SMMARTideas

SMMART MUSIC: (2)4th of July Band

Our family LOVES a good 4th of July Parade! Every 4th our community hosts a Patriotic Pancake Breakfast, complete with a children's parade. They hand out mini-American Flags, Flashy beads and Kazoos. Can't beat it! The kids love marching around the Historic Benson Grist Mill grounds, circling around the old cabins, barns and country store...playing their hearts out!

In Utah, they have the second largest parade in the country on the 24th of July commemorating the arrival of the pioneers into the Utah valley. Our family has started the tradition of staying downtown in a hotel the night of the 23rd and then walking over to the parade the next morning (hoping for a shady spot). We love the big bands playing and the beautiful, creative floats glittering in the July sun.

You can have your very own family or kid-neighbor parade too! Better yet, bring these unique instruments along with you to a community parade...and play along!

CANCAN
empty food cans

duct tape
paper and markers

stickers or glitter glue

Collect 2-3 similar size cans (peas, corn, beans for one size and tomato sauce cans to form a larger size). Open the cans, empty the contents and rinse the cans well. The bottom can will keep it's base, but you'll need to use the can opener to take the bottoms off of the remaining two cans, so you can see through them. Place the double-opened cans on top of the base can and duct tape your tower together. Be sure to use duct tape around the top can's mouth to protect little fingers from cuts. http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer//can.html

Wrap your CANCAN in scrapbook paper, brown paper bag, or construction paper. Let your child use markers, stickers or glitter glue to decorate his very own CANCAN. Wrapping your CANCAN in paper will muffle the sound. If you wish to create a louder CANCAN, then be sure to take the can labels off of the cans and leave the metal can surfaces exposed.

If you create two CANCANs of different diameter and length, encourage your child to observe the pitch differences as you tap your CANCAN onto the floor or hit the bottom with a stick. The longer, wider CANCAN emits a lower-pitch sound.

Listen to the different sounds you can make with your CANCAN by hitting the bottom, top or sides with a stick, covering the opening with your hand, or tapping the CANCAN onto different surfaces.

Drop a few hard beans or small objects into the CANCAN and listen to the new sound you have created.

Check out this video of a group of students playing Venezuelan quitiplas (or CANCANs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shgQaI-cK7A&feature=related

RUBBER BAND BUZZER

2 Craft sticks (popsicle sticks)
1 wide rubber band and 2 skinny rubber bands

1 straw cut into 3 1/2 inch pieces

Zzzzzzzz, Zzzzzzzz,Zzzzzzz...as the rubber band vibrates in this double-reed instrument (more like double popsicle stick instrument).

Wrap the wide rubber band longwise around the ends of a craft stick. Take one 1/2 inch piece of straw and secure it between the rubber band and the craft stick. Be sure to push it to one side of the craft stick, about a pinkie finger away from the edge. Secure another piece of straw on the other end of the craft stick.

Place the other craft stick on top of the rubber band and straws to create your double-reed instrument. Secure the ends of the craft sticks together with the skinny rubber bands (on the outside of the straws).

Optionally, you can slide a third piece of straw in the middle, above the rubber band to lower the rubber band into a slight "v" shape and help keep the rubber band from "sticking" to the top craft stick.

Now blow through the craft sticks or reeds, resting your lips on the edge of the top and bottom craft sticks.

You should be able to create a buzzing sound from your RUBBER BAND BUZZER.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/afterschool/activities/index.php?activity=137&firstDisplayedItem=7

CLUCKER

Paper or plastic cup

Yarn or string

Paper clip

Piece of tape
Piece of paper towel and water (optional)

This funny little instrument sounds like a chicken clucking. So easy.

You need a paper cup or a can with a plastic lid. Poke a hold in the bottom of the plastic cup or in the middle of the can's plastic lid. (If you are using a can with a plastic lid, then be sure to use a can opener to open the bottom of the can. Wrap duct tape around the edge of the can to prevent cutting little fingers.)

Thread the piece of yarn through the hole and loop the end through a paperclip. Tie a knot in the end of the yarn around the paperclip and secure the paperclip to the bottom of the cup with a piece of tape.

Moisten the small piece of paper towel (doubled over for strength), reach up into the can as you wrap the paper towel around the string, and tug. Tug, tug, tug down the string.

The cup amplifies the vibration of the string and makes a chicken-like clucking sound.

Watch this video for visual directions: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-cup-sounds-like-chicken-271325/

Now go march around the kitchen with your kids...Make some music!