Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Ndembu
The Ndembu inhabit the western portion of Mwinilunga District in Zambia's Northwestern Province. The Ndembu, numbering about 40,000 in Zambia, constitute about 1 percent of the total population. Some 40 percent of Ndembu are now...
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: Authors: Harold Mac Grath
This site features the author George MacDonald including the full text of three novels: The Drums Of Jeopardy, The Goose Girl, and The Puppet Crown.
Other
Bud Plant Illustrated Books: Lynd Ward
Lynd Ward is profiled, considered a master American book illustrators, especially for his woodcut novels God's Man, Mad Man's Drum, Sons Without Words, and Vertigo.
Smithsonian Institution
Nm Af A: Audible Artworks: Selected African Musical Instruments
Five traditional African musical instruments are highlighted at this Smithsonian site: two types of drums, the thumb piano (mucapata), harp, and whistles. Includes historical facts about the instruments.
Other
Univ. Of Leicester: Amplitude of Vibrations and Loudness
Discusses the ear drum receiving vibrations and how the amplitude of those vibrations translates into the loudness of the sound. Good diagrams to illustrate this concept.
Starfall
Starfall: Sing Along Vol 2
This site offers six songs for students to sing along: Aiken Drum, Are You Sleeping, Autumn Leaves, B-I-N-G-0, Comin' Round the Mountain, and Day and Night.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Lozi
The Lozi consist of a number of interrelated ethnic groups located along the Zambezi River in Barotse Province of western Zambia. The term "Lozi" refers both to the Lozi proper and to those groups that have become subject to and...
Other
The Mudcat Cafe: Blocks, Bells, Box Drums and Mallets
Have you ever wondered how to make homemade musical instruments? Use this site to find out how to construct sandpaper blocks and mallets.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Drum Roll Please
Student teams commit to a final decision on the location they recommend for safe underground cavern shelter for the citizens of Alabraska. They prepare and deliver final presentations to defend their final decisions to the class.
PBS
Classics for Kids: Match the Rhythm
Match the rhythm you hear by hitting a section of the drum set.
Other
Vic Firth: Educator's Resource Library
This website is a cornucopia of resources for percussion instruction. There are videos, audiocasts, podcasts, interviews with talented percussionists. Please check out this website is you are interested in any aspect of percussion.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Timpani
A nice, factual encyclopedia entry from Wikipedia on the timpani. Discusses its origins, how it is played, how it is tuned, and its significance in an orchestra. Links are provided throughout the article for additional information.
Music Education
Learn About Instruments: The Percussion
Learn general information on different percussion instruments such as the snare drum and cymbals and hear sound clips of these instruments being played.
Other
Wine Country Productions: Sequential Circuits
This company offers restored and warrantied electronic music equipment and instruments including drum machines and synthesizers. Provides spare parts as well as technical service.
Authors Calendar
Author's Calendar: Gunter Grass
Short biography and writer that includes a list of related links and a page that focuses on "The Tin Drum."
Curated OER
Snare Drum
Learn general information on different percussion instruments such as the snare drum and cymbals and hear sound clips of these instruments being played.
Curated OER
Bass Drum
Learn general information on different percussion instruments such as the snare drum and cymbals and hear sound clips of these instruments being played.
Physics Central
Physics Central: Physics at Your Desk: Drumming Fingers
An easy experiment through which students explore sound waves while tapping their fingers on a desk or table in a quiet room.
New York Times
New York Times: Crossword Puzzle: Musical Instruments
An interactive and printable crossword puzzle developed by the New York Times Learning Network. The theme of this puzzle is Musical Instruments.
NWT Literacy Council
Nwt Literacy Council: How to Kit: Culture and Traditions [Pdf]
This kit explains the importance of northern First Nations families keeping their languages and cultures alive through family literacy activities. It provides ideas and materials for cultural games (e.g., string games) and activities...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Musical Images
Students are introduced to the concept of the image of music. After listening to a song, they draw images of it by deciding where different musical instruments were placed during recording. They further investigate audio engineering by...
Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Kids Web Japan: Culture Corner
Sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this comprehensive site explains traditional Japanese arts, crafts, and culture in a way that's very friendly to younger students. Traditional arts covered include drumming, the tea...
Other
Engineering for Change: Necessary Trade Offs When Co Designing New Technology
The co-design of new technology with communities has benefits and trade-offs. Engineers Without Borders Australia describe a co-design project in rural Cambodia that they participated in. The goal was to design assistive technologies...