Music centers are a great way to give your students hands-on experience with a variety of musical concepts. Not only do they allow for a more interactive and engaging learning experience, but they also give students the opportunity to explore and discover on their own. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make the most of music centers in your elementary music classroom Plus some examples of how I have used centers in my own music classroom. Once you start using centers with success in your music classroom, you will never go back!Using Music Centers in the Elementary Classroom Organize ..read more

There are so many famous composers out there. It can be hard to know which composers to teach and even harder to teach them in a way that interests your students. This post will highlight several famous composers from different eras and genres and give you some fun suggestions on how to present them to your students. Want resources for a huge number of famous composers?  The Famous Composers Biography Growing Bundle gives you access to biographies and more for an ever growing variety of composers.   Why Teach About Famous Composers? With so many other things to cram into the cur ..read more

Hey, music teachers – let’s talk about lesson plans for elementary music. Lesson plans are something we all have to do. But for many it can be a struggle. If your music lesson plans are contributing to anxiety in your life, then you have come to the right place! This blog post is here to change that. Do you dread planning your next lesson? Are you constantly feeling at a loss for what to plan next?  Or maybe you are finding that your lessons in music class are falling flat and you aren’t sure why.  Do you struggle to explain the point of your lessons to your administrators? If any of ..read more

Are you a music teacher (or other teacher) looking for a lesson plan template that can help to streamline your lesson planning and save you time? Teachers have enough on their plates. Spending time writing out detailed lesson plans is just not on the menu. And yet many of us are required to have posted lesson plans. In this post I will show you how I plan what I am going to teach and how I am going to teach it AND how I translate that into written lesson plans if needed. And the best part is that I am also providing the lesson plan template for free (along with access to my Lesson Planning Boo ..read more

A String of Pearls by Glenn Miller is such a great classic example of big band jazz. If you are planning a unit on jazz, or just want a jazz activity for kids to try out during Jazz Appreciation Month, these activities to String of Pearls by Glenn Miller is sure to be a hit in your classroom. Glenn Miller: Jazz Music for Elementary Music I love Glenn Miller’s music. It just personifies the 1930s and 1940s for me. Plus, Miller’s music is easily recognizable to many students and it has easy to follow forms, which lend themselves to music and movement activities. But as I have researched, I have ..read more

If you are getting ready to introduce note reading in music, this blog post is for you. Whether you are using note reading games, flashcards or any number of other activities, the way that you structure your lesson can make a big difference on how quickly your students are successful at note reading. Reading music can be a BREEZE for your students, if you follow a few simple steps.  Is Note Reading Important in Music Let me ask you this question – is reading words important in language? YES! Obviously, you can get by ok with just spoken language, but you are losing access to an entire mod ..read more

The instruments of the orchestra. We all teach about them at some point in elementary music class. But what is the BEST way to teach about the instruments of the orchestra? Usually we show some pictures of instruments and talk about which instrument family each instrument is in. But what if you could take it deeper and really experience the instruments of the orchestra? Let’s take a deep dive into some new and fun ways to experience the orchestra and all its instruments! How Many Instruments Are In the Orchestra? I’m glad you asked! (My students do every year). The fact of the matter is that t ..read more

Do you teach music for special education classes? Have you ever been stumped on how to make your self-contained special ed music class fun, engaging and successful for your students? If so, you are in good company. It can be challenging finding what works for your special education music classes. In this blog post I will share with you some of the things that I have learned through trial and error in my own classroom, and hopefully save you some of the challenges I had when starting to plan music lessons for special needs students. Benefits of Music for Special Needs Students There are so many ..read more

Are you drawing a blank on elementary music songs to use in your lessons? Have a favorite elementary music song that you want to use, but you already used it last year? Is it kosher to use a song in more than one grade level? Will students get bored of it or call you out for repeating it? These are questions I have asked myself as I planned lessons in the past. Here is what I have found out over the years … Can I repeat the same music in elementary school from one grade to the next? Yes! Not only is it ok. It’s something I often strive for. If I find a really good quality folk song or piece of ..read more

Thinking of revamping your elementary music classroom management? Or maybe you are a new teacher, just thinking through your first classroom management plan for music class. Need some tips with That One Class that’s pushing all your buttons? Everyone has had that moment where they just wish they could have one more tool in their toolbox to try with a class. Today I want to share with you some of my classroom management ideas for elementary music. These are the tips that work best for me, and hopefully help you too! What is the purpose of classroom management? Classroom management might seem se ..read more