MUSIC ACTIVITIES

with Ms. Chaney and Mr. Hudson

Welcome to our online PVE Music page! We are excited

to share with you some activities that will allow you to
explore the fascinating world of music.

WEEK SEVEN
Pre-K – 5: This week we shall travel to Chile, a country in South
America, and the country where an instrument that is known as a
rainstick is thought to have originated.

Just in case you are unfamiliar with a rainstick, please see the
following definition.

rainstick – a percussion instrument made from a dried cactus

branch that is hollowed out, filled with small pebbles, and capped
at both ends. When slightly tilted, it makes the sound of falling
rain. Please see picture.
It is now time for you to make your very own rainstick. I hope you’re
ready.

Homemade rainsticks make a great craft project and a fun science activity too.
Students will love the creative freedom of being able to decorate their rainsticks
and especially love using them to make music and explore various sounds created
by the different materials placed inside the tubes.
 

HOW TO MAKE A RAINSTICK

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR RAINSTICK

 Sturdy cardboard tube (Make use of an empty cardboard tube from an aluminum foil
roll or paper towel roll.)
 Paint
 Large, brown paper grocery bag
 Yarn
 Rubberbands
 Scissors
 Pipe cleaners and/or craft wire
 Beads, rice, beans, or other material for inside the rainstick
 Directions for Homemade Rainstick

1. Start by painting your cardboard tube. We pained ours to resemble a piece of

hollow wood. Let it dry.
2. Cut out two circles from a large, paper grocery bag. Make sure your circles are
larger than the ends of your tube. Crumple the paper up to make it soft and look
worn. Also cut some fringe around the outside of each circle.

 3. Attach one circle to the end of your cardboard tube using a rubber band.

4. Experiment with different ways to fill your rainsticks.

You may choose a combination of a few twisted pipe cleaners into the rainstick
along with rice. This combination will create a sound that’s typical of a rainstick.
However, you may want to use twisted craft wire with dried beans. This
combination provides a louder sound with the hard beans knocking into the metal
wire as they travel down the tube.

5. Once you’re happy with the sound of your rainstick, rubberband the other
paper circle to the opposite end.

 6. Tie some different colored pieces to yarn to each end.

 
Create music and explore sound with your homemade rainsticks!

SHARE:
Ask your parents to post your rainstick on our Parkway Village
Elementary – SCS Facebook Page using the hashtag
#PVEMusicChallenge #PVEMakingMusic or send an email to
chaneykw@scsk12.org