Grace holds small hand drum and Will holds sealed plastic tub shaker on garden lawn; Mum seated on low wooden bench watching.

The Garden Music Show

Shared Reading Books · Stories · Year 1
Narrative

Grace and Will planned a music show in the garden. Grace had a small drum. Will shook a closed tub that made a soft rattling sound. Mum sat on the bench to listen.

Grace tapping drum rapidly while Will shakes sealed tub slowly; Will puzzled and looking at Grace, Mum on bench.

Grace tapped her drum quickly. Will shook his tub slowly. Their sounds did not fit together. Will stopped. “I cannot hear when to start,” he said.

Grace rests drum on grass after loud tap; Will covers ears with both hands, sealed shaker tub on grass; Mum approaches calmly.

“I will play louder,” said Grace. She gave the drum a big tap. Will covered his ears. “Louder does not help me,” he said. Grace put the drum down.

Grace and Will clap hands together facing each other while Mum kneels nearby helping with steady beat; instruments on grass.

Mum came over. “Could you choose one steady beat?” she asked. Grace nodded. “Let’s clap first. One, two, three, four.” Will clapped with her.

Grace gently taps small drum while Will shakes sealed plastic tub in a calm coordinated rhythm; Mum watches; garden lawn.

They tried the instruments again. Grace tapped one quiet beat at a time. Will shook his tub on every second beat. Tap, shake. Tap, shake. Now they could listen to each other.

Grace raises one hand signalling last beat while other hand rests on small drum; Will watches signal holding shaker; practising together.

“How will we know when to finish?” asked Will. Grace thought for a moment. “I can hold up my hand before the last beat.” They practised their ending twice.

Children play small drum and sealed tub softly under leafy garden tree; breeze moves ordinary leaves, Mum watches on bench.

A breeze rustled the leaves above them. “Even the tree is joining in,” said Grace. Will smiled. They played softly enough to hear the leaves as well.

Garden music performance: Grace holds one hand up for ending, Will looks at her, drum and closed tub shaker visible; Mum seated listening.

Mum sat down for the show. Grace and Will counted together, then began. When Grace raised her hand, they played one last beat and stopped at the same time.

Mum claps on low bench while Grace and Will smile holding their small drum and closed shaker on lawn; full figures.

Mum clapped. “You listened to each other,” she said. “Our quiet show sounded better than our loud one,” said Will. Grace nodded. “Let’s play it again!”

The Garden Music Show

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