Back in 2011, I had the opportunity to participate in a 3-day Roots of Rhythm workshop given by Dr. Craig Woodson of Ethnomusic and Frank Thompson with AZ Rhythm Connection. In this workshop, we learned about percussion instruments from around the world within their respective cultural and historical contexts. We also learned how to make at least a dozen different types of drums or rhythm instruments. We would then use the instruments we made in a drum circle. Shortly after I participated in this workshop, I did a Roots of Rhythm workshop with my own students. All the printable resources were provided for free here. Drum circles are one of my most favorite rhythm activities. It is the most “zen” experience I think I have had. Every once in a while I will do drum circles in a camp or group lesson as I find them very beneficial for students.
This summer I will be doing a rhythm workshop with my students along with my practice workshop. In the rhythm workshop we will be making a basic drum. It’s super easy to do! All you need is a can (hot chocolate or coffee cans work well), packing tape, duct tape (get the fun designs!) and scissors. I thought I would make a video to show you how easy it can be.
Interested in participating in a teacher workshop by Dr. Craig Woodson? Check out the different workshops he does on Ethnomusic. Would you like to do a rhythm workshop with your students? These are the resources I use and would recommend. (Disclaimer: The amazon affiliate links included does not affect my recommendations, your purchase price or the creators royalties in any way. Thank you for your support and happy teaching!)
Roots of Rhythm (free resources by Dr. Craig Woodson)
Together in Rhythm (Kalani is the drum circle master!)
The Amazing Jamnasium (another great one from Kalani that I’ve used over the years)
Let’s Drum This! (I haven’t used this yet but will be using several activities from it this summer)
And then here are some other resources that have been on my Amazon Wishlist. I don’t have experience with them yet, but thought I would share. If you have any experience with them, please share in the comments below.
Hands On: A Rockin’ Rhythmic Romp
Rhythm activities go way beyond the educational benefits. They touch the soul.
You might be interested in the Activate the Brain; Engaged Learning Strategies That Work. When developing this course I had both private and classroom music teachers in mind. Regardless of your teaching environment or background, activating the brain and engaging students is a topic that we all could use some help with. Most, if not all the ideas, thoughts, information, tips and tricks can be adapted to your teaching situation. With 4 hours of video content and lots of bonuses there is sure to be something for everyone.
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