School choir

Growing Music

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Energy, Plants, Sound

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Cross-curricular

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7-9, 9-12

Growing Music is a WOMAD Foundation project which brings together music, science and design technology within a cultural context.

It was developed by Annie Menter and Mauricio Velasierra supported by Anne Goldsworthy. The detailed lesson plans were devised entirely by PSTT College Fellow Carol Sampey with Kulvinder Johal.

The project is based on growing bamboo and making and playing Colombian ‘sikus’ or pan pipes. It features science, music and DT with other cross-curricular links. There are also details about how to bring a Colombian musician or other artists from across the world into your school. It is suitable for children in Key Stage 2.

Full resource

Growing Music

Growing Music is a project which has run successfully in many schools. It engages children in a cycle of planting, growing and investigating bamboo and making and playing pan pipes from bamboo canes. The children ‘grow’ their own music.

You may want to take on the whole project or select specific sections such as:

  • Growing and investigating bamboo plants and the uses of bamboo as a material.
  • Understanding sound through making and playing a musical instrument.
  • Developing Literacy and Numeracy skills through the context of the bamboo plant.
  • Finding out about Colombia.

Download booklet
growing music cover

Safety Notice & Disclaimer

PSTT advises teachers to refer to either the CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.

PSTT is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in these resource pages or the associated classroom materials. PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these resources. PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the resources.

All materials are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) and are freely available to download and share for educational purposes. Whilst educators are free to adapt the resources to suit their own needs, acknowledgement of copyright on all original materials must be included. Rights to images included in the resource have been purchased for PSTT use only – as such, these images may only be used as part of this resource and may not copied into or used in other materials.