"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." This Chinese proverb perfectly describes ACTIVE learning! In this case, 4th graders will be integrating MATH (ratios), SCIENCE (sound frequency), ENGINEERING (dulcimer assembly), and MUSIC (playing our dulcimers).
STEP ONE will be learning about the principles of sound (frequency & amplitude) related to a MUSIC scale (pitch).
To create a scale (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do) you use a prescribed mathematical formula (ratios) for each note.
STEP TWO will be to create a straw panpipe for practice application. We will select our initial straw length (do), & apply the ratios in cutting the next straw (re), until all notes (major scale) are cut. We will play them to test our measuring and cutting.
STEP THREE will be to assemble our dulcimers by gluing the body, attaching the fretboard, mounting machine head tuning gears, and stringing and tuning the instrument.
STEP FOUR will be playing melodies on the dulcimers, using the frets as our guides.
THE FINAL PROJECT will be a performance, using these traditional folk instruments, playing music for our study of Indiana's Bicentennial Celebration (2016)
My Project
After DISCUSSING sound production and pitch, we need to APPLY these properties. Straw panpipes allow every student to calculate, measure, cut, and assemble their own instrument. Mistakes can be easily fixed so this is the perfect way to start applying our scale/ratio skills before moving on to the big build---the dulcimer! The dulcimer was a "win-win" because of how visually the fret board is laid out (showing ratios, half/whole steps, scale degrees) AND because it has such a rich folk history which will be perfect for folk songs of Indiana at our Bicentennial Celebration!
The 4th graders will learn to apply scientific facts through math to make their panpipes.
Instead of a teacher telling them about 1/2 and whole steps to create a scale, they will intimately understand it because they MADE it! The dulcimers will reinforce this understanding as fret boards are attached and songs are learned. Dulcimer melodies are notated BASED on the note's fret number! This basic understanding of scales/ratios can be applied using a wide variety of materials!
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Bartolomeo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
