Ah Spring! The birds are chirping, the weather is warming up, and the kids are CRAZY. Seriously. They are ready for summer– and we are too! So here are some of my favorite Spring music lessons to keep you elementary music students engaged through testing season, Spring Break, and the end of the year madness. … Continue reading The Most Exciting Spring Music Lessons
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Best Sol Mi Songs for the Elementary Music Classroom
When it comes to teaching solfa, sol and mi is where we start. The best way to get these notes engrained in students’ heads is with sol mi songs– especially sol mi songs. Using sol mi songs allows students to have authentic musical experiences while learning their first two melodic notes. Now, by the time… Continue reading Best Sol Mi Songs for the Elementary Music Classroom
Best Games And Lessons To Teach Kids Solfege
Coming up with games and lessons for solfege can seem daunting. You may feel like the only thing to do is to have students read flashcards on the screen. And while I do think there is value in that-- especially before an independent activity-- it’s not all there is to teaching solfege or melody. After… Continue reading Best Games And Lessons To Teach Kids Solfege
How to Play Lucky Lemons Solfege Board Game
Picture this: Me, teaching online for the millionth time. My students, showing up to every few classes, sometimes coming or going halfway through. It’s March and we’re STILL working on la with second grade. As we have been for weeks. I needed something new, a new solfege board game, and Lucky Lemons was the solution. … Continue reading How to Play Lucky Lemons Solfege Board Game
The 6 Best Folk Songs for La in Elementary Music
I don’t know about you, but when my first or second graders learn la, we spend a really long time on it. It’s like they understand sol and mi quickly because there’s only two options, but when we add a third option, it takes a long time for them to have a solid understanding of… Continue reading The 6 Best Folk Songs for La in Elementary Music
The Best Picture Books for Jazz in Elementary Music
Happy Black History Month! Let’s talk picture books for Jazz! Last year, I shared a ton of different books for Black History Month, and this year I wanted to focus on Jazz. All of these books are intended for the elementary music classroom, although some are better for lower grades and some for upper grades.… Continue reading The Best Picture Books for Jazz in Elementary Music
The Greatest Winter Olympics Music Lessons
I may be a choir nerd who never played a sport (except grudgingly in gym class), but I love the Olympics. Maybe it's because I secretly wanted to be an ice skater (quite a feat living in the desert as a kid), but nonetheless, I love both the summer and winter Olympics. So when the… Continue reading The Greatest Winter Olympics Music Lessons
The Best Classroom Management Tools (that you already have!)
When it comes to teaching.... There's a lot going on. So if there is anything that I can use that will help my day run more smoothly, I am going to take it. In this post, I’m sharing some of the classroom management tools that help my day go more smoothly– and most of these… Continue reading The Best Classroom Management Tools (that you already have!)
Classroom Management for Elementary Music Teachers
Classroom management is a term used to describe keeping a classroom full of children functioning throughout the day. This includes all of the rituals, routines, structure, and more that allows you to keep your classroom running. But classroom management for elementary music teachers is a a little bit different than for classroom teachers, so after… Continue reading Classroom Management for Elementary Music Teachers
Best Nutcracker Elementary Music Lessons for the Holiday Season
When it comes to December, every elementary music teacher has The Nutcracker on repeat. This is for good reason-- Tchaikovsky’s ballet is absolutely beautiful and has some incredible music. After reading this article, you’ll have 4 (new!) Nutcracker music lessons to use with your general music class. Before we get started, I wanted to mention… Continue reading Best Nutcracker Elementary Music Lessons for the Holiday Season