Music and Rhythm
Primary 3 · Creative Arts
Music and Rhythm
Lesson 3 of 3
12 min
Byiringiro wanted to play in the class band, but he had no instrument. He sat with an empty plastic bottle in his hands, feeling sad.
His friend Umutoni picked up a handful of dry beans. "Watch this," she said. She dropped the beans into his bottle and screwed the lid on tight. "Now shake it."
Shh-shh-shh-shh! The bottle rattled out a bright, happy sound. Byiringiro grinned. He had an instrument after all — and today you will make one too.
Some instruments make their sound when you hit them or shake them. Drums, shakers and clapping sticks all work this way. Instruments in this family are called percussion instruments.
In Rwanda the most famous percussion instrument is the drum, the ingoma. You strike its skin with your hands, and it booms out a low, strong beat. Rwanda also has the inanga, a wide wooden instrument with strings you pluck — but that one is not percussion, because you do not hit or shake it.
You need one clean, empty plastic bottle, a handful of dry beans, and a lid. Follow the steps:
Now try a little science. Shake it with only 3 beans — a light, thin sound. Now add many more beans — a fuller, louder rattle. More beans, more rattle. You have made a real instrument from things people usually throw away.
Tip
Lid on tight, every time. Loose beans fly everywhere and the shaker goes quiet. Always screw the lid on firmly before you shake — then your beans stay in and your sound stays strong.
You put dry beans in a bottle, close it, and shake it. What kind of instrument have you made?
Answer: a shaker. You make its sound by shaking it, so it belongs to the percussion family.
To make a drum sound, should you hit its skin or blow into it?
Answer: hit its skin. A drum is a percussion instrument — you strike it to make it sound. You do not blow it.
In the class band, 3 children have drums and 2 children have shakers. How many instruments are there in all?
Answer: 5, because 3 + 2 is 5.
Why must you screw the lid on tightly before you shake your bottle?
Answer: so the beans stay inside. If the lid is loose, the beans fly out and the shaker stops rattling.
What you learned today
Quick check
Put the bean shaker steps in order.
Tap the cards in the right order.
