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And just like that, it’s a new school year! So… What do we start with? If you’re looking for ideas for back to school for second and third grade elementary music lessons, I’ve got you covered. After reading, you’ll know what to look for in a “good” back to school music lesson and have a few ideas of things that you can do as well– for the first day of music lesson in 2nd grade and 3rd grade!
If you’re looking for more ideas for other grades, you’re in luck! The last blog post was about ideas for K-1, and next week will be all about 4-5 grade.
If you need more info about what to do on the first day of school, check out this post.
I also send a lot of information about Back to School in my email newsletters. I send out 2 emails a week with ideas and tips about teaching elementary music. Plus, when you join, you’ll be able to access the free resource library, which has free music teacher resources– including some rules card you’ll want to grab.
Click here to get on the newsletter list and get access to the free resources library.
Back to School Music Lessons for 2nd and 3rd grade
During the back to school season, I am focused on a few things in elementary music:
- Learning names
- Rules and procedures
- Having fun
- Practicing concepts we’ll learn this year
I’ve talked a bit about the first two in this post, but in this post, we’re focusing more on the second two.
It’s actually really important to make the class FUN at the beginning of the year. First impressions matter, so if the first music lesson is super fun, then they will think your class is fun. And if it’s fun, then they will want to come and try their best. Plus, they will think that you are fun, and be more likely to like you. And if they like you, they are way more likely to behave.
I also like to make sure I cover different things we need to do during the year. I’m not talking quarter notes and half notes, but instead think about things like:
- Formations: Getting into a circle, getting into groups
- Moving in your seat: How do I move without leaving my assigned spot?
- Moving outside of your seat: How do I move around the classroom with minimal issues?
- Singing: I like to make sure we’re singing in the first or second lesson so they understand this is normal.
So… What makes a good back to school music lesson?
I look for a few things when I’m searching for back to school lessons. In the first few weeks, I want to cover a variety of activities so that we can practice working well with others, practice and focus on different parts of the rules, and easy to incorporate lessons.
In second grade and third grade, I like to jump in with singing games and some silly songs to break the ice of the new year. I’m really taking advantage of the fact that they are still fun and still (mostly) willing to sing and dance.
Here’s a few of my favorite 2nd and 3rd grade music lessons for the first day of school in 2nd and 3rd grade!
My Father is a Garbageman
Other verses:
- My father is a garbage man – pee-u – hold nose
- My mother is a baker – mmm, mmm – rub belly
- My brother is a cowboy – yee-haw – lasso
- My sister is a movie star – whoop de doo – fix hair (note: Some versions I’ve seen do sister is a singer, and sing “la di da”)
- My grandpa is a train engineer – toot toot – pull the whistle
- My grandma is a tickler – tickle tickle – tickle neighbor
First off, My Father is a Garbageman. This silly song goes through many different occupations. I like to use this one on the first day of music, because it give the students easy ways to join in.
I sing and play on ukulele while the students keep the beat.
Then they join on the responses. At the end of my mother was a baker, we all say “mm mm”. Then after my father was a garbageman, we say “mm mm, pee-u!”. It’s cumulative, and it’s an easy way to get kids involved if they aren’t sure about singing yet.
Agua de Limones
Let’s play a singing game! I usually leave Agua de limones for the second or third week (since my students don’t speak Spanish, I skip it on the first day of school), but it’s such a fun getting to know you song!
Here’s how to play
- Students walk around the room while they sing.
- At the end of the song, the person who is it calls out a category (Birth month, favorite color, number of siblings, etc)
- After the category is called out, students get into groups based on the category.
- If someone is left out, they are the new caller.
I use Google slides instead of chafing someone call out a category because I think it’s easier. There are slide in my TPT lesson pack that have things like number of siblings, birth month, favorite color as well as different numbers (get in groups of 3!) so you end up with different people each time.
Click here to get the lesson pack.
Boom Chicka Boom
Speaking of helping students get used to singing, this is such fun first day of music lesson for third grade! This is an echo song, so students don’ thave to learn anything (always a plus), with actions!
Here are my favorite verses:
- Volcano style (start quiet and get louder)
- Astronaut style (Move hands like a rocket, say zoom chicka zoom))
- Flower style (hands go up and out like flower blooming, bloom chicka bloom)
- Cleaning style (sweep a broom, broom chicka broom)
- Opera style (arms out dramatically and sing like an opera singer)
- Race car style (hands on steering wheel, vroom chicka vroom)
- Underwater (hold nose, take big breath before verse and say it like you’re underwater)
- Robot style (move arms in robot style and say it staccato)
- Lullaby style (rock arms back and forth)
- Spy style (whisper to neighbor and be dramatic)
Ickle Ockle
Ickle Ockle is such a fun ocean themed song– and I typically do ocean for my third graders. This one has la and quarter rest and it’s fun.
Note: Some people say Bickle Bockle. It’s nonsense anyway.
Get all the details and extensions in this blog post.
Here’s how to play:
- To play the game, everyone gets with a partner (except the person in the middle, who I call the shark).
- They walk with their partner in a circle.
- Everyone sings and walks
- At the end of the song, Everyone has to find a new partner, and whoever is without a partner goes to the middle.
It’s so fun! I like to scaffold this one, so first we will walk and freeze in our spots, then while walking around the room before we start doing the game.
I like using this game as a back to school music lessons because we get to talk about space, controlling our bodies, being kind to others, and we get to practice having partners- especially having good attitudes.
Charlie Over the Ocean
The last lesson I’ll share with you right now is Charlie Over the Ocean. This is a duck duck goose style game that the students love.
I love it as a back to school music lesson because the kids have to sing, but it’s an echo song. They don’t have to learn the lyrics– they just repeat after me. The first time we play, I sing the call. After that, I’ll give them the option to lead the class if they want (and once I feel they are solid!) if it’s their turn to go around the circle.
Also read: Ocean Songs and Lessons
There’s a few first day of school lessons for second grade and third grade!
If you want more lessons, ready to go activities and slides, ideas, and training to have the best back to school season, you should join the Back to School Bootcamp! This is a mini course that has a ton of information and activities to help you start off this year strong. Learn about setting up your classroom, classroom management, scope and sequence, what to teach, and more!
Happy teaching!
Becca
