Over the past six weeks, classes throughout the school have been involved in drumming sessions using a variety of objects and tools from chopsticks and chairs to African djembe drums to drumsticks with bucket drums. Some of the benefits of learning drumming include:

Increased hand/eye coordination and body awareness
Enhanced listening and communication skills
Growth in self-esteem and self-expression
Improved teamwork and interpersonal skills

Reception to Year 3 classes and our Small classes have been exploring beat and rhythm using drumsticks on the carpet and chair/chopstick percussion. Using Dinosaurs as our theme, we have learned a drumming chant entitled “Down by the Swamp”.

Down by the swamp

Down by the swamp

Dinosaur, dinosaur,

Stomp, stomp, CHOMP!

Students have created their own versions of this chant by making rhythms for particular dinosaur names and composing an entertaining ending using drumstick movements they have learned.

Students from our Year 3/4 class and Stillwell Unit have been exploring the different sounds created when playing a bucket drum (see chart). We followed the Kaboom bucket drumming tutorials and learned how to play Believer by Imagine Dragons and We Know the Way from the soundtrack to Moana.

In small groups, students then composed their own bucket drumming compositions using a rhythm grid ( see examples). They needed to consider rhythms and the different sounds they wanted to create on the bucket drum.

Students practised their drum rhythm, focussing on tempo (all members keeping in time) and expression. They also needed to compose a dynamic and entertaining ending. Groups performed to the rest of the class and students gave each other feedback as well as completing a self-assessment on the musical elements of their presentation.

Hackham Has Talent

Auditions are currently underway for Hackham Has Talent. The committee members from Mr Cronin’s class have been extremely busy with me at lunchtimes judging 64 acts across the school! Next week we will be choosing the best acts to go through to the final on the last day of school (Friday 16th December) at 11:30am in the Penney Space. Students will be notified if they have been successful or not. Thank you to everyone who showed courage and performed in front of the judging panel.

Choir

What a successful year Hackham East Primary School Choir has had! Students from Years 3-6 participated in Choir lessons every Tuesday from 12:30 to 1:20 pm learning the repertoire of songs for the Southern Metropolitan Music Festival concert. Miss Hay kindly assisted during the recess breaks and also helped with Solo club on Thursday lunch times. Twenty Choir members had the fantastic opportunity of performing on stage with 200 students from other southern schools at the Hopgood Theatre on Tuesday, November 1. Isabella Cook and Lily Hay sang their solo parts beautifully in the concert after they successfully auditioned back in September. It has been satisfying to see the increased growth in confidence and ability in singing that Choir members have attained in one year. The comments made by these students last week at our celebration sum up their enthusiasm and achievement.

“ I know how to sing in tune now using my head voice.”

“ Can I please be a leader next year and show new students how to sing our Choir warm ups?”

“I’m definitely going to do Choir next year and get better at singing.”

“I’m going to try for a solo next year.”

Chart showing different sounds of bucket drum and 2 examples of rhythm grid compositions from Miss Woods’ class

Drumming across the school

The Choir preparing for the concert with head conductor, Miss Fudge and students backstage at Hopgood Theatre

Graduation