Minds On

Today’s vocabulary

Press the following tabs to access today’s vocabulary.

  1. a group of people who live in the same area.
  2. a group of people with similar interests, customs, or beliefs that may or may not live together.

An object or device used to make musical sounds.

Behaviours shared by a group of people. Many different things make up culture including language, clothing, food, music, arts, customs, beliefs, and religion.

Let’s get started!

Instruments are played in many different communities around the world.

Explore the following episode of the TVO Kids show Backyard Beats. In this episode, Junior Jammer Tony plays an instrument called the “dizi,” which is a type of Chinese flute.

After exploring the video, consider the following questions:

How is the dizi described? What are some of its features?

How did Tony play the dizi? What did they do to make it produce sound?

Record your thoughts on paper or using a method of your choice.

Acknowledgements(Opens in a new window)

Action

Get ready, get set…

In the video from the Minds On section, Tony shared specific information about their instrument, the dizi.

We learned that:

  • Tony plays the dizi as part of an orchestra once a week
  • Tony enjoys playing with an orchestra because everyone plays their instruments together
  • every year, their orchestra travels to China to perform

Playing the dizi in an orchestra helps Tony be part of a music community.

Let's explore more examples of instruments played in different communities.

After exploring these images, descriptions, and audio clips, consider the following questions and record your thoughts using a method of your choice.

What did you notice about the different instruments? How might each be used to produce sound?

How might some of these instruments connect with a specific community?

Let’s review our learning

Review the instrument cards again, then try the following activity. For each image, select the corresponding name of the instrument.

Producing sounds, connecting communities

Two family members wearing traditional Chinese clothes and playing a traditional harp.

Consider some of the information we learned about instruments from different communities.

For example, the shofar might be played during some Jewish ceremonies and holidays.

The balalaika might be played at events celebrated by members of different Russian cultural communities.

Let’s revisit the video that we explored in the Minds On section that featured the traditional Chinese flute, the dizi.

Now, let’s examine the following questions in response to the video.

Press the 'Answer' button for each of the following questions to check out the answers about the video.

  1. What kind of instrument is being played in the video?

The instrument being played in this video is a Chinese flute known as the dizi.

  1. How does this instrument produce sound?

Junior Jammer Tony demonstrated that the dizi makes sound when the player blows air across the top of the mouth hole and uses their fingers to cover the different finger holes. The air hits a piece of the dizi called the “membrane” and the vibration that happens produces a sound.

  1. Why is this instrument significant to the Junior Jammer? How might it help them feel like a part of a community?

Tony was able to join an orchestra that plays traditional Chinese music, so his ability to play the dizi might help him feel a connection to a Chinese cultural community. Being in this special orchestra also might help him feel like part of a musical community of young musicians.

Go!

Exploring an instrument in more depth

Now it is your turn to investigate a different instrument and how it might help its player feel like part of a community!

The following four videos present Junior Jammers playing four different instruments: the daf, the castanets, the didgeridoo, and the bagpipes. Explore each of the videos and select one instrument to investigate in the upcoming task.

Press the following tabs to access videos of the four instruments being played by Junior Jammers.

Check out the following video from the TVO Kids show Backyard Beats to learn more about the Persian instrument called ‘daf.’

Explore the following video from the TVO Kids show Backyard Beats to learn more about the Spanish instrument called ‘castanets.’

Access the following video from the TVO Kids show Backyard Beats to learn more about the Australian Indigenous instrument called ‘didgeridoo.’

Examine the following video from the TVO Kids show Backyard Beats to learn more about the instrument called ‘bagpipes.’

Child trying to decide between a daf, castanets, a didgeridoo, and bagpipes.

Once you have selected one of the instruments to explore, respond to the following questions using the graphic organizer provided or a method of your choice.

  1. What kind of instrument is being played?
  2. How does this instrument produce sound?
  3. Why is this instrument significant to the Junior Jammer? How might it help them feel like a part of a community?

Portfolio

Portfolio

Complete the Exploring an Instrument organizer in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document to record your ideas about the instrument you chose to explore. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your portfolio.

Exploring an instrument

What kind of instrument is being played?

How does this instrument produce sound?

Why is this instrument significant to the Junior Jammer? How might it help them feel like a part of a community?

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Exploring an Instrument. 

Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Consolidation

Putting it all together

Child playing the balalaika in their room.

Learning about instruments can teach us so much more than simply how they appear or sound; we also can learn valuable information about different cultures and communities!

Portfolio

Review your learning

Consider the ways in which music plays a role in your life, or how you encounter music in our own community.

Prepare a short reflection using a method of your choice, and use the following questions to guide your response:

  1. What kind of instrument or music is part of your community? (Note: that could refer to your school community, culture or heritage, sports, or other hobbies, etc.)
  2. Are there specific songs or artists that make you feel connected to a community?

Consider adding your work to your portfolio.

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.