Mrs. Caroline Drummy’s kindergarten classroom at Rhame Avenue was booming with drum beats, as elementary music teacher Mrs. Jessica Salaway brought in a single “my first” drum to help students learn about syllables.

Students drummed, clapped, stomped and “chomped” the syllables in their names and in words, and then graphed their results on a tree map. After that, students worked in small groups, where they played fun syllable games. 

Mrs. Drummy said having Mrs. Salaway bring the drum into the classroom allowed students to hear the beat and sounds of their names. “They learned a new instrument, and also learned that we hear sounds and syllables in music too,” said Mrs. Drummy. “The drum was a very engaging tool to bring into the classroom for the concept and skill being taught.”