Playing Instruments

Lesson Plan

Title: Making Shakers Grade Level: 3rd-5th graders

Source: http://www.african-music-safari.com/percussion-instruments.html
https://www.historicalfolktoys.com/catcont/5404.html
https://omeka-s.grinnell.edu/s/MusicalInstruments/item/2704
Materials needed:
Main materials: Medicine Jars, Glass Jars, Plastic Bottles, Paper bags, and Eggs
Inside materials: Rice, Beans, Pasta, Sand, and Lentils
Decoration materials: Color Paper, Paint, Markers, Glue, and stickers.
Procedure:
A.S:
1. First, you are going to have five stations around the classroom. Make sure to live the center
empty for circle time.
• Station 1: Place 5 medicine jars, and decoration materials.
• Station 2: Place 5 plastic bottles, and decoration materials.
• Station 3: Place 5 paper bag, and decoration materials.
• Station 4: Place 5 glass jars, and decoration materials
• Station 5: Place 5 eggs, and decoration materials
2. Teacher says: Good morning class, come over to the middle where our circle is at so I can
explain to you what we are going to do today.
3. Teacher says: For the past weeks we have been learning from different cultures on how they
used the shakers. Does anyone remember anything about what we have learned? Please raise
your hand and then call on the student. If students are too shy or do not remember say that fine
and move on.
4. Teacher says: A little refresher shaker has been around since prerecorded history. Shakers
have been used by primitive tribes around the world. This instrument is used in many different
cultures such as Native Americans used it to honor turtles for their role. Native Hawaiians used it
for storytelling dances such as hula. Africa used it traditionally in their religious ceremonies to
call spirts. The Latin America like Brazil used it as music practices and it was usually used in the
background to the main instrument or music group to add volume. Shaker led to the
developments of new types of music. Now they are used as toys for children and in music classes
for fun. It is a fun and entertaining way of learning patterns and rhythms.
5. Teacher says: Now Let's count from one to five. Please don’t touch anything on the table
class. Everyone that is number one got to station one, everyone that is number two go to station
two, everyone that is number three go to station three, everyone that is number four go to station
four, and everyone that is number five go to station five. Great job class.
6. Teacher says: Each station has a different item to decorate so be creative and decorate class.
No talking just creating class because remember you only have 20 mins to decorate your object. I
can wait to see your master piece class.
Use an attention getter to get students attention.
7. Teacher says: Reach to the sky (multiple time) (raise hands to the sky)
8. Once your students are pay attention give each group the following material. Give the
medicine jars group rice, give plastic bottles group the pasta, give the paper bag group beans,
give the glass jars group sand, and give the eggs group lentils.
9. Teacher says: Add the items in side your object and glue the opening to keep your shaker
closed. After your done please come to the circle.
Everyone will be sitting down in the circle.
10. Teacher says: each group is going to play their shaker one group at a time. Go group 1, group
2, group 3, group 4, and group 5.
11. Teacher says: Do they all shakers sound the same class?
12. Students says: “Noooooo they don’t”
13. Teacher says: Each group is going to show there shaker and pass them around to your
classmate to see. Pay close attention I will be asking you a question after everyone has seen it.
Go group 1, group 2, group 3, group 4, and group 5.
14. Teacher says: Raise your hand when you know the answer. Who can tell me something they
see different from all the shakers? Call on three students by name.
15.Student says: the shape, size, & material
16. Teacher says: Yes, great job (student name) that is correct. (repeat)
17. Teacher says: We are going to listen again and see who can tell me three different things you
can hear. Raise your hand when you know the answer.
Go group 1, group 2, group 3, group 4, and group 5.
18. Teacher says: (students name) then lets them respond answers: the sound gets louder or
softer, you can hear the different beats, the pitch gets higher or lower depending on the size of
the object, the rhythm is different.
Closure: Great job class. Did you guys have fun making the instruments? Students respond: Yes,
it was lots of fun we should do this more often. Teacher responds: I am glad you guys had lots of
fun and enjoy this activity. We are going to do a similar activity next week. Let continue having
fun and learn more about different instruments and their history.

Educational Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will have learned the history of
shakers and the different origins. The students would have learned about the different types of
shakers and how to make them. They would also learn difference in how they look and sound.
As well as learn to work together and share materials. They would expand their critical thinking
and listening skills
Social/ Cognitive Physical Musical Non-
MusicalSu
Emotional bjects

Build Listening Hand on National “Core” Music Content

confidence and creating Standards Standards Standards
responding to instrument
Create a safe
new material
environment Creating

Work Imagine
1. Singing
together Plan and Make
toward a
Evaluate & Refine
common goal 2. Play
Instruments Present

Performing
3. Improvising
Select

Analyze
4. Composing
Interpret

Rehearse,
5. Reading &
Evaluate, & Refine
Notating
Present

6. Listening
Responding

Select
7. Evaluating
Analyze

Interpret
8. Integration Evaluate

(outside arts)
Connecting

Connect #10

Connect #11
9.History/Culture