Let's Have a Paper Orchestra!
by Penny Judkins
 

How many different sounds can be made with a sheet of paper?  You might be surprised!  Give each child a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper.  Instruct all to follow your directions.

1.  First practice singing "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" by having everyone roll their paper into a tube.  Going through the song once sing the first line and "toot" the second through the tube, repeating through the verse:

We thank thee Oh God, for a prophet
"toot-da-doot toot-da-doot- toot-da-doot"
We thank thee for sending the gospel
"toot-da-doot toot-da-doot- toot-da-doot", etc.

Reverse tooting and singing on second time through:
"toot-da-doot toot-da-doot- toot-da-doot"
to guide us in these latter days, etc.

2.  "Popcorn Popping" p. 242  (we actually have some about to pop here!)

Show the children how to hold the sheet of paper loosely between two hands and then pull hard, but not too hard to tear it, and a very snappy "pop" can be heard.  Direct them to snap their paper through each of the "popcorn popping' phrases.

3.  "The Wise man and the Foolish Man" p. 281.  Lay the paper across your  lap with both feet on the floor and knees together.

slap (slap hands on knees)
tickle (wiggling all fingers on paper)
rub (slide flat hand across paper)

(slap) The wise man built his house upon the rock (repeat two times)
and the rains came tumbling down
(tickle) the rains came down and the
(rub) floods came up (repeat two times)
(slap) and the house on the rock stood still.
(rub softly) The foolish man built his house upon the sand (repeat two times)
and the rains came tumbling down
(tickle) the rains came down and the
(rub) floods came up (repeat two times)
(wave paper through air) and the house on the sand washed away.

4.  "Latter Day Prophets"  Holding the paper by the two short ends, crumple  it and pull it out (but not too hard) with the rhythm of each prophet's name.

(No crumpling during the other words!)

5.  "Do As I'm Doing"  Ask the kids if they can think of any other noises that  can be made.  We held the paper between two palms and clapped, this was fun because you can try to keep the paper air borne and catch it on the clap.

We also rubbed palms together with the paper in-between them.  On the last time through we started at one edge and tore a strip off, and then another until we ran out of paper.  About the time you get to "if I do it fast" you can really rip into it.  Then pass around a garbage can and clean up the papers.