For my final week during my volunteer program, we were asked to create a multicultural activity to do with students. I chose to read the book “Drum Dream Girl” by Margarita Engle. This book is about a young girl who dreams of being a drummer and performing in front of others. Due to her culture, she is not able to play the drums; only males are allowed to play the drums. The book follows the young girl as she works towards her dreams, even though she is not supposed to. I found this book to be really inspiring to read to students, especially young girls. Class discussions can include Cuban culture, the role of women in Cuban society, etc.
For the activity, I chose to work with my student on creating our own drums to create our own music at the end. This is something that students will find interesting and engaging, but yet they are also beginning to emerge themselves in a new culture. The only materials I needed was various tin cans, balloons, pencils to act as drum sticks, a coloring sheet to decorate the outside of the drums, and packing tape to connect the different drums together.
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