Lesson: Jabari Jumps

November 6, 2025

Children’s Literature, Lessons, Orff Instruments & Process

A High/Low Xylophone Exploration

The objective of this book is to get early xylophone players practicing several important xylophone techniques.

Holding the mallets on their shoulders for “rest position”
Bouncing their mallets off the bars – like jumping on a diving board, and
Practicing the correct direction on the xylophone, from low to high and high to low.

Set-Up

On the day I use this lesson with my students, I prep my classroom by turning all of my xylophones vertical so when I ask my students to “go to their xylophone” (or I assign them a xylophone), all of the xylophones are already in position. Since this activity is meant for early xylophone players, I don’t expect them to know how to carefully move them without xylophone casualties.

This is also a book that I like to scan onto the smartboard, as it allows all of the students to see the pictures from all over the classroom at their xylophone. It also gives me, the teacher, the ability to have my hands available to model each step at my own xylophone and the students echo.

Lesson

Just start reading the book, Jabari Jumps, by Gaia Cornwall
Start students from their seat WITHOUT INSTRUMENTS and have them practice bouncing mallets (pretend/body percussion) on their legs as you start reading Jabari Jumps.
Everytime the book says “jump” have the students bounce their fists on their legs repeating “jump jump jump.”
On the third page of the book when they watch others climb the ladder have the students pretend to climb a ladder (and stand up)
When the book say they “walked all the way to the out to the end of the board,” have the students walk to a xylophone that is placed longways (diagram above) so that the xylophone mimics a diving board.
It is important to model ‘rest position’ (mallets on their shoulders and quickly praise the students who are doing this correctly). Also, you never want to have ‘early xylo players’ standing at an instrument for more than a few seconds before being allowed to play. Their self-control will last no longer.
Then next line in the book says, “they spread their arms,” have every student grab their mallets at this point (and no sooner) and mirror you in stretching your arms. Then the book says, “they bend their knees,” have the kids bend their elbows.
The next sentence says they sprang “up, up, up,” Have the students echo your xylophone (3x) bouncing on the highest bar.
- For littles I allow them to step on the side of they xylophone if they cannot reach to the end otherwise.
On down! Down! Down! Have the students echo your xylophone (3x) bouncing on the lowest bar.
Every time the book says Jabari looks up, slide up the xylophone (students always copy). When he goes up the ladder, have the students walk their mallets up the xylophone.
Constantly reinforce at the end of EVERY play, ‘RESTING POSITION!’
There are some cute spots in the book for fun play. For example, when Jabari says he forgot to stretch, reinforce resting position by using the mallets to stretch but after each stretch model and say “RESTING POSITION.” Or when the book talks about binoculars, pretend to use the mallets as binoculars. Finally, Jabari “feels from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.” Use the mallets to make “alien antenna” and then use the mallets to gently tap the tips of their toes.
On the last page of book, it ends by saying “a surprise double backflip!” This is a moment I use for fun, easy exploration improv. I let each student play for me what a surprise double backflip would sound like on the xylophone. I use this an an incentive to keep their mallets in rest position. I have them sit down if they cannot control themselves and they play while someone else is performing their 2 second improv.
PRO-TIP. If they are playing when it is not their turn, TAKE THEIR MALLETS!!!!! Be consistent and mean what you say. If you say you’ll take their mallets if they are playing at the wrong time, then take them!