Todd Students Create Musical Instruments in STEAM Class

In Todd elementary School’s music class, students get a chance to play musical instruments. In STEAM class with Amira Lahlouh, they get a chance to build them.

Recently, first graders in Leah Campanini and Rebecca Rampolla’s class had the opportunity to make their own instruments to take home. There were five instruments to choose from: electric band guitar, straw panpipes, maracas, a tin-can drum and a craft stick harmonica.

Students selected their instrument of choice, drew their design and wrote down a list of materials that they will need.

“They are all doing the same design of their selected instrument, but they can add their own twist,” Ms. Lahlouh said. “It is not an easy project; it is going to be a challenge and they will need a lot of help, but they can do it.”

One student was taping straws together to make panpipes.

“Remember to cut the straws into different lengths,” Ms. Lahlouh told her. “They have to be different sizes so that they make different sounds.”

Aidan was using colorful plastic Easter eggs for his instrument of choice: the maracas.

“I’m filling my egg with rice, so whenever you shake it, the rice is going to make a sound,” he said. “I’m going to make about three maracas.”

When asked why he chose to make his maracas using a plastic egg instead of a plastic cup, he said, “I chose the eggs because I like shiny things more, and these are extra shiny!”