Alexander Herds Sheep

Ideas to Try

Safety
Before you start, think about how to use the different equipment safely. Will you need to wear safety gear? Check with your teacher if you are not sure.

Make Some Pan Pipes
You will need: thin length of bamboo, modelling clay, hacksaw, knitting needle, sandpaper, strong waterproof sticky tape.

Make Straw Whistles
You will need: packet of drinking straws, scissors, needle.

Play Shepherds
You will need: chalk, a whistle, a blindfold, some friends.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.

1.

Carefully saw the bamboo into pieces of exact length: 3cm, 4cm, 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm.

2.

Use a knitting needle to carefully hollow out the inside of each piece of bamboo.

3.

Rub down each piece of bamboo with sandpaper. Make sure there are no splinters and that the bamboo is smooth all over.

4.

Arrange the bamboo pipes in order against a straight edge, from shortest to longest.

5.

Tape the pieces of bamboo together with two strips of tape.

6.

Block in the holes at the bottom of the bamboo with plugs of modelling clay. Make sure the bottom of each hole is airtight, but leave the hole at the top of each bamboo pipe open.

7.

Gently blow across the open tops of the bamboo pipes. Listen to the different notes. Can you play a tune?

1.

Cut the tip of a straw to make a pointed mouthpiece.

2.

Squeeze the straw flat and cut a straight notch about 2cm away from the mouthpiece. Make a second cut at about 45° to the first one, so that you can remove a tiny triangle from the straw. You have made the ‘notch’ of the whistle.

3.

Try blowing your straw whistle. To do this, hold the whistle in front of your lips and blow across the open top of the mouthpiece.

4.

Experiment with notches of different lengths and at different angles until you get a straw that makes a sharp, clear, whistling sound.

5.

Can you change the pitch of your whistle? Try cutting the body of the whistle shorter, or making a hole in the body of the whistle with a needle. Does the note of the whistle change? Is it higher or lower?

1.

With chalk, mark out a maze on a flat area of concrete. Make sure the area is clear of anything that might make you trip over.

2.

Agree a set of signals that can be given with a whistle to mean ‘stop’, ‘go forward’, ‘turn right’, ‘turn left’, ‘go back’.

3.

Blindfold a friend and place them in the middle of the maze.

4.

Your friend has to find the way out of the maze, following the instructions you give them with the whistle.

5.

Look after your friend and make sure he or she doesn’t trip.