At my grandson's 8th grade band concert, my daughter saw a student playing an unusual percussion instrument and exclaimed, "I could play that! I could totally play it." So I looked it up and made one. It's a guiro, common in Latin American music. Originally they were made out of a gourd and about 16" long. I couldn't fathom trying to hollow that far, so this one is 12" deep. To play it, you strike or stroke it with a stick, which makes a "ponk" or ratchety sound. Combined, they make a wonderful Latin beat.
ADDENDUM: She loved it and immediately played it well.
