Rhythm Rocks!

This LEAF-funded project proves that learning can be fun, and musical! At Austin Elementary, K-5 students in the music curriculum were able to engage in a hands-on, interactive music experience that helped them develop some wonderful skills. This was all thanks to the resources given to Mark Holley through the LEAF-funded grant, Rhythm Rocks!

The Sound of Success

With LEAF-funded non-pitched percussion instruments, such as hand bells, guiros, drums, woodblocks, and a snail drum, students were able to explore a variety of musical themes. They explored steady beat, learned to recognize rhythm patterns, learned about different musical dynamics, and practiced improvisation! Their progress was also monitored using rhythm charts, books, and music sheets, keeping their learning structured, yet still fun! The students extremely benefitted from this project. They built critical musical skills such as rhythmic accuracy, and practiced creative expression through guided and improvisatory activities. They also engaged in productive social-emotional learning. The group percussion activities fostered teamwork, active listening, and confidence-building through collaborative music making.

What a unique learning experience they had. Not only did it align with and was perfectly integrated into existing K-5 music lessons, but it also helped students gain cultural awareness by introducing them to percussion instruments and traditions from diverse cultural backgrounds. It was extremely needs for both students' personal and musical development!

A special thank you to our donor community for making grants like this possible!  If you would like to invest in public education and support our mission, please email our office at leaf@lcisd.org.