creative arts
Making Rain
Begin by previewing the Kennedy Center’s lesson plan below, then follow the activity instructions.
Activity
Students will learn about rainmaking traditions, create a rainstick, and write and perform rain-inspired poetry.
Prep work
- [ ] Preview the Kennedy Center lesson “Making Rain: What Is the Cultural Origin and Purpose of a Rainstick?” [HERE].
- [ ] Gather materials for making rainsticks (cardboard tubes, rice or beans, foil or nails for texture, tape, paper, markers, etc.).
- [ ] Review vocabulary: drought, precipitation, onomatopoeia, and tradition.
Lesson
- Using the Kennedy Center lesson as a guide:
- Play the rain game.
- Learn about the water cycle.
- Read and discuss Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain. If you do not have access to the book, you may wish to watch Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain.
- Explore the cultural origins and purposes of “rainmakers”.
- Read and discuss the poem “Where is the Rain?”
- Introduce onomatopoeia words and chant the “Rain Song”.
- Watch: What Is A Rain Stick?
- Next, students will create and decorate a rainstick.
Learning Extension
- Creative Arts: Students write a poem and perform it while simulating the rain using a rainstick.