Minds On
Today’s vocabulary
Press the following tabs to access today’s vocabulary.
Let’s get started!
Precipitation is water that falls to the earth from the sky. It is one stage of the water cycle. The condensed water becomes so heavy that it must fall down to the Earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow.
A cycle is a circle.
Just like a lifecycle of an animal, water moves in a cycle. Rain is a part of our planet’s water cycle.
Imagine the wind getting stronger and gathering up some rain. This turns into a thundershower. The thundershower blows until it quiets again to a gentle rain, a soft breeze, and then a quiet day.
Explore the following sound pictures.
How could the voice and/or body percussion be used to create these sounds?
How might sounds that are loud or soft (dynamics) be created?
How might sounds that are fast or slow (tempo) be created?
Press ‘Definition’ to access the definition of body percussion.
Body percussion is sounds created by using different parts of the body as an instrument.
This might include rubbing hands together, snapping fingers (or clicking the tongue), patting the thighs, clapping hands, and stamping feet.
Several children making music. One is rubbing their hands together, one is snapping fingers, one is clapping hands and one is stamping their feet.
Record your ideas digitally, orally, or in print.
Action
Get ready, get set…
Children rubbing their hands together, snapping their fingers, and stomping their feet. There are thought bubbles above their heads, and they are thinking of rain.
Did you know the human body is an instrument?
Body percussion can make the sounds of rain.
Explore the following video to see how body percussion can make the sounds of rain.
The choir uses body percussion to tell the story of a rainstorm as it starts and gets heavier.
As you explore, record what you notice about how the choir creates sounds of:
- wind
- rain
- thunder and lightning
Record your observations digitally, orally, or in print.
How did the choir create the sound of the wind?
Press ‘Possible Answer’ to access how the choir created the sound of wind.
They rubbed their hands together.
How did the choir create the sound of the raindrops?
Press ‘Possible Answer’ to access how the choir created the sound of raindrops.
First, they snapped their fingers to sound like light rain. Next, they patted their thighs to sound like heavier raindrops.
Press ‘Possible Answer’ to access how the choir created the sound of thunder and lightning.
They stomped their feet and jumped up and down.
Two teachers talking. The first teacher says:
Did you notice how the sounds start very quietly and then build up to a louder volume?
The second teacher responds:
I did! They started by rubbing their hands together softly. By the end of the video clip, they were stomping their feet and jumping up and down to make the booms and rumbles of thunder and lightning!
The first teacher says:
In music, when the dynamics go from soft to loud little by little it’s called a crescendo! The choir also used tempo to help build their rainstorm.
The second teacher responds:
Oh, that’s right! The sounds got louder, but they also got faster!
Go!
Task 1: Creating a crescendo
How could we put these sound pictures together to create a rainstorm?
Press ‘Hint’ to access a hint about how to put the sound pictures together.
First, the choir rubbed their hands to create wind.
Then, they snapped their fingers to create light rain.
After that, they patted their lap to create heavy rain.
Finally, they stomped their feet and jumped to create thunder and lightning.
Use the following interactive chart to recreate the crescendo sequence.
Put these sound pictures together to create a rainstorm.
You may use the sound pictures and/or words to create your crescendo.
You can also complete this activity by using the following fillable and printable Crescendo Sequence document.
Light rain |
Wind |
Thunder and lightning |
Heavy rain |
|---|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Crescendo Sequence.
Press ‘Answer’ to access the answer to the crescendo sequence.
The completed crescendo sequence. In the first box is a spiral drawn to represent wind, with the word wind underneath. In the second box are scattered raindrops with the words light rain underneath. In the third box are brushstrokes meant to emulate heavy rain. The word heavy rain is underneath. In the fourth box is a series of zigzag lines meant to represent thunder and lightning.
Task 2: Creating a decrescendo
Two teachers having a conversation. The first teacher says:
What happens when a rainstorm starts to pass?
The second teacher responds:
Great question! The dynamics would go back down from loud to soft. In music, when the dynamics go from loud to soft little by little it’s called a decrescendo. A decrescendo is the opposite of a crescendo!
How could you organize the sound pictures to create a decrescendo? (going from loud to soft)
What body percussion could be used?
Press ‘Hint’ to find out what body percussion could be used.
Body percussion could be :
- rub hands together
- snap fingers (or click the tongue)
- pat the thighs
- clap hands together
- stamp feet
Use the following interactive chart to recreate the decrescendo sequence.
You can also complete this activity by using the following fillable and printable Decrescendo Sequence document.
|
Light rain |
Wind |
Thunder and lightning |
Heavy rain |
|---|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Decrescendo Sequence.
Press ‘Answer’ to access the answer to the decrescendo sequence.
The completed crescendo sequence. In the first box is a series of zigzag lines meant to represent thunder and lightning. In the second box are brushstrokes meant to emulate heavy rain. The word heavy rain is underneath. In the third box. are scattered raindrops with the words light rain underneath. In the fourth box is a spiral drawn to represent wind, with the word wind underneath.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
Body percussion can be used to create a crescendo and a decrescendo.
- What body percussion did you explore?
Use this checklist as a guide.
Body percussion list
- What do you want to continue to practice?
- What else could you use to create body percussion?
Share what you learned about today using the words crescendo, decrescendo, and body percussion.
You can choose to:
- draw and label the important parts using the words crescendo, decrescendo, and body percussion
- tell someone using the words crescendo, decrescendo, and body percussion
- write about it using the words crescendo, decrescendo, and body percussion
- make a recording using the words crescendo, decrescendo, and body percussion
Reflection
How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
Press ‘Discover More’ to extend your skills.
Discover MoreCreate your own rainstorm!
How will you use your body to create each sound effect?
What is the story of your rainstorm?
How will the storm start?
How will it end?
What will it be like in the middle?
Two teachers having a conversation. The first teacher says:
Think about dynamics! How soft or loud will each action be?
The second teacher responds:
Think about tempo! How slow or fast will each action be?
Then the first teacher says:
Will you repeat sounds?
How long will your story be? In our examples, we used 4 boxes for the crescendo. We used 4 boxes for the decrescendo.
Press ‘Crescendo’ to explore the crescendo sequence.
The completed crescendo sequence. In the first box is a spiral drawn to represent wind, with the word wind underneath. In the second box are scattered raindrops with the words light rain underneath. In the third box are brushstrokes meant to emulate heavy rain. The word heavy rain is underneath. In the fourth box is a series of zigzag lines meant to represent thunder and lightning.
Press ‘Decrescendo’ to explore the decrescendo sequence.
The completed crescendo sequence. In the first box is a series of zigzag lines meant to represent thunder and lightning. In the second box are brushstrokes meant to emulate heavy rain. The word heavy rain is underneath. In the third box. are scattered raindrops with the words light rain underneath. In the fourth box is a spiral drawn to represent wind, with the word wind underneath.
Create your own rainstorm!
Consider the following questions:
- How will you use your body to create each sound effect?
- What is the story of your rainstorm?
- How will the storm start?
- How will it end?
- What will it be like in the middle?
Put one sound or body percussion action in each box. You may use pictures and/or words.
Complete the Sound Story Grid in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
|
Light rain |
Wind |
Thunder and lightning |
Heavy rain |
|---|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Sound Story Grid.