Sounds and Instruments
Class 4 · Arts
4 ideas in Class 4 Arts, explained in plain words, with games and quizzes to practise.
Body Percussion Songs
Part of: Body music and values
Bodies drum rhythms with claps, snaps and stomps, plus actions you invent. The Happy song claps hands, stomps feet, shouts hurray and does all three together, also sung in Hindi, with friends writing words in their own languages.
Why it matters. Bodies are first instruments. Own words make songs personal.
Try it in two minutes
- Clap, snap and stomp in turn.
- Sing with all three actions.
- Write one line in your language.
Try at home. Sing the Happy song with actions.
Superhero Values Song
Part of: Body music and values
Superheroes without Capes says real heroes need no capes: together we save days by refusing plastic, teaching kids, saving food and composting, carried on swara and Konnakkol lines.
Why it matters. Small green acts save real days. Songs turn duties into joy.
Try it in two minutes
- Name two green deeds.
- Refuse one plastic item.
- Teach one friend a deed.
Try at home. Compost kitchen waste together.
Instrument Families
Part of: Instrument families and making
All sound springs from vibrations travelling as waves through air or water. Instruments group by vibrating part: strings (Tata vadya, Veena), air in tubes (Sushira vadya, Bansuri), stretched membranes (Avanaddha vadya, Tabla) and solid objects (Ghana vadya, Manjira). India birthed this science in Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra about 2500 years ago.
Why it matters. Vibrating parts explain voices. One Indian science sorts world instruments.
Try it in two minutes
- Name what vibrates in each family.
- Match Veena, Bansuri, Tabla, Manjira.
- Say where the system began.
Try at home. Sort home sounds by vibrating part.
Exploring and Making Instruments
Part of: Instrument families and making
Instruments differ by materials and playing styles, identified by careful listening. Explorers note shape, size, colour, decorations, origin labels, feel parts, hear recordings and draw pictures. Builders craft harmonicas from popsicle sticks, rubber bands, paper strips and toothpick halves, blowing or drawing air across a slight gap.
Why it matters. Close looks reveal design. Hand-built instruments teach acoustics joyfully.
Try it in two minutes
- Observe one instrument fully.
- Listen to its recording.
- Assemble the paper harmonica.
Try at home. Build a harmonica with family.
What your child will practise
- Body Percussion Songs: Ocean Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Body Percussion Songs: Space Quest (Flip and Match)
- Exploring and Making Instruments: Treasure Quest (Collect the Answer)
- Instrument Families: Lab Explorer Sort (Sort It Out)
- Superhero Values Song: Space Puzzle (Clue Puzzle)
- Quiz: Body Percussion Songs (8 questions)
- Quiz: Exploring and Making Instruments (8 questions)
- Quiz: Instrument Families (8 questions)
- Quiz: Superhero Values Song (8 questions)