Musical Pebbles - Sorting, Counting, Data Recording, Comparing weight, More and Less

make and listen to different sounds and noises.

provide pebbles, plastic jars and several types of natural materials for children to shakers to make sounds with.

Let's make some music with pebbles. What can you put together to reinvent your very own musical shaker?

Each child will make one or more shakers of their own. They will have to choose the materials they wish to put into the shakers along with one or more pebbles. When the shakers are made, crank up the music and let's shake to the beat!

Describing
- What is in your shaker?
- What does your shaker look like?

Recording
- Making the shaker.
- Can you draw a picture of something that makes the same sound your shaker?
- Can you write down the number of things you used to make the shaker?

Reasoning
- Why is your friend's shaker louder/softer than yours?
- How can you make your shaker heavier/lighter?

Opening Out
- What other things can we use to make shakers?
- What else can we compare about the shakers?

Sorting
- Sorting the natural materials to record data.

Counting
- Counting the natural materials used to make the shakers the amount.
   For example:
       The number of pebbles.
       The number of scoops of sand.
       The number of sticks.

Data Recording
- Writing down the natural materials that they used into the recording chart.

Comparing Weight
- Comparing the weight of different shakers from different children with a balance scale.

More and Less
- Putting in the same material into different jars with different amounts of the material to
    compare more and less.

Development of the Activity

Prepare some recording charts, plastic jars and some natural materials such as pebbles, sand, sticks and leaves for children to put into their shakers. The children will put the natural materials into their plastic jars and fill in the recording charts by writing down the amount of materials they have put into their jar. Then, the children can decorate their shakers with paint, paper shapes cut outs or any decorative materials they wish to use. Paste the recording chart onto the jar too. Each child may make one or more shakers of their own. 

There will be a question session where the adult asks the children about their shakers. At this time, the adult will also bring out a weighing machine to let children compare the weight of their shakers.

After the question session and the weight comparison activity, put on some music and let the children dance to the beat with their shakers!

Variation of the Activity

1. Instead of using natural materials, encourage children to find and put in small objects that they can fit into their jars.
2. They can also use in only 1 type of material of the same size. Then, put the materials into different jars with different amounts of the material in different jars. By doing so, children will also learn the concept of 'more and less'.

The shakers can be used in any singing sessions.

Preparation for the mysteries: Sticker Paper for the Recording Charts Natural Meterials (Pebbles, sand, sticks, etc) Acrylic Paint Paint Brush Decorative Items (Paper, glitter, etc) Balance Scale

For each child, you will need: Plastic Jars Drawing and writing Instruments Data Recording Chart