Yes, friends, we are coming up on that time of year again-- it's almost time for back to school. This brings a huge change for music teachers, so how do you get yourself prepped for back to school? I know some of you didn't get out until recently (feel free to stick the emails for the… Continue reading 4 Steps to Prep Yourself for Back to School (as a teacher!)
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5 Simple and Fun Japanese Folk Songs for Elementary Music Class
In my elementary music classroom, we love to sing songs and learn about music from all around the world. In this blog post, I’m sharing 5 folk songs from Japan that you can use in elementary music. Want some free music teacher resources? Join the FREE Resource Library! After joining, you’ll get access to a… Continue reading 5 Simple and Fun Japanese Folk Songs for Elementary Music Class
Quiet Music Lessons for Teaching During Testing Season
It’s almost time for standardized testing, which means we are entering into the season that music teachers hate the most: Quiet music lesson season. If you’re stuck and looking for easy and fun music lessons that are also quiet, then you’re in the right place. By the end of this blog post, you’ll have 8… Continue reading Quiet Music Lessons for Teaching During Testing Season
Tips for Making Teaching Music on a Cart Easy
Music teachers deal with a lot of things, including teaching on a cart. This is when you are banished to the teachers’ classrooms, forced to wheel around on a rolly cart. It can be frustrating, it can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. As someone who has spent more than her fair share of days… Continue reading Tips for Making Teaching Music on a Cart Easy
My All Time Favorite Rhythm Centers
When it comes to teaching elementary music, I love to use centers to practice different concepts in a fun, kid centered way. In this blog post, we’re talking all about my favorite rhythm centers you can use in your classroom. If you want even more ideas, you can start by downloading The Ultimate Centers Ideas… Continue reading My All Time Favorite Rhythm Centers
Teaching Quarter Rest with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony
If you’re looking to spice up your quarter rest lessons, then add some listening lessons! We tend to focus on singing when it comes to teaching new concepts, but there are also classical pieces that include elements that we teach in elementary music. This lesson, quarter rest with Beethoven, includes movement, instruments, and introducing quarter… Continue reading Teaching Quarter Rest with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony
Love Somebody Singing Game for Upper Grades
Looking for a singing game that your fourth and fifth grade music students will love? Love Somebody is a fun singing game that is perfect for practicing sixteenth notes, chords, and singing. Although this is a great Valentine’s Day song, we use is all year long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QadyPp_WYH4 The song Love Somebody Download the free PDF… Continue reading Love Somebody Singing Game for Upper Grades
Easy Ways to Add More Instruments to Elementary Music Lessons
Recently, I asked for questions on Instagram (@beccasmusicroom), and many people asked a variation of, “How do we play more instruments in elementary music class?!” I was so relieved to get that question, because for years, I have been wondering this question and thinking that I was alone in having a hard time with adding… Continue reading Easy Ways to Add More Instruments to Elementary Music Lessons
Elementary Music Classroom Management for Instruments
Elementary music can be so much fun– or it can give you a giant headache. Seriously, it gets loud– especially when you are using instruments. So how do you handle classroom management for instruments? Is it possible to have a chaos free classroom when you are using instruments? The short answer? Yes. The longer answer… Continue reading Elementary Music Classroom Management for Instruments
Using The Wolf Singing Game (We Are Dancing) in Elementary Music
Wolf (AKA We are Dancing) is one of my third graders’ all time favorite singing games. The Wolf singing game is simple, it is fun, and it can be used to practice quarter and eighth notes or la. This song has an official game, and also a way-that-we-play the game that is much less chaotic. We'll… Continue reading Using The Wolf Singing Game (We Are Dancing) in Elementary Music