163 – She Shares How To Make Music A Part of Homeschool Learning By Creating Recycled/Inexpensive Instruments!

One of our favorite blogs to visit is called “Kathy’s Cluttered Mind”.   We especially like her recent post about 10 creative musical projects that kids can make to explore music at home.  From cymbals, paper plate tambourines, spin drums, string things and didgeridoos, there are hours of musical fun here without buying a single thing!

Here’s a bit about Kathy and the complete musical post is listed as a link below:

Kathy quit her full time job in July 2011 to stay at home and homeschool her two children (ages 5 and 7). She is also a wife to her wonderful husband whom she married on her 19th birthday in 2000. She lives in Georgia just north of the hustling and bustling city of Atlanta. When she is not homeschooling the kids she enjoys blogging, scrapbooking, hiking, geocaching and watching movies.

10 Easy/Inexpensive Instruments To Make With Your Kids

http://www.kathysclutteredmind.com/2013/02/10-easyinexpensive-instruments-to-make.html

(132) This Group Now Only Recycles Glass Bottles, They Play Beautiful Music On Them!

This musical group takes recycling to a whole new level – they’ve created a bottle orchestra.

Check out the talented member of St. Luke’s Bottle Band from the Chicago, IL area.  In this video they are playing a classic melody – the Dance of The Reed Flutes. Although you might laugh at this whimsical nature of this video, it takes a great deal of talent to play and choreograph this type of a song. What a great way of finding new uses for old bottles while at the same time building community and making beautiful music together!

To view the video, click here.

(129) She Turned Recycled Aluminum Pans into A Chinese Gong Craft!

Have you ever wondered what to do with large aluminum pans – like turkey roasters or cake pans – even used ones? You can create a Chinese-style gong.

All you need is a large pan or pie tin, a wooden stick or dowel, some yarn or pipecleaners and two chairs to serve as a make-shift stand.

Then add a pick of creativity.  Paint or decorate your pan and make a beater.  It’s great for starting or ending a class in school or calling people back home for dinner.

You can find a complete instructional pdf at the link below – or just get creative.  Why put something back into the trash stream when it can become musical fun for all!

http://www.dariamusic.com/images/GongInstructions.pdf

(107) She Doesn’t Burn Cd’s – Uses An MP3 Player Instead!

Stephanie shares a simple but effective suggestion to prevent buying and wasting unneeded cd discs:

“Don’t burn CD’s, use an mp3 player instead.”

(93) This Trio of Talented Friends Created the “Let’s Go Green Kids” Cd!

Murray Orrick is one of the creative minds behind an exciting cd of kids songs called:  Let’s Go Green Kids. Murray tells us how this inspiring and fun musical project came about:

“This project started just before Randy and I were about to write our second children’s CD when my wife came up with the idea of producing an album of songs for kids about going green.  Great idea!  We saw an opportunity to merge our desire to make a positive difference in this world with our talents in the recording studio.  The lightbulbs over our heads lit up and the songs started writing themselves.  We were close to finishing the album when I ran into our friend Scotty U. in a parking lot where we discussed the possibility of combining his story-telling/puppeteering abilities with our new project.  Scotty, being a very accomplished songwriter/music producer himself, ended up writing “Clean Up The Planet Game” and helped finish up the album.  We then created a live show weaving the songs into a story line that involves Scotty’s puppet Neerg (green spelled backwards) learning the basics of going green from me and Randy.  It truly is a joy to work with such good friends toward the honorable goal of inspiring young minds to go green with fun, laughter and music.”

You can find out all about it at:

LetsGoGreenKids.com

(68) She Shares Her Love Of Nature Through Books, Puppets, Cd’s, DVD’s And Encourages Others To Be Creative, Too!

Penelope Torribio is a gifted artist, music, photographer and all around eco-gal. She writes to us from California:

“I am an author, puppeteer, singer-songwriter, photographer, DVD producer primarily on the subject of living in balance with all the elements of the world and beyond. My primary interest is to help children and teens learn techniques and skills which will allow them to become effective leaders in creating a new world, while encouraging other artists to do the same.”

My her wonderful sites are
http://www.guardiansoftheearth.net
and http://www.1worldmusicandpuppets.com

(43) Their Family Vowed Not To Buy Plastic Water Bottles!

Jill wrote:

“Our family has vowed not to buy any more plastic bottles. What do you do with the ones you have? We brought all our water bottles to school to create shakers by putting little rocks in them . Talk about spirit day! They can be used for any game, parade, or assembly.”

What a great way to celebrate the Earth with song!

(33) Her Class Combines Environmental And Peace Projects With Public Performances For Their Community!

Jhansi from Greenwood Kindergarten writes:

“We are making a difference in keeping the planet earth clean and safe for future generations by taking part in environmental projects, creating shows and singing on preserving the planet earth during public performance through our kindergarten children. We also promote Peace activities through our children.”

(30) She Teaches Music and Movement and Recycling!

Kathleen  wrote about combining music and recycling with movement and other fun activities for her students:

“I recycle everything I can and use things to make musical instruments for children in my classes. The Rainbow Song is perfect for use in my Music and Movement class with colored scarves.”

(5) They Drum For Mother Earth

Seven Cedars is an award winning Women’s American Indian Drum Group. Consisting of Constance Birtch, Rosemary Bushy, Chris Wheeler, and Michelle Windwalker, and located in Pennsylvania, the group gathers around an amazing drum and sings traditional and original drum songs at pow-wows, gatherings and special events that honor the Earth or serve the community.

Their experiences have been both varied and moving. As part of the contingency representing Berks County, Seven Cedars drummed for the inauguration of Governor Ed Rendell, who raised his arm in gracious acknowledgment. Coming from the governor of a state who has thus far refused to recognize the indigenous people of Pennsylvania, the gesture was both ironic and bittersweet.

While performing in an international percussion festival at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Ohio, Seven Cedars was honored to share the stage with such percussion greats as Maruga Booker, and Aierto and jazz legend, Flora Purim.

One song written by, Michelle Windwalker, titled Lenape Nan, was used in an exhibit at the University of Pennsylvania Musuem of Archaeology and Anthropology..

Only a small minority of powwow drummers are women and it is widely considered to be the domain of men. Therefore, it was with great surprise and humility that Seven Cedars took home the championship trophy from the drum competition at the Two Moons Memorial PowWow in Shartlesville, Pa.—two years in a row!

Still, if asked, the ladies will say with certainty that the most meaningful moments of their more than 10 year long journey with this drum have come in times of service to the the Creator, the Earth, and the People. Over the years, they have drummed for namings, weddings, the introduction of babies to the circle, and in honor of our military and elders. And always, when the ladies of Seven Cedars drum, it is with reverence , respect and love for the Earth Mother, who’s heart is heard in the beat of the drum.

(4) We Sing Songs About Gardening

Ivan and his mom in their garden

My 5-year-old son, Ivan, is totally blind and multiply handicapped, but this doesn’t stop him from wanting to help out all around the house and in the garden! We started a gardening project last year that made Ivan smile every time we went outside. We planted flowers, herbs, and vegetables. We also planted a peach tree! Ivan loved getting his hands dirty and picking the green beans.

This year we’re going to get some of Ivan’s friends to help out so we can spread his joy of gardening. And one way we’re going to keep everyone happy is to sing songs about the garden while we’re working. We really love the new CD from Maria & Friends called Planting Seeds. They even have a song about composting (which we’re going to try for the first time this year). We hope to have a successful community garden!

– Amber

“We’ve Got the Whole World In Our Hands” Song is Free and Green

Share this fun “recycled” folksong as a part of your Earth Day or other ecology-related activities.

Get the free mp3 download on DARIA’s Earth Day 2013 page, or make up your own verses and keep the great message spreading.

 To contact us, visit us here.

DARIA Sings for Earth Day

Cover art from DARIA's New Earth Day Album

Get DARIA’s EARTH DAY cd for FREE!

Although this cd of Daria’s most popular songs for the earth is available on Itunes, Amazon and CD Baby – we’re hoping you’ll get a copy for free!  Just e-mail us one idea or suggestion of how you’ve made a difference for the planet.

And stay tuned to see what others are doing.  We hope you’ll be inspired as you read, laugh, think and consider how we are all being more conscious of creating a brighter, more sustainable future!