Let’s face it– if you want elementary music students to be able to read and write music, then you need to have them read and write rhythms and melodies. It can feel boring to have them read and write notes on the staff, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be. If… Continue reading Write the Room : An Exciting Way to Write Rhythms and Melodies
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Best End of Year Music Lessons for Upper Grades
It’s here, it’s here! It’s finally here! Well…. Almost. It’s almost the end of the school year… so how do you keep kids engaged right now?! The upper grades (third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade) can be even more difficult to make music lesson plans for, because they are older and sometimes think they… Continue reading Best End of Year Music Lessons for Upper Grades
End of Year Music Lessons for Lower Grades
It’s here, it’s here! It’s finally here! Well…. Almost. It’s almost the end of the school year… so how do you keep kids engaged right now?! In this blog post, we’re talking about end of the year music lessons for lower grades– K-2. These lesson focus on activities that are fun and engaging, but also… Continue reading End of Year Music Lessons for Lower Grades
Tips for Making it to the End of the School Year
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather gets warm and Spring Break is over with, I’m looking forward to the end of the school year. There is, however, still quite a bit of school left– so what do you do when both you and the students are ready for it to… Continue reading Tips for Making it to the End of the School Year
The Most Exciting Spring Music Lessons
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
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