Musical Instrument and Video
Music Instrument and Showcase
Assignment 2: Musical Instrument and Showcase
[Student Name]
University of Central Florida
Rain Stick
The instrument that I chose was the rain stick. I chose this instrument because it is the
instrument that I remember the most from my childhood. It was something that always calmed
me down in the classroom because I loved rainstorms and it sounds just like them. Typically, a
rain stick is made from hollowed plant stalks, such as dried cactus or bamboo and it is filled with
pebbles or seeds (Scott, 2017). The materials that would be used to make a rain stick with a 4
year-old VPK class would be paper towel rolls, washable paint (in different colors), paint
brushes, beans, beads, stickers, glue, rubber bands, paper, and ribbon.
To make a rain stick, each student first takes an empty paper towel roll and paints it however he or she wants to. They could then decorate the rain stick further with stickers, glitter, ribbons, colored paper or whatever they choose. After decorating the outside of the rain stick, the children choose what color paper and ribbon that they would like to put in the ends on the paper towel roll to hold the beans inside of it. Rubber bands will be used to hold the paper and ribbons in place. Once one side is of the roll is secured, the students put a hand full of beans inside and then repeat the last step with the other side of the roll. After this, the rain stick is completed.
The rain stick origins are very unclear because they are found in many places across the
globe (Scott, 2017). They have been found throughout the world with indigenous people especially in dry, desert climates (Bingaman, 2017). Historically, they appear to have been used in religious ceremonies to request rain from the heavens.
Some of the places that a rain stick have been found are in China but some historians
believe that it was developed as early as 1537 by slaves that were captured in West Africa who then brought them into Central and South America (Scott, 2017). Native Americans in the southwestern USA have also historically used rain sticks (Bingaman, 2017). The rain stick today is used in schools and museums to encourage young children to explore music history of different countries and to build motor skills by creating their own rain sticks (Scott, 2017). They are also used as a percussion instrument in various types of music as well as a relaxing and soothing sound for meditation (Bingaman, 2017).
A song that I would use with a group of young students would be “Clap! Clap! - The Rainstick Fable” (Acre, B, 2014). I found it on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05E24dMKdzg). and it is a very upbeat and fun West African song that children can play their rain sticks to. The music represents the fable of a young boy’s journey to find rain for his village that has had no rain (“World Wide Water Education”, n.d.). I would use this song to teach children how the rain stick works and makes a sound that sounds like rain. In the song there are parts where you can hear the rain stick and I would also have children listen for those parts and then use their handmade instruments during those parts.
References
Acre, B. (2014). Clap! Clap! - The rainstick fable - (Black Acre). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05E24dMKdzg
Bingaman, M. (2017). Legend behind the Indian rain stick. https://classroom.synonym.com/legend-behind-the-indian-rain-stick-12082836.html
Scott, L. (2017). The history of the rain stick. https://classroom.synonym.com/the-history-of-the-rain-stick-12079381.html
World wide water education (n.d.) https://store.projectwet.org/rainstick-fable-child-story-book.html
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