Jam, Too?

Share this book

Encourage students to listen closely for rhythm and rhyme, and to look for energy in the illustrations as you read Jam, Too? aloud. After reading, ask students to think about the sounds they heard in the book as well as the sounds they hear around them everyday. Read the book again and let students clap, tap, and drum along.

Then, get more organized about presenting the sounds in the story, working with students to build a soundscape for the book. Together, identify and make a list of all the sounds in the book—not just the instruments. Have them look carefully to see what else might be heard on the beach that day—the waves of the ocean, the splash of a swimmer, the wheels of a skateboard or skates going by, the sound of dancing feet. When you have your complete list of sounds, pair students and assign each pair a sound. Have each pair determine how they will accomplish making their assigned sound (offer options for borrowing or making instruments or improvising with other materials). Read the book aloud again and have students make their sounds in the order the sounds appear in the book to build the soundscape. Practice and then take your soundscape show on the road to perform for others in celebration of Read Across America!

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

1. What does it mean to “jam”? How do you think it feels to create or perform something without any planning or practice?
2. What instruments in the book were you familiar with? How would you jam?
3. Why do you think the child watches the jam session for so long before asking to join in? When would you have asked to join in?
4. Why does music bring people together? What other activities can you think of, besides music and dancing, that bring people together? How do they connect people?
5. How do you feel when you invite someone else to join you in an activity or when someone invites you to join in? How did it help you connect to the other person?
6. How do you imagine the story would continue the day after this jam session? 

Related Resources

Soundscapes 4 Ways from Organized Chaos
Cooking with JaNay: JAM, TOO Edition (drum craft video) from JaNay Brown-Wood