Maybe it's because I live in Savannah, Georgia (on the coast), but I love including ocean themed folk songs, listening activities, and lessons in my elementary music classroom. Every culture around the world has water-themed songs, and most also have ocean songs, which make it a great place to start including pieces from around the… Continue reading Ocean Themed Folk Songs and Ocean Animal Composition Activities
Category: Games
How to Use Boom Cards in Elementary Music
Have you ever heard of Boom cards? I learned about them in Spring of 2020, although, if we're honest, I did NOT have the brain space to think about them because..... #corona Later that summer, though, I investigated Boom cards, and I'm in love! Using boom cards in elementary music has been so great for… Continue reading How to Use Boom Cards in Elementary Music
Exciting and Effective Ways to Play Four Corners from 6 Feet Away or Virtual (in music class!)
I was talking with one of the Children's Church teachers at church this week, and she told me, "No matter what fun, creative games I come up with, the kids just want to play four corners." Four Corners is a super simple, super fun game, and I have adapted it a few ways to work… Continue reading Exciting and Effective Ways to Play Four Corners from 6 Feet Away or Virtual (in music class!)
How to do Candy Bar Composition for Halloween Fun
Halloween…. A teacher’s nightmare…. When it comes to Halloween/Halloween time, I try to “harness the power of the candy” instead of trying to get kids to sit still. I do that in two ways: I either do movement activities, or we do centers. One center activity that I like to do is candy bar composition.… Continue reading How to do Candy Bar Composition for Halloween Fun
How to Play Asteroid! An Active Rhythm Game
Teaching music on a normal year is difficult. On a normal year, I am constantly looking for ways to get students reading music while having fun and being active in music. This year, with some people teaching music on a cart, 6 feet away from their students, other people teaching music virtually, and some music… Continue reading How to Play Asteroid! An Active Rhythm Game
No Touch Singing Games for Elementary Music
This year has been.... an adventure, to say the least. And it is continuing to be an adventure, as schools reopen and teachers are forced to change their curriculums once again. This time, we are focusing on activities that can be done without touching or being near students... For elementary music teachers, that means no… Continue reading No Touch Singing Games for Elementary Music
Al Citron: Mexican Passing Game for dotted quarter note
This month is Hispanic Heritage month! I love Hispanic Heritage month, because I love teaching lessons from different cultures, and I also love a good theme. I find themes to be the easiest way to make lessons really flow together. This year, I am sharing one of my favorite lessons: Al Citron. Al Citron is… Continue reading Al Citron: Mexican Passing Game for dotted quarter note
5 Simple Movement Activities Using Stick Figures
Looking for a super simple movement activity for your elementary music room? Whether you need a warm up, a time suck, or to just wake the students up, these 5 movement activities with stick figures are the way to go. They are easy, require almost no prep, and the kids LOVE them.
Lesson Ideas for Ickle Ockle
Have you heard of the song Ickle Ockle? It is a really fun folk song... with like 20 different versions of it in cyberspace. I have seen it as Bickle Bockle, with do, without do, different wording.... yeah. But, no matter how you sing it, it is a really fun folk song and my students… Continue reading Lesson Ideas for Ickle Ockle
Monkey Game for Crescendos and Decrescendos
Is there a game at your school that your students beg to play? Like all of the time? That's the Monkey Game for me. I know that it teaches piano and forte to the littles and crescendos and decrescendos to the older students, but they do not care. They want to play it all the… Continue reading Monkey Game for Crescendos and Decrescendos