Explore the idea of instrument families with these fun, engaging, and creative lesson ideas. Although essential, this can sometimes be a stale topic but inject some fresh air into it with these new activities. Perfect for remote learning, using Google Slides, Seesaw, or Nearpod – you’re students will be instrument experts by the end of […]
3-5 Primary School
No Instruments? No Problem!
Teaching remotely can be a real challenge. Teaching music remotely can seem impossible! Students often don’t have the resources or instruments necessary to participate in traditional activities. However, I’ve found great success in this first month of online learning by using found-percussion. Just like STOMP! students are clapping, slapping, and taping their way to success […]
BOY-o-boy: Gathering Beginning of the Year Data
As the school year begins, teachers are setting up their classrooms (or virtual ones), prepping materials, and establishing norms. It’s tempting to do it all in advance, and might not seem like the best time to gather data. However, this is when you can get some of the most important and meaningful information all year. […]
Pacific Islander Heritage Month (FREE materials)
May is Asian American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month. An important celebration, but one that doesn’t typically draw the fanfare of February’s Black History Month, or Hispanic Heritage Month. However, with the popularity of Disney’s Moana and Lava songs I have found an easy engagement piece that allows students to access a part of the world […]
Bruno’s Winter Workshop
There is a lot of hard work and practice that goes into a concert. Students across all grade levels take time out from their day to practice. Much of the show is student created including several song selections, parts of the script, costume ideas, decorations, flyer & program design and much more. Here’s a “behind […]
Danse Macabre: Shadow Puppet Show
This project-based unit for 3rd – 5th graders is based on the classic 1867 version of the piece, Danse Macbre. This is the perfect spooky, but not too scary, lesson for your students during Halloween. The unit culminates in a shadow puppet performance, but along the way students are actively listening to music for instruments […]
The Sign of the Beaver: A Game-based Learning Project
After leading a small Lit Circle with some 3rd & 4th graders we took our text, The Sign of the Beaver, and turned it into a board game. A fun and effective activity that utilized both project-based and game-based learning. Literacy instruction isn’t typically within my wheelhouse but I was really proud of the work […]
Chrome Music Lab : Boomwhacker Compositions
Combining two of my students’ favorite things: Boomwhackers and Chrome Music Lab this fun activity was a huge hit with my 3rd and 4th grade classes. Students can compose, revise, and listen to their own original song. Once ready students practice and perform their piece for the class. This fun activity checked off so many […]
8-bit Music: Original Compositions
We take a look at the history of video game music and how it was made. There is a surprisingly robust history around this topic, spanning from it’s origins to its influence on popular music today. The limitations of the early hardware meant it had to be composed in 3 or 4 tracks making it a […]
Setting Norms: A Social Contract
Start your year with a Social Contract. Different from a set of classroom rules, a contract is an agreement created by the students for both how they want to be treated and how they should treat others. Establish a culture that is unique to your classroom, based on the values of those in it.