Denmark students rock with rhythm Justin Gallegos shakes some homemade maracas as part of a STOMP-style band where students made their own percussion instruments. The event was part of a class taught by Sheila Bialek at the Early Childhood Center (photo by Steve Arveson) By Steve Arveson For The News-Chronicle Typically a pie tin is used to hold the night's dessert and an oatmeal container is for the morning's breakfast. But with a little creative thinking and a few sticks or spoons, these items can become a rhythm section. That's what students at Denmark's Early Childhood Center learned during a recent project. Denmark teacher Sheila Bialek asked her students to create homemade instruments out of everyday objects. With these instruments, Bialek's classes each formed their own Stomp-style band. Stomp is a production that travels the world, using conventional items such as garbage cans, hardware and even cigarette lighters to create intricate rhythms and songs. "I wanted to do an instrument unit and we have a video called Sesame Street Stomp where Telly loses his tuba and doesn't think he'll ever be able to make music again," Bialek said. "Later he realizes that you can make music anywhere." Students brought everything from plastic containers filled with popcorn kernels to pots and pans and other household items to create their very own sound. "We had bottle openers, rims from glass jars tied together with ribbon to make sounds, African-style instruments and almost anything you can think of," Bialek said. But the goal of the project wasn't just to bang on pans and make noise. Bialek worked with the students to show then different percussive rhythms, the backbone of all music. "The kids absolutely loved it," Bialek said. "If the teachers wouldn't have minded we could have walked down the halls and the kids would have beat on everything. It was fabulous.'