Like many of you, I don’t have many volunteers to help with a musical. I used to create elaborate sets and costumes, almost always by myself or with my mom, and often, I ended up spending my own money. I realized I was working so hard that I couldn’t enjoy the programs, and I had to disappear from my family and friends for a couple months before each musical in order to get everything done. The following is what I do now to make the kids the stars of the show while also being happy myself. It is not a compromise to do it simpler; I genuinely thing it is a better option to think simply. If you like my suggestions below, you might like my "Checklist for Organizing a Musical" available on TpT here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Checklist-for-Organizing-a-Musical-How-to-Create-a-Successful-ProgramShow-2524307 Costumes: Students wear a common color shirt or outfit from home. I paint their faces (buy face paint! It makes every kid feel special!). I provide hats, animal ears, and other accessories. For example, every kid has a black shirt, and it looks really sharp on stage. At Christmas, I have elves wear red, green, or blue shirts and nice pants, jeans, or a skirt/dress that hits the knees or longer. Reindeer wear brown or black. I splurged on a Santa suit one year and bought a bunch of dollar store white beards that can be changed out every year. Mrs. Claus can wear a dress from home or you can shop Goodwill for red dresses. Through the years I have bought one or two nice bulk costume items. This year, I bought cheetah ears and dog hats from Oriental Trading. I’ve also bought bulk antlers and elf hats. With those four purchases and homemade costumes from pompom balls, hot glue, head bands, poster board and pipe cleaners, my kids look professional on stage. You can see the kids instead of just the costumes, which most parents prefer anyway! Set: For years, I painted sets using leftover smartboard boxes, butcher paper, or donated items. It took forever, but since the stage was the main focal point, I felt like I had to do it. One year, I decided to put the risers all on the stage (I have 80-100 kids per musical). Suddenly, THEY were the feature on stage. Now, I buy backdrops from Oriental Trading for every theme. Look it up! They’re inexpensive and save hours. I then buy or make some items that hang from the curtains at different levels. I make a “color story” to help it work together. My two coworkers and I can have the whole set decorated in less than two hours. We use binder clips and fishing line to hang everything. I just did an “American Idol” type show, and with a gold backdrop, two gold chandeliers and two columns from Oriental Trading (I do my best shopping there, obviously!), a sign I made, and gold tinsel and lights. My show looked glamorous and was so easy to put together! Hope this helps you enjoy life during the holidays!

What you put on your classroom walls should reflect what you teach. Read this article to get suggestions about what to post, how, and why!

Dear TED…I love you Like many of you I have been intrigued, fascinated, amused and enthralled by countless TED talks […]

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you choose to make a purchase. Read my full disclosure here. Organization & Planning Evernote – I sync Evernote across my computer, tablet, and phone. I use Evernote to keep […]

Intro to Dalcroze Eurythmics: a formal method of musical pedagogy, highly regarded in training students in musicianship. Distance learning friendly : many of these activities can be done from home or can be posted on Google Classroom. This is a great opportunity for a non-musical teacher to take up the task of "music", especially if rotary is cancelled. GOOGLE SLIDES w/ notes: notes that include breakdowns, accommodation suggestions and lesson planning info. Assessment FOR/AS/ Learning: an easy-as-pie way to mark and move-on!

Today one of my kindergarten classes earned their very first free day in music. I'm sure it sounds crazy, but our free days are actually very fun and very musical. They require zero planning, as the students get to pick the activities for that day (more on that in a minute). At my school, each class can earn a star in each specials class that they will take back to their room and display outside their door for the whole school to see. It is a display of how they are doing in music, PE, computers, and library. (Outside a 1st grade classroom) Each specials teacher has their own stars and their own system for how the five stars are earned in their room. In music, one star is earned for following each of my M-U-S-I-C rules. At the end of class when we line up, I will go through each rule and the students will assess their class with a thumbs up or down for if they think their class as a whole followed each rule. When they earn five stars, I put a sticker on the chart for their class. Each row is one class. When the class has earned 10 stickers, they will get to have a free day the next time I see them. On a free day, I will tell students in the hallway that they have earned 10 stickers and today is their free day, but they must be showing PRIDE the whole class. If they come in noisy the free day will just be saved for next time. If they get wild in the middle, the free day is over. Students go in and sit at their assigned spot at the board and I will call on quiet hands to tell me one song, book, game, etc. that they would like to do and I make a list on the board of 6-8 ideas. The song, game, dance, book, etc. MUST be one we have done in music class (this year or a previous year). I don't include many "fluff" activities in my lessons, so the thing they choose are always going to be of high musical quality. The fact that the students are choosing them is fun for several reasons. 1) They get to relive and revisit all of their favorites 2) Since they really love the repertoire, they will behave really well so that the games may continue 3) It lets me find out what "stuck" and what are their absolute favorites. I am often surprised by what they remember - a song or book we've only done once or even when they choose something that I am certain they must be sick of. 4) They get to practice the musical concepts that I selected this song for in the first place. Here is what my kindergartners voted on today: Once we have enough ideas, the students close their eyes to vote. If they peek their vote does not count. I let them vote twice and I put the number of votes beside each song. We go in the order of what has the most votes until we run out of time. Today they got to do the "scarf dance" which is a fast/slow activity that I used when we were prepping fast/slow. Now that I have already presented fast/slow, it was fun that they picked this song because now I got to use that terminology when it would shift tempos, reinforcing fast/slow tempo. Grizzly Bear- I use this song for loud/soft prep and practice. We start the song at a regular singing dynamic, get dramatically softer on "please be very quiet" and cresc. all the way to the end with the last word "MAD". Loud singing, but never shouted. If I model it appropriately, they usually follow suit and will not shout the ending. Game: there are several games for this song floating out there. Here is the one I do. Students are seated in a circle. They are the "cave". One student, the "bear" is sleeping the the cave. One person, the "hunter", is walking around the cave during the song. At the end of the song, the hunter tiptoes into the cave (we sing tiptoe tiptoe tiptoe on sol-mi sol-mi sol-mi). The hunter taps the bear and exits the cave and may run around the circle once. The bear must exit the cave at through the same hole and may chase the hunter. Both chose new students to take their place and the game starts again. Peanut Butter and Jelly The Peanut Butter and Jelly book was from one of my very first lessons with them and I was surprised they remembered it. I used it when prepping four voices because we sing "Peanut, peanut butter" and whisper "and jelly" and speak each verse. Lots of fun actions that can be added as well! So here is what my kindergartners thought they were doing: 1) Selecting their favorite songs 2) Having a fun free day Here's what they were really doing: 1) Gaining more experience with those songs through repetition 2) Having a voice in selecting repertoire for one lesson 3) Practicing their four voices through the book Peanut Butter and Jelly 4) Practicing fast and slow through controlled movement with scarves to Ersko Kolo 5) Continuing to prepare loud/soft through play (the highest form of learning in my opinion!) with Grizzly Bear 6) Communicating to me their favorites from music class 7) Having a joyful experience in music Not too bad for a "free day", huh? One more thought - "What happens if I get one lesson behind with this class?" Let's be honest. If they earned a free day, they must be doing something right and are probably getting through a lot more in each lesson than the other classes in their grade level. I don't think they will fall too far behind. ;) What do you do to reward great music class behavior? Sound off below in the comments!

What are your top 5 best hits? Here's a fun way for any music lover to analyze their favorite songs.

Music class is an active, engaging, and joyful experience! This is especially true when our musical activities are grounded in creative and intentional teaching strategies. One of the most important teaching strategies has to do with teaching the difference between steady beat and the rhythm of

Looking for a fun, simple introduction to music for kids? This free printable music booklet is a playful way to learn music theory.

Chumbara

Check out this collection of amazing websites for music teachers. These are platforms that offer a plethora of functionalities—from interactive lessons and comprehensive theory exercises to innovative ear training and intuitive composition tools. These music websites are not just about imparting knowledge; they are about transforming the way music is taught and learned.

Hi, Elementary Music Teachers! I have created the easiest, no-prep lesson to identify the instruments from "Peter and the Wolf" by sight and by name. This is perfect for a sub plan, but you can also use it in your classroom. A sub can successfully complete this lesson with NO MUSIC EXPERIENCE! All you or your sub has to do is: 1. Show the video to your class (click here for video), 2. Purchase the Smart Board Lesson (click here for game download) and 3. You're ready! This is best used as a review to "Peter and the Wolf." Make sure you have the program "Smart Notebook" before you purchase this game. Thanks! Hope this helps!

Teaching the Orff method is just one of the ways to teach music to kids. If you've been curious how to teach Orff, this blog post will give some good ideas.

So, I've seen bucket drumming videos all over YouTube. It got me really excited so I decided to do a bucket drumming unit in 6th grade to end the year. The only thing....where to start??? My middle school students are difficult to say the least so I knew this might be a challenge; however, they are the most capable for this kind of activity. I was hoping that they would catch a bit of success early and run with it. We started this unit in April. I wanted to write a post about what has worked and what could go better for anyone in the same boat as me. Getting Started Getting Buckets 5 gallon buckets are expensive! Ok, not Orff instrument expensive, but for what they are, they are expensive! So, one day I had a brilliant idea! Ask the cafeteria manager if they have empty 5 gal buckets that they are just going to throw away. And....they did! Woo-hoo free buckets!! The only downside: it will take a few weeks to gather enough buckets for an ensemble. Plan B: The Dollar Tree! I got several different shaped (different sounds) buckets. They had mop buckets that sound great! I also got some popcorn bowls and mini trashcans without the lids. It is really nice to have different timbres. Drumsticks: For now we have been using mallets from the sound shapes and some wooden mallets intended for elementary music. This has worked fine and no one has complained! I'm amazed! How to Teach In my class, we reviewed note values. I didn't spend a ton of time on values that they don't see when drumming. We covered quarter, eighths, sixteenths and quarter and eighth rests. Our main focus was counting! Everyone has their own way to teach this. I just made sure that there was no confusion on the eighth notes and counting 1 &. HERE is a PDF of my smartboard presentation. (For some reason, when I saved it as a pdf my drawn eighth rests have disappeared. Just pencil them in when you use this) We did a bunch of rhythm echoes! I think this is a great method to get kids to perform without all the stress of reading, especially when they are beginners. We started out with body percussion, then did a day of Boomwhackers and now on the buckets. Boomwhackers were a great help in this unit. We played echo patterns, poison, pass the rhythm and several tunes from the Boomwhacker song book. 6th grade really enjoyed this and it helped them develop their skills when playing together. It also made everyone more responsible for their part. ;) Music and Teaching Materials A great intro to this unit was "Boom Sha Boom"! This was fantastic! Everyone loved it and it really served the purpose of learning to play together and listen across the ensemble. Once we knew the words, I had them close their eyes and chant. When they were successful at that, they then closed their eyes and said the chant to themselves, silently. It is very entertaining to watch! I found a great site when I was researching materials for this unit. Bucket Drumming Stuff from Mr. Moss Music Teacher is a wonderful resource. You can download rhythm exercises and ensemble pieces here. Fabulous! And the sequencing is great! If you can't download them from that site, try HERE for the pre-levels and HERE for levels 1-7. When we finally started drumming with the buckets (week 5), I took the time to hook up the metronome to the loud speaker and make them follow the beat. As awful as that was, the results were miraculous! They are so excited and wanted to go so fast. I stared them off at 120 and it was a huge failure. I turned it back to 80 and they were a million times better instantly. I also set the met to subdivide eighths and made them play straight eighths at different tempos for a while. Also, I ALWAYS COUNT THEM OFF WITH THE SUBDIVISION!!!!! (1 and 2 and ready and go now). They melt down without it. I taught them a modified version of Eight on a Hand. We play eight clicks (4 eighths) on the right hand, 8 on the left, 8 with hands together and 8 eight with hands alternating. Set the met at 100 and use the eighth note subdivision. We play through it once, fix hand, posture, etc. then loop it 2 or 3 times. This really helps coordination, especially with the left hand. I am planning to use "Sonata for Seven Rulers" by Cathy Blair. I found it in an old Activate magazine and thought it would be a perfect "end of the unit fun song". I did buy wooden rulers and yard sticks and painted them with glow in the dark paint like the piece suggested. I have loved bucket drumming! I want to start an after school ensemble next year! I am so optimistic with this unit that this will become a core part of my curriculum. If you are interested in starting a bucket drumming unit, I really hope this helps! Questions or concerns? Let me know in the comments!

Singing: Vocal technique to help your students hear a new tonality. Download a vocal exercises for singing PDF, FREE!

This preschool art and music curriculum for your homeschool has everything you need for an early love and appreciation of art and music.

Music learning involves active engagement and discipline, resulting in far-teaching benefits to the brain that may include: Improve reading skills Better vocabulary Stronger neural activation in native language 90% of preschool children studied showed increase verbal intelligence after just 20 days of musical training! This infographic takes a look at the various positive impacts that […]

Curricular Charts

Are you looking to be more organised? We have compiled a list of 7 habits that we believe highly effective teachers share and engage in.

My 15-Minute Music Lesson Freebies are some of the most popular here at Music in Our Homeschool. See links to all of them here.

Cellists face many challenges throughout their careers; Dealing with an injury should NOT be one of them! Unfortunately, studies showed

A cheat sheet of education theorists and their research based teaching practices.

I am back today for Week #2 of my Tuesday summer blog series called, "Getting Ahead of the Game." Each week I will give you a little project to help you be ready for August.

The How to Become a Better 21st Century Teacher Infographic provides 27 ways you can a modern teacher.

Part 3 of a 5-part series This is the third installment of the Audacity Tutorials for Music Teachers series and […]

Distance learning is HARD, and it is NOT the same as our beloved classrooms. We would all LOVE to be back in special learning environments with our students, but that may not happen this year. So I'm here with distant learning tips, tricks, and ideas to make it easier for you and your kiddos. These tips will help you with any video conference platform you use. Zoom tips are at the end.

I don't know about you, but "distance learning" is throwing me through some loops. I am having to teach in a new way, create different activities, and it's just plain weird. This activity goes along with the book Tap, Tap, Boom, Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle (get it on Amazon here!). Students use tap-tap to represent eighth notes and boom to represent quarter notes. This is a Google Forms activity. Students will see a pattern of words (starting with tap-tap and boom, then getting harder with other weather-related words) and they will match them to the appropriate rhythm. You can easily integrate this into Google Classroom. Did I mention it is self grading?! After students submit to Google Classroom (don't forget to have it collect student email addresses!), it will automatically grade it for you, and you can even view responses in sheets or in charts, etc. You can get a read aloud of Tap Tap Boom Boom on Youtube here (this video will be taken down after the school year 2019-2020 in compliance with the publisher's guidelines). All of the Tap, Tap, Boom, Boom resources: Creating rhythms in Google Slides Matching rhythms in Google Forms (self-grading!) Creating rhythms in Google Slides in stick notation Matching rhythms in Google Forms (self-grading!) in stick notation Includes: Google slides activity with 8 slides for students to match rhythms Includes directions You may also like: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom lesson for ta and titi Go Fish Level 1 Rhythm Game Brown Bear Rhythm Cards Rhythm Cards and Powerpoint for Piano and Forte I Know a Shy Fellow who Swallowed a Cello Join my free resource library to get exclusive FREE content! Let's be friends! Blog: Becca's Music Room Etsy Instagram Youtube Pinterest Facebook