Free Music Theory Lapbook I wanted to do a lapbook on instruments and their families, which is available already on-line here (LINK), thank goodness. We’re doing that today, as a recap of wh…
Finally! The Taxonomy of my Music is complete! While I’m working on my Digital Art assignments I enjoy watching my favorite TV shows. I bring this up to help you get a sense for how long it t…
Preparing for Your First Elementary Music Teaching Job. Organized Chaos. Top 5 suggestions to help you get ready over the summer for your first elementary music job.
I love using body percussion in my music classroom. It's an effective way to TEACH Beat too. So, here are my easy body percussion activities.
Anyone can learn to sing without lessons. Just follow my simple keys for singing to release your own unique, natural voice. The foundation on which great singing is built is "Breath Support." Join me now to unleash that super voice you already have that is longing to break free.
Learn how to practice rhythms with this budget-friendly and fun rhythm game in your elementary music classroom.
Class Openers for Elementary Music. Organized Chaos. Fun ways to establish a routine for the beginning of each elementary general music class as a warm-up and allow student leadership as well.
Looking for engaging, musical games to play with your students? Here are a few of my favorite games and activities for elementary music classes, children's choirs, and elementary group classes.
Fourth grade class wrote some terrific "sound songs". I got this idea from another music teacher. Thank you! It was a hit.
Peer Gynt
A guide from German opera legend Lilli Lehmann
Five fun and action-filled circle games to practice rhythm, pitch, and more with your elementary music students.
One of my most favorite classroom activities to do is Composition. I just love, after teaching students the basics, watching them go through the creative process. I just love watching them as they realize that they can create a melody that sounds pretty. The smiles that come with this activity are so worth it! For […]
A Music Fortune Teller is a great way to review musical concepts learned. If you have forgotten how to play, here is a link that describes in detail how ..
Elementary music teachers and movement teachers can use scarves for many activities. In this blog post you'll find 12 ways to use scarves in music class.
Starting Arts has always had a very close partnership with parents in the community. Parents have the power to change their school culture in amazing and effective ways. For example, Starting Arts…
Books for elementary music? You can teach musical concepts in elementary music with books! In this post we have 9 book based lessons for elementary music!
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY Click here MUSIC EDUCATION RESOURCES IN THE SHOP SHOP Music Resources Add to cart $5.25Rated 0 out of 5 Vocal Explorations : Fall Themed, Animated, Worksheets K-3″ Add to cart $4.50Rated 0 out of 5 Upper Elementary Music Class Chant,Game and Rhythm Lesson: “Get to Know Ya” L2 Stock […]
This guide should get you started arranging music for your a cappella group if you have musical ideas but don’t know how to put them down on paper. It’s no substitute for really learnin…
The Montessori method of education teaches reading and writing by isolating each sound/symbol and allowing the child to manipulate them herself through the movable alphabet. So why would we teach …
High Shoals Elementary School Music Blog, Oconee County GA, Orff Music Instruction
Everything you ever needed to know about music theory, in just a few genius infographics.
Credit- Raymondsanti Students in grades K-4 began the Lion King unit this Monday during Arts Enrichment time. Arts Enrichment is an extra music/art time a week taught by the Art teacher Mrs. Divis and the music teacher Ms. Moon. Photo Credit The Lion King on Broadway Trailer For the next two Mondays students will be learning a fun dance to "The Circle of Life" and making African necklaces. Students will wear the necklaces while showcasing "The Circle of Life" dance at an upcoming school assembly. Photo by: Swiss.frog After those two weeks students will explore The Lion King theme more through various art projects and music activities. Some of the music activity videos are shown below: Hakuna Matata: The Lion Sleeps Tonight Music Video Lion Sleeps Tonight- Just Dance 2 Video I made two different arrangements of Lion Sleeps Tonight (and found the ukulele online) for grades 2-4, to align with what instruments they are learning in general music class. Grade 2 will learn the song on boomwhackers, grade 3 on the barred instruments, and grade 4 on the ukulele. I will also give a brief description of some common African instruments and add appropriate percussion parts (likely only one or two per grade of the percussion parts listed below). Below is a video from a 2nd grade class of students playing the boomwhacker part and some African instruments. Here is a 3rd grade class practicing the mallet accompaniment to "Lions Sleeps Tonight". Although the Lion King takes place in Kenya, the theme of the unit opens up the wonderful opportunity to explore musical activities from all parts of Africa. Obwisana is a folk song from Ghana. Students will play a rock passing game while singing the song. The words of the song mean "The rock has crushed my hand, grandma." I found this description in a book I have: "A child singing this song is repeatedly receiving a message of security and comfort, even in the context of a phrase and game which tells of injury. The injured child can take comfort in the fact that he or she can turn to "Nana" for sympathy and assistance- the ever-present circle of relatives supports Ghanaian children and adults during times of misfortune and celebration both." Che Che Koolay is also a folk song from Ghana. The words have been said by some to be nonsense words. But the movements to the song lean toward this translation: Hands on your head Hands on your shoulders Hands on your waist Hands on your knees Hands on your ankles Hands on your ankles Hands on your ankles, hey! Notation found here Students will learn a dance similar to the popular American song, "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" to Che Che Koolay.
Extra Beat, Take a Seat is a really fun game to play with upper elementary students to help them count beats. This can be played with no materials or rhythm sticks.
Music theory apps for kids
Use this comprehensive, easy-to-use music and art curriculum in just 10 minutes a day! In this 30-week enrichment curriculum, we journey through history with the great artists and composers.
As I said in an earlier post, Maestro Classics inspired me to pull together a mini unit for my kiddos about the music of... ...Peter and the Wolf. *************************************************** Before listening to the CD, I prepared the kiddos by reading to them a short biography page about the composer... ...Sergei Prokofiev. (Click HERE for this composer biography.) (The CD also has a lovely segment about Prokofiev which I plan on using as a review with the kiddos at a later date.) ************************************************** After discussing the composer, we began listening to the CD. First up was the Introduction of the story's characters and the instrument that represent them. After discussing the reasons why we thought certain instruments were used for certain characters, I let the kiddos cut out... ...a set of Peter and the Wolf finger puppets. (Click HERE for the finger puppets.) ***************************************************** Now, I am pretty pumped about the next activity I discovered for the kiddos to work on DURING Peter and the Wolf... It is called a Listening Map. The kiddos went through a series of picture activities which essentially kept their attention drawn to the music. It even had a discussion guide for me to use... Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!! (A big shout out to the Cincinnati Orchestra for putting this material out there- y'all ROCK!!!) (Click HERE for the Listening Guide.) ***************************************************** After completing the Listening Guide and discussing the music, I though it would be fun for the kiddos to watch... ...Walt Disney's version of Peter and the Wolf. (We found it in two parts on You Tube... Click HERE for Part One Click HERE for Part Two You can also see a fun "behind the scenes" clip with Walt Disney and Sergei Prokofiev about the creation of Peter and the Wolf by clicking HERE.) ****************************************************** Some other fun activities I found but didn't get to include: Sequencing Cards Coloring Page Matching Game And THIS site has a ton of lesson plan ideas... ************************************************* I hope to INSPIRE you, too, to get into classical music with YOU kiddos...
Instrument Family ChantsFour, one page chants (rap) of the instrument families - Brass, woodwinds, percussion and strings.A great way to teach students what instruments belong to this family and their characteristics!Rhythms are above the lyrics to make it a rhythm reading activity as well. Uses tik...
Credit- Raymondsanti Students in grades K-4 began the Lion King unit this Monday during Arts Enrichment time. Arts Enrichment is an extra music/art time a week taught by the Art teacher Mrs. Divis and the music teacher Ms. Moon. Photo Credit The Lion King on Broadway Trailer For the next two Mondays students will be learning a fun dance to "The Circle of Life" and making African necklaces. Students will wear the necklaces while showcasing "The Circle of Life" dance at an upcoming school assembly. Photo by: Swiss.frog After those two weeks students will explore The Lion King theme more through various art projects and music activities. Some of the music activity videos are shown below: Hakuna Matata: The Lion Sleeps Tonight Music Video Lion Sleeps Tonight- Just Dance 2 Video I made two different arrangements of Lion Sleeps Tonight (and found the ukulele online) for grades 2-4, to align with what instruments they are learning in general music class. Grade 2 will learn the song on boomwhackers, grade 3 on the barred instruments, and grade 4 on the ukulele. I will also give a brief description of some common African instruments and add appropriate percussion parts (likely only one or two per grade of the percussion parts listed below). Below is a video from a 2nd grade class of students playing the boomwhacker part and some African instruments. Here is a 3rd grade class practicing the mallet accompaniment to "Lions Sleeps Tonight". Although the Lion King takes place in Kenya, the theme of the unit opens up the wonderful opportunity to explore musical activities from all parts of Africa. Obwisana is a folk song from Ghana. Students will play a rock passing game while singing the song. The words of the song mean "The rock has crushed my hand, grandma." I found this description in a book I have: "A child singing this song is repeatedly receiving a message of security and comfort, even in the context of a phrase and game which tells of injury. The injured child can take comfort in the fact that he or she can turn to "Nana" for sympathy and assistance- the ever-present circle of relatives supports Ghanaian children and adults during times of misfortune and celebration both." Che Che Koolay is also a folk song from Ghana. The words have been said by some to be nonsense words. But the movements to the song lean toward this translation: Hands on your head Hands on your shoulders Hands on your waist Hands on your knees Hands on your ankles Hands on your ankles Hands on your ankles, hey! Notation found here Students will learn a dance similar to the popular American song, "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" to Che Che Koolay.
Unit: Instruments of the Orchestra A unit about the instruments of the orchestra is frequently included in music education curricula […]
This Animal Actions Rhythm Game is the perfect way to get things moving and practice listening and note recognition skills at the same time.
