Cigar Box Guitars as Project-Based Learning Engages & Excites Students

Cigar box guitars, and other handmade musical instruments, aren’t just for people looking for a cool, new hobby. 

For instance, educators have begun using CBGs (cigar box guitars) in their classrooms as fresh teaching-tools to capture students’ attentions over a variety of subjects. In this post, we’re happy to share one teacher’s letter sent to us upon completion of his classes’ CBGs.

Students of all ages like to get their heads and hands involved in handmade musical instrument project-based learning: a classroom exploration of real world challenges expressed through hands-on projects. While addressing diverse topics such as (but not limited to) math, science, and art, building CBGs has proven to be an exciting way to engage students and connect them with current and relevant lessons.

We work with many educators who have opened their classrooms to simple construction tasks involved with building CBGs. Each teacher shares stories of students who see the connections between the project and the subject matter, at hand. Moreover, students feel empowered by building their own handmade musical instruments, opening their eyes to what they’re capable of making with their hands, minds, and hearts.

Here’s that most recent letter sent to us by a pleased high school educator...

... on the first day of school, some said, “I see no value in any form of art.” Well, I think this experience has changed their minds!

Hey Gitty Gang,

I am an Art/Technology teacher in an alternative high school. I have been building CB guitars for a bunch of years and have worked with individual students in the past, but have never built guitars with an entire class. This past year, I connected with Glenn and found out about the great Education Outreach Program discount; taking advantage of the discount allowed us to build with our entire class.

Attached, you will find a picture of the crew with their completed CB guitars. We used tuners, strings, piezo pickups, and ¼” jacks supplied by C. B. Gitty. Other materials came from our local home supply store. (For this project) we used a photo-to-wood transfer process that uses a laser print copy and acrylic gel medium to permanently bond an image to wood.

I must say that these students are not inherently interested in art. As a matter of fact, on the first day of school, some said, “I see no value in any form of art.” Well, I think this experience has changed their minds! The students really enjoyed the process and love being able to play something that they actually made. One father told me that he even took his son’s guitar into work to show it off.

Thank you C. B. Gitty for all that you do for us!

Peace,

Mr. Tracy H.

How cool is that?

One educator taught not only valuable lessons from his curriculum with CBGs, but also introduced students to a world previously thought to be of no value to them. Using CBGs in his project-based learning satisfied core subject matter and ignited the imaginations in developing minds.

Do you know a teacher who could use cigar box guitars in his or her classroom? Or are you an educator looking to broaden and deepen your curriculum with exciting, hands-on, project-based learning?

To get involved in our Education Outreach Program, receive the Educators’ discount, and get handmade musical instruments into your students’ hands, contact us at support@cbgitty.com. 

Then brace yourself for an engaged and excited classroom with cigar box guitars.