Spring Creek Elementary’s Young Foley Artists

Do you know what a Foley artist is?

Julianna Gylseth’s sixth-grade music students can tell you that foley artists produce everyday sound effects for film and videos. Some examples include the sounds of swishing of clothing, footsteps, squeaky doors, or breaking glass.

As part of their lesson, Gylseth’s students became their own Foley artists for a day. “Tell us what your sound effect is,” smiled Gylseth, “And perform the sound for class.”

The first two students performed as a duo. “We are re-creating the sound of an Alligator snapping its jaw,” shared the students. Using a drum and clapper, the boys worked together to create a sound story.

The mellow sound of the drum built up an intensity that had students wriggling in their seats, waiting and anticipating the snap that was soon to come.

“Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum… SNAP!” A few students jolted in their seats and giggles scattered throughout the room.

“Thank you boys for that wonderful narration!” sang Gylseth. As she transitioned her slides, students cheered and clapped for their peers’ performance.

“It’s important that our students have a creative outlet,” shares Gylseth. “Due to COVID restrictions, our students have not had as many opportunities for creative performances. That’s why I applied for the musical grant.”

“With this grant, I was able to purchase children’s literature books that explore musical experiences from around the world. With these resources, my students have been able to dramatize the stories and create original songs.”

Gylseth shares more about the project details, “We are working on creating a sound story that celebrates the Chinese New Year. To me, it’s important that my students draw upon literature that will expand their worldview. This helps promote compassion and understanding for diverse cultures thus building a stronger understanding of our diverse school community.”

Thank you Mrs. Gylseth for taking the time to come up with creative ways to educate your students both virtually and in person. Congratulations on your grant and we look forward to seeing your students’ Chinese New Year performance!