First Day With Boomwhackers®

Submitted by Dee Truelove, Weatherford, Texas

Idea posted 2002-11-01

I lay down the rules first before they ever touch them. Once we cover how to play them and

what is acceptable and what will lose them the privilege of playing, I tell them what note to

get. This way, it is evenly spread out among the class. They go back to their seats and place

the Boomwhacker®  on the floor (hands in their lap). We go over the rules again. If a student

touches the Boomwhacker® before told, I immediately take it away. It usually only takes once,

then it never happens again. I am very, very strict, but it makes it more enjoyable for me.

Boomwhacker® Questions & Answers

Submitted by Priscilla Whalen, Ohio

Idea posted 2002-07-19

Q. Will a student only be whacking one Boomwhacker® , that is, one tube per student

opposed to handbells where they have two bells each?

A. If you have enough, each student could have two. Usually, one is enough.

Q. Is floor whacking the better choice over arms, legs, etc.? And if so, then should I prepare

to move chairs and have students sit on the floor (I know the Fun With Boomwhackers®!  book

has circle formations on the floor)?

A. Experiment. Whack around and find what you like best. I decided to have them hold the

tubes vertically and whack the floor with the end that has the cap. I have carpet in my room.

Whacking each other or self sounds like a bad idea to me.

Q. In the regular diatonic set offered in catalogs, is the C note (lowest in the set) middle C?

If so, then the bass set extends down to the lower octave C, right? OK, what are

the Octavator™ Tube Caps  for, and do I need these if I have the bass set?

A. Yes, I think what you are asking the answer is middle C. The caps cause the note to be an

octave lower. I put caps on all of them because I think it improves the tone.

Q. How do you facilitate the use of the Boomwhackers®  with larger classes, say 24? Does

everyone have a tube to play (doubling up notes and having to use multiple sets)? If not, what

are the non-whacking kids doing?

A. Sometimes the non-whackers play other instruments; drums, bells, xylo., recorder, etc.,

etc., etc. I also have two or more on the same note in big classes.

Q. Lastly, if the kids are sitting on the floor (say in a circle), where is their music? On the

floor in front of them (and they just avoid whacking the music when it's their turn to whack the

floor)?

A. I have the kids standing in a curved row in order of the scale. I use the music stands. The

younger kids do not use music. I teach them by rote.

Don't get too cerebral about methodology. Establish some clear rules from the beginning

just like for any other instrument use. For example: Do not use the Boomwhackers® for

crutches. (Best not to call them whackers, especially for upper grades.) Do not use the booms

as swords or guns. Do not reach out and touch someone with a boom. Do not spit in the booms

or place your lips, nose, ear in the end of the boom.

I've found that you get a better sound if you hold the thing loosely and let it bounce back up

from the floor. It's sorta like the difference between holding the mallet tight and stiff, and

holding it loosely to let it bounce back. This of course takes a little practice, so allow some

time for general chaos, however long your nerve is, and let them get it out of their systems

before you actually try to direct them.

Boom-A-Rhythm

Submitted by Tami Mangusso, Aurora, Colorado

Idea posted 2004-06-03

Here is an activity that I have been using to assess my students in note reading and rhythm

reading.

Boom-a-Rhythm

Materials: Two sets of diatonic Boomwhackers® , note cards, rhythm cards

Objective: To play the rhythm with the correct Boomwhacker®

Divide the class into two teams. Each team will set the Boomwhackers® on the floor in

order. I stand in the middle of the playing area, and I have one team on either side of me. The

teams have their backs towards the middle of the playing area. One team member from each

class comes and sits in front of their Boomwhackers®.

The teams start by facing the teacher. The teacher shows a note card. The students then

grab the appropriate Boomwhacker®. (For example, if the card was line E, they must grab the

yellow E Boomwhacker®.) Once the students grab what they think is the correct

Boomwhacker®, they hold it up in the air. (It's okay if they have grabbed the wrong one at this

point.) The teacher then shows the players a rhythm card. (I let the team who grabbed the

Boomwhacker® first go first this time.) After each student has played the rhythm (the same

one), the teacher asks the class to give a thumbs up or down if Player One/Team One whacked

the rhythm correctly. If they were correct, their team gets a point. The teacher will also ask

the class to give a thumbs up or down if the team played with the correct Boomwhacker®. If

they did use the correct Boomwhacker®, their team gets another point. Use the same point

application with Player Two/Team Two. Continue the game until everyone has had a turn.

My goal for this activity was to assess every individual, so I needed both players to play.

However, if your objective is just to have fun, here are some variations to make it more of a

challenging game:

1. Players buzz in before they play. (I use different rhythm instruments for buzzers.) Only the

team that buzzes in first may play the rhythm. The teams must be ready to play before they

buzz in (i.e., they must have the Boomwhacker® selected). 

2. Play with more teams. The number of teams would depend on how many sets of

Boomwhackers® you have or on your level of patience.

3. Use chords: Have three players at a time and assign them a number (i.e., one, three, and

five). The teacher shows three cards, and each player must find the appropriate

Boomwhacker®. (I put numbers on each card so that the student knows which card is for

them.) Players can help each other find the correct Boomwhacker®. Then the teacher shows a

rhythm card, and the three players play the rhythm together. Ask the teams if they know what

chord they have and give bonus points for identifying the correct chord. You can also just show

the cards and not assign numbers. Have the three players work together to get the

appropriate Boomwhacker®. Once the teams have the Boomwhackers® and have decided

who will play which one, have them buzz in to indicate they are ready.

To make music, cut out notes from foam in the different colors and note values, put cardboard on the back or not and then a magnet on eachChopsticksDo Re Mi