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Didgeridoos From Down Under

Students will learn about the instrument developed by Australia's Aboriginal people and create their own model of a didgeridoo.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Craft Materials
  • Recycled Cardboard Tube
  • Ribbon

Steps

  • Step 1

    The didgeridoo is a wind instrument ranging in size from three to 10 feet long developed by the Aboriginal people of northern Australia around 1,000 years ago. Have students find information about Aboriginal history and culture and about the didgeridoo. How many Aboriginal languages are there? What are some customs and traditions? Ask students to look up "circular breathing," which is the technique musicians use to play the didgeridoo.

  • Step 2

    Have students look at images of this beautiful instrument, which are often colorfully adorned with Aboriginal symbols. Ask them to create a model didgeridoo out of a recycled gift wrap tube or perhaps two or three paper towel tubes taped together. Then have them decorate paper, apply glue to the tube, and wrap the paper around it. They might attach ribbon as a strap for the instrument and craft items such as feathers and beads to decorate it.

  • Step 3

    Have students present their didgeridoos and talk about the colors and symbols they chose to adorn the instrument.

Standards

SS: Culture: Create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.

SS: Culture: Through experience, observation, and reflection, identify elements of culture as well as similarities and differences among cultural groups across time and place.

Adaptations

There is no definitive theory as to how the didgeridoo got its name, but many scholars believe it is onomatopoetic, meaning the word represents the sound it makes. Have students think of other examples of onomatopoeia, such as buzz, roar, click, etc.

Have students listen to didgeridoo music. There are several contemporary players such as Djalu Gurruwiwi, Ondrej Smeykal, David Hudson, and others.