Unit 5 – Percussion Instruments
Activity 1 – Clay Pot Chimes
Students will develop an understanding of how pot chimes work and how their sound is produced. The teacher will demonstrate how the length of each string, and the size of the clay pot changes the pitch. Students will eventually notice that small pots produce high sounds while the larger pots produce lower sounds.
Activity 2 – Percussion Jam Band
Students will have the opportunity to perform in a percussion ensemble. They will ‘read’ from a score and eventually perform their assigned parts. The clay pot chimes can also be used for this lesson.
The class will categorize the instruments available into one of the three groups: high, medium or low sound. The teacher will demonstrate how each box represents a beat. A coloured box shows when the students are to play their instrument, while a blank box means a rest.
Activity 3 – The Percussion Instruments in detail
The teacher will explain each instrument at a time in detail. Where possible, the children can handle the instrument themselves. The students will also be shown these instruments, as well as listen to their sound. Students are encouraged to try the following crossword puzzle to test their knowledge.