Do you want to spend your budget money to upgrade your curriculum? Are you looking to get into the Kodály way of teaching by getting some of the best resources? I’m kind of addicted to finding the best resources out there for my friends and colleagues in a bunch of different music-teacher areas, but Kodály-inspired is one of the methods I love the best.  However, there are a TON of Kodály resources out there, and it can be hard to know where to start. So I did the hard work for you and went through a lot of them and found my favorite 6 must-have resources for Kodály teachers. F ..read more

OPERAAAAA Ok, I totally sang that. Opera can have a bad rap. Boring, for old people, for stodgy people, or just not cool. But opera can be downright awesome! Introducing your students to opera can take out some of the myths, and show them that opera can be exciting for everyone! Here’s a collection of resources for teaching about opera in the elementary music classroom. Full Disclosure: Some affiliate links. Won’t change your price and I get a small kickback. No pressure! Some Resources Activities from the Lyric Opera of Chicago: https://www.lyricopera.org/lyric-lately/virtual-activities-for ..read more

You now around this part of the internet we love children’s literature. Diwali is a Hindu (and also other Indian religions) festival of lights that is celebrated in the fall. It lasts 5 days and is a major holiday. If you are talking bout holidays in your classroom, here’s some books that highlight Diwali. (Full disclosure: some affiliate links but it won’t change your price. No pressure!) For more books, check out the The Ultimate Music Ed Book List. 1. Diwali (Celebrate the World) Author: Hannah Eliot Illustrator: Archana Sreenivasan ISBN: 978-153441990 Buy the book on Amazon. Thi ..read more

Practicing rhythm and solfege concepts is a large part of the Kodaly process. This is a great game to see if students can read a rhythm or solfege and perform it correctly, to see if they are confident in the concept, and ready to move on. It makes a great assessment because you can sit back and watch them play. It also works well in small groups so more students get more frequent turns. When students know how to play this game already, this would be great if you have centers where they are working in groups of 5+. Students can make a small circle and you can step in and observe if needed. Set ..read more

Halloween is a kid favorite holiday. If you celebrate in your school, it’s definitely one of those days that it’s better to go with the flow and give into the fun! Even then, there is still learning to be done, so here are some great FUN and educational activities for Halloween in the Music Classroom. YouTube Play Alongs Disney Skeleton Dance Percussion Play Along – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSefoqSUm7w Disney Skeleton Dance Boomwhacker Play Along – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLe0aQiU5ww The Great Candy Hunt – Quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, and half notes https://www.y ..read more

Naughty Kitty Cat is a staple in my classroom. Not only can I use it to teach multiple concepts, I get to employ a puppet, it’s a fun game, and it’s one students ask for repeatedly. Let’s explore some of the ways I use Naughty Kitty Cat in my classroom. The Song Tone Set: drmfsl Rhythm Set: Ta, TiTi, Ta Rest Rhythmic Form: AABA Melodic Form: AAA’B The Game Chase game. Standing circle, hands joined. One player, the cat, stands in the middle. Another player, the old man or old lady, walks around outside the circle. All sing the song while walking the beat around in a circle, while the cat perfo ..read more

Puppets are a THING. If you are an elementary music teacher you may love them and have a collection that rivals your stuffed animal collection as a child. Puppet collecting can be a fine art and choosing ones puppets that provide a purpose can sometimes be challenging. I’ve definitely bought puppets before I had a use for them so let’s talk about ways we can use puppets so that the one you don’t know a song for still has a place in your classroom. (Full disclosure: some affiliate links but it won’t change your price. No pressure!) Reluctant Students This is my personal favorite. Take the pres ..read more

Ever wished you could wield a magical conductor’s baton and instantly have your students ready for a concert? It’s a charming thought, but let’s face it, real life doesn’t work that way! While we can’t eliminate all stress (some of us thrive under deadline pressure ?), there are indeed teaching and planning strategies that keep me calm and organized in the midst of it all. My journey toward writing the book, ‘Program Preparation: Teaching Strategies to Avoid Rehearsal Boredom,’ began when I found myself trapped in a teaching routine. I was stuck, using the same strategies for every new song ..read more

There are SO many great songs for with bees for kids that aren’t smushing them up. Somehow with the bee population struggling, I don’t want to encourage it. So let’s chat about some of the best bee-themed songs and activities for Kindergarten that don’t make smashing bees a new pastime. Full disclosure – some affiliate links. This won’t change your price and I get a small kickback. No pressure! Bee Bee Bumble Bee This is a classic chant that is probably the best known of the bunch. Folk Song Analysis 4/4: ta, ti-ti Form: abbb The game I play for this involves a bee puppet. Students stand in ..read more

You now around this part of the internet we love children’s literature. September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. While I’m very much a person who makes sure that I cover different cultural groups all year and not just in ‘the’ month that is set aside. But I still think it’s important to cover them in that month. Here are 5 engaging Hispanic Heritage Month books for kids. (Full disclosure: some affiliate links but it won’t change your price. No pressure!) For more books, check out this post, and The Ultimate Music Ed Book List 1. Grandma ..read more