This semester, our ensembles are gathering around the virtual campfire to create and share a series of original stories called The Forms of Things Unknown. We love to sing songs around the campfire! Make your own drum and start a singalong at home.

You will need:

Cellophane square
Construction paper
Paint, crayons, or stickers to decorate your drum
Latex-free rubberband
Glue stick or tape
An empty tin can (like from a can of beans) or an empty plastic jar (like from peanut butter or mayonnaise)
Scissors
Tape
Something to fill your drum like rice, dried beans, or popcorn.

Prepare your can or jar: Make sure it is clean and dry. Remove the label. Check for any sharp edges. (Note: if your can opener at home leaves very sharp edges, we recommend using a jar instead!)
Decorate your can: There is no wrong way to decorate your jar. Here are some ideas:
- Wrap it with construction paper: cut a piece of construction paper so it is the same height as the jar. Tape one end of the construction paper to the jar and wrap the construction paper around until the ends overlap. Glue or tape the end down
- Paint it with your paint stick or color with crayons: paint designs, stripes, or a solid background onto the can.
- Use stickers to decorate your can: put them in different patterns and arrangements.
Fill your can: you can put some objects inside your jar to so your drum will make extra noise when shaken.
- For a quieter sound: Salt or Sugar
- For a louder sound: Dried rice, Dried Beans, Popcorn kernels
  You can mix and match. If you would like a quieter drum, you can also skip this step.
Seal your drum: Lay your cellophane over the open end of your jar and hold it tight. Wrap the rubberband around it tightly so that it seals shut. You can trim off the extra cellophane or leave it for decoration
Play your drum: Shake and tap and rattle your drum to the beat. Bring your drum to rehearsal so we can play and sing together!