't have much time left before the drums.