Tag: music activities
Fostering Creativity and Expression Through Songwriting in Elementary Music
Songwriting has always been dear to my heart. As a child, it was a way for me to express a snapshot of my feelings through sound and lyrics I couldn’t quite speak verbally. I used to write a song and then eagerly discuss the meaning with my parents. They would of course, shower me with… Read more
Activities for Teaching Melody to Preschool and Elementary Music Students
Activities for Teaching Melody There are many activities for teaching melody to preschool and elementary students that can help them grow a music appreciation, visualize a relatively abstract and technical definition, and have fun, too! The possibilities for creativity are endless. Here are some of the activities that have worked in my classroom. What is… Read more
How to Teach Repeats, Steps, Skips, and Leaps in Music
Teaching about repeated notes, steps, skips, and leaps is fundamental to students learning to read music notation. The better they can recognize repeated notes, steps, skips, and leaps, the easier it will be to sightread music later and to understand the basics of melodic composition. Here are some of my favorite ways to teach about… Read more
Ear Training Activities For Elementary Music
Developing an ear for music is an essential component of music mastery. It enables musicians to create music spontaneously, create melodic and harmonic lines that fit into the music, adjust intonation, transcribe a favorite tune, or even write down their own music composition. With the rise of YouTube, I see trends in music classes where… Read more
Fun Ideas For Teaching Music Tempo in the Elementary Classroom
Tempo Dice Kids love to take turns rolling the dice in this fun tempo music activity. You simply sit students in a circle and pass out a small percussion instrument to each one. Remember to go over rules before you pass out instruments. I bought a large foam dice from the Dollar General and wrote… Read more
Kodály Versus Orff Rhythm Syllable System
When I first started teaching elementary music, I was adamant about teaching children the correct names of music notes along with their durations expressed just how I know them as an adult musician. I didn’t fully understand the benefits of other rhythmic syllable systems and found them a waste of time. Why not teach a… Read more
5 Fun Elementary Music Choir Warm Ups
There they are. Twenty-five students all lined up and staring wide-eyed at you. You know you need to warm them up, but are afraid this will be the “boring” part of the lesson. Don’t give up on warm ups yet! Here are five elementary music choir warm ups kids love. I’ve compiled and tested these… Read more
Rhythm Music Center Activities for Elementary Students
The great thing about teaching elementary music is that kids love to have fun. There are so many fun ways to teach music to children. Let their imagination and yours run wild. Here are some of my favorite rhythm music center activities to do in the classroom. Beat Ball In this music game, students in groups… Read more
Incorporating Technology into Music Education: Tools and Strategies
Children are growing up with technology in a way most of us could never fathom when we were young. Even doctor visits and interviews are commonly held on Zoom. People regularly work from their home computers. It may sometimes feel daunting to try to figure out the best way to incorporate this new technology into teaching… Read more
How to Teach Music Theory in an Engaging Way by Grade Level
When I first started teaching music, my student’s eyes used to glaze over as soon as I said certain keywords like “quarter note” or “tempo”. I realized this could be a big problem. How could I teach music without teaching music theory? As a music teacher, I wanted to instill in my students the fundamentals… Read more