Learning About Sound and Vibration

This week we explored the concept of sound and vibration.  We also talked about what media the children are aware of that produces sound.  We heard answers such as; radio, Cds, and Ipods, but only a couple knew what a record album was or even a cassette tape.  These are defiantly modern times.  I showed the children a record and then we did a fabulous experiment my husband taught me.  We placed the album on his turntables and using a sewing needle placed through a tunnel of construction paper, the children heard music coming from the cone of paper.

the children were transfixed as they heard music come
 out of a piece of paper. and we talked about how the vibration of sound is what is traveling through the cone.

Here I am showing them, but then they each took turns.  It is a little tricky so they need some assistance, and if you try this at home, use a record you do not mind getting scratched.

Click on the play button below to hear the music

We also played with a tuning fork, which the children enjoyed hitting on the floor and then shaking to get an altering sound.  From this, our conversation on vibration continued.  We talked about other things that vibrate, such as our tongues when we all would say buzz, or on this particular day it was raining, so we pounded on the floor like thunder and one of the children pointed out that the floor was vibrating.  We also talked about instruments that make sounds when things vibrate, such as guitar strings.  It was a neat conversation because we sing and create music a lot at school, but we never really talked about the creation of sound.

After our discussion we went into art time where we set the children up with acrylic paints and

discarded records.  I then put on a mix of different styles of music.  The children were invited to paint on their records in the rhythm of the sounds they were hearing.  We saw things like swirling motions for soft music such as Celtic music and drumming  and dabbing motions when the African drumming and Herbie Hancock were played.

Click play on the picture below to see the process:

A finished Album

Music Hut

Here is our play hut that I made last Spring.  It is made out of saplings that I tied together in an arch, and grape vine that I wove through the saplings.  As magical as I think it is, I find that the children do not really play in it

Over the summer we planted runner beans and morning glories on it, and although a lot of grazing happened (oh how they loved the runner beans) no real play occurred.  What fun is a fort if no one wants to go and play in it, so I started thinking....

...and an answer came!  I have wanted to make a music wall or a "banging wall" as I have also heard it called.  Instead of a music wall, I decided to make a music hut, and I am happy to say the children are playing in it!  I had a hard time getting a photo that captures it, but perhaps the combination of these shots will do, as well as the video of them making music in the hut.

One last thing, when I was little my best friend and I were always building forts, and her mom just sent me this picture of the ultimate stick fort, thanks Debbie!

Drum Circle During Free Play

I can't say it enough, but I love the spontaneous moments at school when the kids start something that amazes me and brings so much joy to everyone. 

This little drum circle was wonderful and was actually quite good for 3 year olds.

The Story of Making Mbiras

The Story of Making
Mbiras

(little thumb pianos)

I have this lovely CD called:

Four Legged Tales

Animal stories from Here and Away

Told by Laura Simms, Accompanied by The Real Myth Ensemble

It truly is a little gem that my family has loved and the children enjoy hearing during rest time.

One of my favorite stories on this CD is a Zimbabwe tale called Rabbit and Lion.

I have adapted this story many times in telling it with puppets at the school, however this summer my husband suggested making Mbiras.  I thought this was a wonderful idea. 

So the first task was to have the children paint a piece of wood.

The next step is to hammer flat bobby pins to use as the keys.

My husband then took chop sticks and staple gunned one to the top of the wood.

The reason we decided to staple the wood down was that it gave a little

flexibility under the wood to slide the keys in.

Once the keys are slid into place, put another chop stick underneath the keys.  You can glue this piece into place.  The keys do move around a bit, but this also allows the keys to be placed in different position to tune it.

After the Mbiras where complete, I played the story while doing the puppet show.  The children had never heard the recording of this particular story yet, so hearing the Mbira, which is such a pretty sound, and having them play their own was simply enchanting and beautiful.

Below is the story written out of the Rabbit and Lion, as adapted by Laura Simms.

Rabbit and Lion

Lion was the king of all the animals, but Rabbit was loved by everyone.  Rabbit was such a good musician that whenever the animals in the jungle heard his music they started to dance.  This made Lion so angry.  Lion said “I don’t dance, I don’t like to dance, I will never dance.”

One day Lion was walking in the forest and he saw Rabbit up ahead.  Lion decided to scare the music right out of him.  Lion went hiding in a tree and Rabbit came walking by.  Lion jumped out and roared so fiercely that Rabbit stopped in his tracks, his ears went straight up, his feet were stiff on the earth, his eyes grew wide and Rabbit started to shake.  Lion was pleased, he roared and bared his teeth, and then rabbit remembered his music.

He took his mbira which he always carried, little thumb piano, and he started to play.  At first this made Lion so furious that he opened his mouth even wider to roar, but what came out was a song.  Lion sang “I don’t dance, I don’t like to dance” but he was already moving to the music.  “I don’t dance, I don’t like to dance,” and rabbit just kept on playing.  Lion closed his mouth, and Lion began to dance singing all the time “I don’t dance, I don’t like to dance, I don’t dance, I don’t like to dance.”  And Rabbit walked back playing music, and Lion followed all the way.  Rabbit didn’t stop, Lion didn’t stop.  When they got to the edge of the forest Rabbit began playing the sweetest song and Lion sang softly… “no not me, I don’t dance, no not me I don’t like to dance, no not me.”  And Lion laid down while Rabbit softly sang Lion  to sleep.  When Lion was fast asleep, Rabbit stopped playing, he hopped away as quickly as he could.  Since then Rabbit stays as far away as he can from Lion.  As for Lion, if you ask him, he will always say, “I don’t dance, no, no, not me. Never.”

To hear the story as told by Laura Simms click here:

http://www.allmusic.com/album/four-legged-tales-animal-stories-from-here-and-away-r403394