Second graders learned about the drums of Native American and African cultures during art class in February and made their own tin can drums which they are now learning to play in music class to perform in the Elementary Spring Concert on May 14.
“This project has been a fun collaboration between our art and music departments and I’m looking forward to seeing the students playing their drums at the spring concert,” said art teacher Sherry Mirakian. During art class in February and March, Mirakian said the students looked at the geometric patterns found in the art of the Native American and African cultures and practiced drawing some of them on paper with markers and colored pencils.
The students then used tin cans and different colored balloons to make their drums and then decorated them with their geometric designs. They also made a pair of drumsticks with florist sticks and bottle corks.
In mid-March, Music Director Tim Rosie began teaching the students how to play their drums during music class, using their hand-made mallets and their hands. They are learning to make interesting sounds by playing both ends of the drum — the tin can end and the end covered with a rubber balloon.
“The students have been learning about the different tone qualities that can be produced by playing on various surfaces,” Rosie said. “They are also learning to play using a variety of rhythms and musical styles and to perform them following music notation.”
Rosie said the students will be performing one song with the drums during the Elementary Spring Concert.
