Make Recycled Instruments-Inspired by the children's book Ada's Violin by Susan Hood
(scroll to bottom for step-by-step videos)
Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood is the perfect musical story to read to little ones during your Earth Day unit study. It tells the story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay and how its musicians use items found in the town’s landfill to make musical instruments.
For the April 2021 box, we chose to include materials to make a straw pan flute and a cabasa.
The Pan flute (or pipes) is an instrument from Ancient Greece. It was named for the Greek god Pan, God of the Wild. Pan pipes can be made of bamboo, cane or reeds. To make straw pan pipes all you need are straws (paper ones, please!), scissors and tape.
Measure and cut straws to the lengths shown.
Wrap the tape around the longest straw three times.
Place the second longest straw next to the longest and wrap the tape around BOTH straws three times.
Repeat steps two (2) and three (3) with each length of straw until you have wrapped all the straws with tape!
To play your pan pipes, blow across the top of the straws like you are trying to cool a bowl of hot soup!
Cabasa
A cabasa is a percussion instrument from Africa. It makes a sound similar to a maraca or shaker. To make a recycled cabasa you will need a small, round container, paper towel roll, beaded necklaces, scissors and tape (or a hot glue gun, used with caution).
Tape the craft roll to the outside of the lid. This will be your handle.
Cut each necklace so that you have two long strands.
Twist the ends of two strands together to make one long strand.
Wrap tape around the end of one strand several times and leave a "tail" of tape two inches long. Repeat this step right next to the first wrap and leave a tail going in the opposite direction.
Place the beads just under the lip of the tin and secure with the tape.
Repeat step four (4) at the other end of the strand of beads.
Wrap the necklace around the tin and tape it into place.
To play your cabasa, hold the handle in one hand and loosely cradle the beaded part of the cabasa in your other hand.
Twist the handle back and forth and the beads will scrape along the tin!
What other instruments can you make using materials you already have at home? Water bottle maracas? Poster tube rainstick? Comment below with your ideas and we just may give it a try!
Get all the materials you need for this activity as well as the book Ada’s Violin when you buy this box!
Step-by-step Video Instructions!
Pan Flute
Cabasa
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