Multicultural Perspectives — Weekly Assignment #7
October 20, 2024
Worldbeat Lesson (Upper Elementary)
I open every single K-6 music class with “Kye Kye Kule,” a Ghanaian gathering song. When the kids hear my djembe, they know to wrap up their conversations, leave their days behind, and join me standing in a circle. I typically play a very straight Western rhythm, but my research for this lesson has inspired me to challenge myself and change it up (to the rhythm used in this lesson) starting Monday!
Worldbeat Lesson:
We’ll start class the way we always do: with “Kye Kye Kule.” On this particular day, at the end of the song, I’ll keep playing the djembe for at least another thirty seconds after the song ends so that the students can start to learn the rhythm.
I will ask them to echo me on various short spoken rhythms using the syllables gun (goon), go, and ta. (These djembe syllables come from Nigerian Master Drummer Babatunde Olatunji. Gun for bass, go and do for left and right tone, and pa and ta for left and right slap.) These rhythms will be more syncopated and complex then what we’d usually do at the start of class. Eventually, we will end up echoing, and then looping the following rhythm:
Once the students are comfortable speaking this rhythm, I will ask them to sit criss-cross in a circle on the floor. I will start breaking down the drum rhythm on my lap beginning with just gun and ta, playing the bass on my ankles and the slap on my knee, both with my right hand. Next we will add the first go with our left hands on our thighs. Finally, the last go will have us drumming the full rhythm on our legs.
At this point, I will have six students sit on chairs with the mini djembes between their knees. Here we will break down the rhythm the same way we did it on our laps: starting with the bass, then the slap, and then both tones. Once the students have the rhythm in their hands, I will speed them up and ask them to continue looping while the rest of the class sings “Kye Kye Kule.” Then I will switch six more students onto the djembes and repeat the same process. We will do this until everyone has a chance to drum for the singers.
The following week, will use the start of class to review without drums. We will drum the rhythm on our laps as before. Then I’ll have my students speak with me:
I’ll pass out six ukuleles. Those students will strum the above pattern on a C major chord. Once comfortable, will introduce the “Kye Kye Kule” vocals as before. We will repeat this process until everyone has played the ukulele.
The third week, we will use the start of class to review the drum rhythm without drums as before. After reestablishing the drum rhythm—both spoken and drummed on our laps—I’ll re-introduce the strum pattern—both spoken and strummed on our stomachs. I’ll split the class into two groups and have half drum while the others strum, and then switch.I’ll pass out six djembes and six ukuleles. Anyone without an instrument will get an egg shaker to play on the beat along with the ukuleles. I will bring in the drummers first, then the ukuleles, then the shakers, and finally we will all sing as we are able. We will rotate and sing the song again in the same manner until everyone has had a chance to play every instrument.