Objective:

This multi-cultural assembly program fully engages students in a theatrical and musical global adventure. It intertwines exciting folktales, songs, sound & movement games with the playing of twenty Djembe drums. First, the program briefly reviews storytelling and drumming as traditional art forms and tools. Then Chazz & Ina demo key drumming patterns which the students use to assist in the performing of the stories and songs from around the globe. As the journey unfolds students interactively learn about two traditional art forms (drumming and storytelling), as well as, discover the Universal Rhythm that binds us all. This interactive program is pure performing arts fun! This program supports the California Educational Standards in the Performing Arts (Theatre and Music), Language Arts and Social Studies.

Outline:

Drumming Demo & Discussion - art form and communication tool Basic drum Instruction

Storytelling Intro - art form and educational tool
Drumming patterning instruction and practice

Story 1 - Counting to Ten
Drumming patterning instruction and practice

Story 2 - The Mouse Who Could Bark
Drumming patterning instruction and practice

Story 3 - The Elves and the Shoemaker
Drumming patterning instruction and practice

Story 4 – Ra-Ra’s Shopping Day
Drumming patterning instruction and practice

Story 5 - The Enchanted Song of the Magical Bird
Drumming patterning instruction and practice
Discovering the Universal Rhythm Discussion
Drum-Circle “free” play

Audience: 1st – 5th Grade & Family; Program: 45 - 60 min.

General Standards Met:

This program meets a wide variety of CA Department of Education Standards for K-5th grade students within the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) strands of Theatre and Music. Standards in Math, Science, Language Arts, and History – Social Science are also enforced. Students are interactively involved in intertwining the theatrical Art of Storytelling with the musical Art of Drumming.

Specific Standards met:

• Grade One: Theatre 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0; Music 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.2; Math – Number Sense 1.0, 2.4 Life Sciences 2b-c; Earth Science 3b; English Lang. Arts – 3.0 Lit. Response & Analysis, 1.0 & 2.0 Listening & Speaking; History - Social Science 1.2.1, 1.5.3
• Grade Two: Theatre 1.0, 1.2, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0; Music 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 1.3, 3.2, 4.4; Physical Science 1.0, 2.0 English Lang. Arts – Lit. Response & Analysis, 3.0 Listening & Speaking 1.0; History - Social Science 2.1.2, 2.4.2, 2.5
• Grade Three: Theatre - 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0; Music 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2; English Lang. Arts-Reading 1.8, 2.3, 2.4, 3.2, Written & Oral Lang. Con. 1.1, Listening and Speaking 1.3, Speaking Applications 2.1.a, 2.1.b., 2.2; Mathematics – Number Sense 1.0.1.1;
• Grade Four: Theatre 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0; Music 2.3, 3.3; Eng. Lang Arts – Literary Response and Analysis 3.2, 3.3, Listening and Speaking Strategies 1.1, 1.2, 1.9; History - Social Science 4.1.3; Science – Physical 1.0, Life Science 2.b, 3.0
• Grade Five: Theatre 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0; Music 3.3, 4.1; Eng. Lang. Arts - Literary Response and Analysis 3.2, Speaking Applications 2.3.a, 2.3.b

Outcome:

This program fully engages students in a theatrical and musical adventure; all can participate in the call and response, singing and inquiry activities, plus at least 20 drum along with the stories to provide the live and spontaneous accompaniment for the show. It fortifies student participation skills by instilling an appreciation of an interactive quality live arts program. Students learn folksongs in foreign languages and to vocally respond to call and response chanting. Instrumentally, they use simple drum sounds and rhythms to accompany the stories. The stories encourage creative problem solving, critical thinking and individual initiative, while enhancing the listener’s understanding of consequences. Students apply map reading, and sorting and counting skills to solve riddles. Their active listening and oral language skills are reinforced in their vocalization of personal comments. Listeners leave the show humming new tunes and reciting lines from the stories. All participants are eager to share in the magic.