Introduction:

1. Start at the carpet or story corner. Ask: “What is music? How do we make music?” Have volunteers share their responses. Tell students that we will learn about the Hmong music and different musical instruments.
2. Do a gallery walk of the online exhibit of the Hmong Cultural Center Museum featuring Hmong Cultural Artifacts Sketch Drawings by Seexeng Lee https://hmong-virtual-museum.glitch.me/. Have students share one wondering about one of the museum artifacts. 
3. Say: Instruments used in Hmong music play a large role in Hmong culture. Hmong Instruments are usually associated with Hmong rituals such as Hmong funerals, dating practices, marriages, offerings, ancestral rites, among others. Hmong Instruments have a unique tone quality that allows words to be heard just by playing.

Activity Sequence:

1. Have students walk back to their seats with Hmong music playing in the background Txiv Lub Xim Xaus by Hmong artist Maa Vue (play 1:04–1:28) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPdeVJ5BRDc.
2. Pass out the “Hmong Music and Musical Instruments” worksheet (see Handout) and read directions together.
3.  Explain that they will be looking at traditional Hmong instruments and learning about how they are played and what they are used for.
4. Remind students to pay attention because they will choose three of the instruments to draw a picture of and write an interesting fact about.
5. Go through and explain the purpose of the instruments, how the instruments are played, and the sound they make (use suggested YouTube videos if actual instruments are not available or substitute with your own videos).
6.  Have students complete the “Hmong Music and Musical Instruments” (see handout pages 1–2  https://ucdavis.box.com/s/kpoeyif82vm9wil3vrnzfbsjbhnobmkf). Collect when done. Have students share with a peer which their favorite instrument was that they learned from the lesson and why.
7.  Explain that Hmong people’s musical instruments are made from materials that are readily available. We are going to each make our very own instruments today with materials available in our class.
8. Have a table set up with all sorts of crafting materials for students to select and make their instruments. It is best if teachers have pre-made instruments for model display.

Closure:

1. Have students come up and present their instrument invention to the class, including the following parts:
   • Name of the instrument(s)
   • Material(s) used
   • Sound(s) it makes
   • Use or purpose of instrument(s)
   • One interesting fact about the instrument(s)
2. Alternatively, students can do lines of communication to share with peers directly and not to the whole class. Students are also welcome to take a picture with their instrument and write a short report about their instrument. Teachers can also set up a gallery walk where students place their instrument on a table, and have a notecard displayed of the details.