March is Music & Entertainment Month for Readingtokids.org. I have been saving decorative tins for several years, not knowing quite what to do with them. You know the kind, filled with Shortbread and/or Chocolate Cookies. The tins are too nice to just throw away. In 2020 Drums started beating in head and it became clear how to repurpose those tins. Unfortunately, with COVID we were limited to Zoom Meetings. Now that we are back to in person events and I have an ample supply of tins, it’s time for making Drums.
An old sheet makes the perfect cloth cover for the lids. However, you may have other fabric around the house that will do nicely too! Packaging Tape worked best for me for securing the fabric to the larger rectangular lids. Large colorful rubber bands I found at Staple’s Office Supplies works great on the smaller circular tins. Plus, they add a nice decorative touch. I used a little white glue to help keep them in place. A little trimming after the cloth was in place and you have a drum.
In King Kong they used Drums to summon Kong. Do you think we could use ours to call Dinosaurs? Perhaps some imaginative artwork on the cloth is needed to get the Dinosaur’s attention. “The Paleoart of Julius Csotonyi: Dinosaurs, Sabre-Tooths and Beyond” by Julius Csotonyi & Steve White provided inspiration for my Dino-Drum Art. Check out your Library for other Paleoart books to inspire you or images online. I used a 2B pencil to make the sketch and a kneaded eraser for touch-ups. An ink pen over the pencil and watercolors to finish (top of 3 in pic above). I also tried 3D fabric paint (bottom left of 3 in pic above) and fabric markers (bottom right of 3 in pic above). I like the watercolors best (2 small round drums below are also watercolors). I tried touching up the 3D paint & fabric Markers Art with Watercolors (pictures below). The 3D paint & Watercolors work well together. Although, still not liking the Fabric Markers. However, the markers are probably the easiest to use in a classroom environment. I’ll keep practicing with all the tools to obtain the look I like the best. What do You think? Kids from 1 to 92 can have Fun Drawing & Coloring a Dinosaur Scene on the Cloth. You can really get creative with the sides of the tins too – use Colored Paper, Stickers, Glitter, Feathers and more – whatever brings these Drums to Life for You! When You aren’t Beating Your Drum, it can store your Special Treasures inside. Maybe a Dinosaur will visit You when it hears You practicing with Your New Drum! It worked for me. Even a Pterosaur came.
Have Fun Drumming for Dinosaurs!
Did Dinosaurs create Music? Their descendants are birds (at least from the non-avian theropods branch). Birds produce tremendous amounts of Music. So, what sounds did Dinosaurs make?
The Jurassic Park & World Movies gave us Terrifying Roars and Raptors call sounds that will stick in our memories. However, these were created by Sound Technicians using a variety of animal roars, screeches, cries and calls combined. Did You know Gary Rydstrom was the Sound Designer for the Jurassic Park Movies? He used baby elephant squeals, alligator gurgles and tiger snarls for the T-Rex. The breathing was the sound of air escaping a whale’s blow hole. For Dilophosaurus, swans hooting, rattle snakes & hawks brought them to life. The Raptors were owls and the mating sounds of tortoises – really! In Jurassic World Al Nelson expanded on these sounds to give the Raptors more lines and individual personalities. African Cranes, hissing geese, dogs and horses were used to increase the Raptors vocabulary. High pitched sounds paired with the low voice of a walrus or tiger gives the impression of size & weight. The Brachiosaurus is a braying donkey and the Apatosaurus emoting tigers & dogs.
But what sounds did Dinosaurs really make? Well, no one knows for sure. Scientists believed many dinosaurs relied on deep base vibrations that humans couldn’t hear but definitely would feel. Since their closest relatives are crocodiles & birds many may have made throaty gargling noises. Imagine those amplified to reflect the size of these thundering Dinosaurs! Pretty Scary to me. I like to think that the smaller dinosaurs would have chirped and sang similar to birds today. Imagine a T-Rex that could mimic the sound of the Laughing Kookaburra. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. Listen to the trainers get huge laughs from telling their jokes to a Kookaburra Bird in Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiMxZIVJjb0
What if Raptors could copy any sound they heard like the Lyrebird. Raptors were very intelligent. I believe they would use this talent to attract prey. Check out the video of David Attenborough observing a Lyrebird. Also, in Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y
Below are a couple of links to guesses on dinosaur sounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcBoY_aEVj8
Note: Elasmosaurus & Mosasaurus are not Dinosaurs. They are Marine Reptiles. Quetzalcoatlus is not a Dinosaur either but a Flying Reptile. Different parts of a Family Tree.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a9hN-CvqUw
A larynxes or syrinxes (vocal organ in birds) is rarely found in the fossil record. In 2023 an article was published with the findings of Junki Yoshida, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi & Mark Norell a Larynx in Pinacosaurus grangeri. Future research may provide more clues to the sounds Dinosaurs had the ability to make. Perhaps my laughing T-Rex and Mimicking Raptors aren’t too far-fetched after all!
Stay Tuned for More Dinosaur Fun Facts, Fiction & Crafts!
Here are 3 of my favorites Museums. Remember Social Distancing & Masks to keep You & Others Safe while Everyone Enjoys Their Learning Experience. Consider a Membership with the Museum. In addition to Supporting Their Valuable Work there are Benefits to You. Special Preview Events for Members Only as well as Virtual Access Exclusive for Members. For more information and access to general public eLearning check out the links below.
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County www.nhm.org under Research & Collections / Digitized Collections will allow you to browse their Collections. Check out the latest Activities on their site.
The American Natural History Museum www.amnh.org You will find eLearning for Families, Students & Educators. Explore the Museum Virtually. Check Out SciCafe: Video Talks and Meet the Icons: Stories behind the Exhibits! There are Video Series covering Behind the Scenes at the Museum with Space & Dinosaur Explainers.
Chicago’s Field Museum www.fieldmuseum.org You can talk to “Maximo the Titanosaur” online, Yes Really! Visit Sue the largest T-Rex discovered! Check Out “Brain Scoop” and the Learning Resources – many are also in Spanish.
Check Out Your Libraries eBooks. My local Library has over 900 eBooks on Dinosaurs! Here are four books for Drawing Dinosaurs that you might find at your Library. Ask your Librarian about others.
1-2-3 Draw Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Animals A step by step guide by Freddie Levin (2001)
Draw 50 Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Animals by Lee J. Ames (1977)
Draw it Dinosaurs by Patricia Walsh (2006)
I Can Draw Dinosaurs by Terry Longhurst (2003)
Stay Safe & Well
Please Remember to Wear Masks & Social Distance as Appropriate Not everyone has been Vaccinated. And even vaccinated many Young & Old have compromised immune systems. Protect Yourself, Friends, Family & Everyone You Pass!
Thank You!
I used watercolors to make Dinosaur Designs on my N95 Masks. I couldn’t get a yes or no from 3M regarding any impact this might have to the effectiveness of the mask. Many Museums sell Dinosaur Themed Masks Check them Out!
“Encouraging the Appreciation of Art and Education through the Inspiration of Dinosaurs”
Paul & Prehistoric Pals
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