Kora (instrument)

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/kora-instrument

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Chordophone (string instrument) with lute and harp characteristics
2. What is the geographic origin?West Africa (primarily associated with the Mande peoples)
3. What is a Kora?The Kora is a 21‑stringed instrument that looks like a mix of a harp and a lute. It is played by plucking the strings with thumbs and index fingers.
4. How many strings does a Kora have?A Kora has 21 strings arranged in two parallel rows. This lets one player play many notes at once.

Chordophone: A musical instrument that produces sound primarily by means of vibrating strings.
Griot (Jeli): A West African hereditary historian, storyteller, musician, and praise singer.
Polyphony: The combination of two or more independent melodic lines in a piece of music.
Pentatonic Scale: A musical scale with five notes per octave, common in many folk traditions.