Shakers

by Adele Lowen
- read/sing the book: Shake My Sillies Out
- watch YouTube video: Shake My Sillies Out *click on the link below
- discuss what a musical shaker is - a hollow container that can be sealed and has
something inside that makes a sound when shaken
- shakers are part of the percussion family of instruments
- show the variety of shakers in class:
- skull
- rectangular prism
- maracas
- clay stone
- egg
- African straw
- shells
- metal circles
- discuss the different sounds made from the different shakers and guess what
may be inside to make that sound
- make a shaker
suggestions of containers
suggestions for what's inside
jewelry boxes
rice
film canisters
popcorn kernels
clear, unused, pill bottles
dried peas
plastic water bottles
dried beans
2 paper plates stapled together
colorful fish tank rocks
plastic Easter egg
washers
- Pose questions to the class about their shakers:
- When you shake the shakers, what do they sound like? (tonal quality)
- How loudly/quietly can you shake it?
- Does the sound change with what is inside?
- Does the sound change with how much is inside?
- select a song to sing (Shake My Sillies Out) and shake the shaker on the beat

- sing the ABCs and shake the shaker for each letter of the alphabet
- select a poem and shake the shaker with the poem *click on the link below
- shake shakers to rhythm patterns or echo rhythm patterns eg. ta ta ti-ti ta
*click on the link below

Curricular Concepts:
Rhythm: 1, 5
Harmony: 1
Expression: 1, 2, 4
Listening: 4, 5, 18
Playing Instruments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8
Creating: 1