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Originally published February 8, 2026 Updated March 4, 2026
This collection of Jon Batiste music lesson plans provides K-8 educators with ready-to-use interactive activities centered on Batiste’s life, jazz genre, & social music.
By focusing on his work in Soul and his “Social Music” philosophy, these lessons meet National Core Arts Standards in Creating, Responding, and Connectingwhile fostering student engagement through multimodal learning and interactive play.
Used for Editorial Use only from Deposit Photos, 2026
Activity Length Guide-to help you plan and pace your lesson. 🟢 Quick (3–5 min) 🔵 Focused (5–10 min) 🟣 Extended (10+ min)
Table of Contents
Quick Facts About Jon Batiste
Jon Batiste is a world-famous singer, songwriter, musician, composer, bandleader, television personality and actor from Louisiana who loves to spread joy through music!
He is a master of the piano and the melodica, has won huge awards like Grammys and an Oscar, and is famous for leading “love riots” that are spontaneous musical parades that bring people together.
Click to open each blue heading.
🔵 Jon Batiste Bio
BORN
Name: Jonathan Michael Batiste Born: Metairie, Louisiana Date: November 11, 1986
🔹Wife: Suleika Jaouad 🔹Children: None 🔹Siblings: 1 sister 🔹Parents: Michael (musician), Katherine (Department of Energy)
EDUCATION
🔹High School-attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with Trombone Shorty 🔹College-Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees in Jazz Studies from Juilliard
EARLY MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS
🔹Instruments: vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar, melodica 🔹Early Performance: played percussion/drums with his family’s band, The Batiste Brothers Band 🔹Lessons: started piano lessons at age 11 🔹Fun fact: he loved to transcribe video game music like Sonic and Street Fighter Alpha
LEGACY & ACTIVISM
We often think of legacies as something people leave later in life—but Jon Batiste is already creating one with his wide variety of music. 🔹”Apathy is the killer of all that we fight and hope for in our society.” He wrote his “We Are” album to encourage people to care about everything. 🔹”The artist as citizen has a golden opportunity for you to really show and utilize the full power of music to actually make impactful change in people’s lives.”
🟢 How to Play the Melodica With Jon Batiste
Watch how Jon Batiste produces so many sounds with a melodica!
🟢 Cartoons & Game Music With Jon Batiste
Check out Jon Batiste’s love of video game music and cartoon fx!
In general, the cheaper Cahaya brand is more like a toy so go with a good music brand like Hohner, Suzuki, Yamaha.
🟢 Musical Influences of Jon Batiste
INFLUENCES & GENRES
🔹He was born into a musical family including his father, uncles, and cousins. 🔹His influences include Mahalia Jackson, James Brown, Louis Armstrong, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Beethoven, and Django Reinhardt. 🔹Musical genres include jazz, classical, and blues, as well as soul, Americana, and pop.
Watch how Jon changes Beethoven’s music to fit his style!
Find the form of the song by showing these motions!
Chorus: “When I move…”
Verse 1: “I love how you talk…”
Chorus: “When I move…”
Verse 2: “The reason to get down is to get back up…”
Bridge: When I look up to the stars…”
Verse 3: I’m stuck to the dance floor.
Verse 3:
Chorus/Coda: “When I move…”
Social Music Philosophy & Group Activities
Jon Batiste believes in “social music,” the kind of music that brings people together to celebrate life, family, and community.
Social music is music people use to celebrate, remember, and connect with each other.
🟣 Songs for Life’s Moments Class Activity
Have a whole class discussion sharing songs for each category
What songs would you choose for the life events listed below?
Are there any events that you’d add to the grid?
Divide the class into 9 groups, then share out to the class
Bulletin Board & Community Project
Create a bulletin board with song answers from many students
For a wonderful community project, assign the grid to take home for family input
Soul | Jon Batiste Music Lesson Plans
🟢 The Music of Soul: Behind the Scenes Video
Jon Batiste composed and performed the jazz music for Soul, alongside score composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the music of Soul with Jon Batiste.
🟢 “It’s All Right” Sing-a-long Activity
Verse 1: Say it’s all right. Say it’s all right. It’s all right, have a good time ‘Cause it’s all right, woah, it’s all right Verse 2: Now listen to the beat, and kinda pat your feet. You’ve got soul and everybody knows, that it’s all right, woah, it’s all right Bridge: When you wake up early in the mornin’, feelin’ sad like so many of us do Just hum a little soul, Make life your goal, And surely something’s gotta come to you
🟣 Draw What You Hear to “Soul”
Listen to the instrumental music, played by Jon, from the Pixar movie, Soul, and draw what inspires you. Let the music be your guide. Draw what you hear, feel, or imagine. Here are some ideas. Draw-
pictures
shapes
scenes
Interactive Jon Batiste Music Quiz
🟢 Quick Quiz on Jon Batiste
Quiz CSS block is present ✅
Let’s see what we’ve learned about musician, Jon Batiste. Good luck!
Question 1: Where was Jon born?
Louisiana
Correct! 🎉
Indiana
Nice Try! 😊
Question 2: What is a genre Jon is known for?
Rock & Roll
Nice Try! 😊
Jazz
Correct! 🎉
Question 3: What unusual instrument does Jon play?
harmonica
Nice Try! 😊
melodica
Correct! 🎉
Question 4: What movie did Jon provide the music for?
Soul
Correct! 🎉
Coco
Nice Try! 😊
Question 5: Who did Jon go to school with?
Trombone Shorty
Correct! 🎉
Bad Bunny
Nice Try! 😊
Reload the page to take the quiz again.
Jon Batiste Music Lesson Plan PDF
Here’s the written lesson plan based on the resources on this page. Use it to paste steps into your planner.
Looking for fall music activities and songs for elementary students? 🍁 This post is full of autumn-themed lesson ideas your students will love, from scarf movement and singing games to Orff-based composition activities that build creativity and musical skills.
Whether you teach kindergarten or upper elementary, these seasonal music lessons make it easy to celebrate fall in your classroom with movement, rhythm, and joyful music-making.
This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.
Movement
Bring the beauty of fall into your music room with movement activities for elementary students. These easy-to-teach lessons use scarves, steady beat, and creative motion to help young learners express the sounds and feelings of autumn through music and movement.
Blowing In the Wind (K-2)
Delightful! Creative scarf movement with some lyrics suggestions for how to move.
Taking a Fall Walk uses walking, twirling, floating, and bending while highlighting downward melodic direction and tempo changes.
Scarecrow, Scarecrow (K-2)
Basic movements to a piggyback song (ABC song) about a scarecrow, that with each repeat uses a faster and faster tempo.
Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down (K-2)
I saw this fun activity on Facebook. It would be great to use if you have the parachute/fabric pieces out and want to add this quick song.
To the tune London Bridge: Autumn leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down. Autumn leaves are falling down, all ‘round the town.
The class uses a big parachute or small groups with a piece of fabric or small parachute and some leaves in the center. They step the beat as they sing and at the end they quickly raise the fabric/parachute so the leaves go flying in the air. You can also shake the parachute instead of the quick lift.
Add on verses (with accompanying parachute movement) could be:
Autumn winds go swishy swish
Autumn acorns go kerplop
Autumn squirrels run back and forth
Autumn apples go crunch crunch
Fall Orff-Based Activities
Inspire creativity and improvisation with these fall-themed Orff lessons designed for upper elementary grades. Students explore rhythm, melody, and form using engaging materials like poems, percussion, and barred instruments-perfect for hands-on fall music activities in Orff-style classrooms.
Fall Is Rizz: Composition Activity (Grades 3-5)
STEP 1:
Learn this poem for your A SECTION Crunchy leaves are nature’s chips, Wind gives trees some wild hair flips. Air turns crisp like soda fizz, Fall just shows off—‘cause it’s rizz!
Alt ending: Air turns crisp the leaves are spinnin’, Fall just shows off, it’s six seven.
Step 2:
Use the words in the below table to create a tree B section.
sycamore, hickory, sugar maple, black walnut, douglas fir, river birch
yellow poplar, western hemlock, quaking aspen,
Here’s an example.
hickory
hickory
maple
birch
sycamore
aspen
cedar
spruce
Step 3:
Create a form: ABA or ABAB or ABACA (C is a second rap)
Perform it using different backing track genres! Here are Lofi, Country Honky Tonk, Reggae, and Old School Hip Hop.
Autumn Remix (Grades 3-5)
Looking for barred Orff instrument activities for your older students?
This is a NO/low prep resource, so your lesson plans, for multiple classes, are done!
Autumn Remix, a song with Orff arrangement, takes Emily Dickinson’s whimsical poem Autumn, giving it modern language and a pop music remix that your older students will love.
The rhythms, melodies, and harmonies are what kids are used to hearing and are written in easy-to-teach formats.
Find Halloween songs and music activities for elementary music that engage and delight with movement, Orff arrangements, minor scales, improvisation, and more!
Spider Activities, Songs, & Crafts
Nothing says fall like SPIDERS! For swoops, glissandos, trills, and giggles, a spider does it all! Use a spider puppet for all that up and down web-building movement.
One of my favorite activities was having students make their own paper spider with a “silk thread” to show the spider moving. Vocal exploration is all a part of the movement too. Here’s the make-and-take spider craft!
Frequently Asked Questions: Fall Music Activities for Elementary Students
Q1: How can I add movement props to my fall music lessons? A: Use scarves, parachutes, or simple props with fall-themed songs to explore beat, rhythm, and melody. Movement activities engage K–2 students, help them feel the music, and make autumn lessons hands-on and fun.
Q2: What are some fun movement activities for K–2 music students? A: Teacher favorites include activities like Blowing in the Wind which includes easy-to-use props or music like Taking a Fall Walk that was created in a distinct form to let students show creative movement. Another favorite is Autumn Is Here by Mr. DelGaudio. (see the songs in the Movement section above)
Q3: How can I use scarves or props in fall music activities? A: Fall is all about wind, leaves, changing temperatures, apples, harvest, and corn. Scarves and props can show downward melody (falling leaves), steady beat (Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin music), form (multi-sectioned music), and rhythm (apple poems abound!).
Q4: What are some fall-themed songs for elementary music lessons? A: Songs like Scarecrow, Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down, and Autumn Remix work well. Choose pieces that include movement in the lyrics, rhythm patterns, or easy melodies for maximum student engagement. (see the songs in the Movement & Orff section above)
Q5: What are Orff-based activities suitable for fall? A: Upper elementary students (grades 3–5) can explore composition, improvisation, and barred instrument performance using fall-themed poems, rhythms, or melodies. Examples include Fall Is Rizz or the Autumn Remix Orff song. Use types of apples, leaves, trees, fall colors, etc. to create lists as a basis for poems/chants. (see the songs in the Orff section above)
Q6: How can I teach rhythm, melody, and composition using fall-themed lessons? A: Use short poems, seasonal word lists, or simple melodies to create ABA or ABAB forms. Students can perform on Orff instruments, explore improvisation, and experiment with different backing tracks like Lofi, reggae, or pop. This gives them lots of choice and connection to something that they might not ordinarily be excited about. 😉
Q7: How can I make fall music lessons creative and hands-on for students? A: Combine movement, props, and rhythm instruments with short composition tasks. Students can create their own rhythms, melodies, or compositions inspired by autumn leaves, winds, or other fall themes.
Q8: How do I engage older students with fall music activities? A: Have them create their own poems using word banks (trees, fall colors, or fall foods) or provide a poem and let them compose a B section. Then chant the full piece to backing tracks in genres they enjoy.
What’s Next?
I hope these fall music activities spark some fresh ideas for your classroom! 🍁
If you’d like even more lessons and free resources, sign up for my newsletter— it gives you instant access to the Subscriber Spot, a special library just for music teachers.
Written by Laura Bartolomeo, a retired K–8 music educator with 40+ years of classroom experience and creator of Oodles of Music.
This page will be an ongoing experiment of virtual elementary music instruments and resources that are coded using AI. If you’d like to be part of the process, leave a comment below. They all use a WordPress html block.
Explore 11+ innovative music and STEM projects for your classroom.
Discover 11+ music STEM activities and projects from DIY guitars, theremins, coding, and more, that connect science, technology, engineering, and math to music. Ideal for general classrooms and elementary to middle school music programs.
How Can I Integrate STEM Into My Music Classroom?
It’s easier than you might think to blend science, technology, engineering, and math into music instruction.
🎸 Start with an instrument, then consider the science behind it.
🔉Or start with one of the principles of sound production and consider how to use a music activity to explore.
From sound waves to circuitry, here are twelve classroom-tested projects that show how STEM principles come alive through music.
1. Electric Strings in a STEM Magnet Program
STEM link: Compare acoustic vs. electric sound production, study amplification, and explore the technology behind modern instruments. Try it: Add a single electric violin or pickup so students can test vibration and signal transfer.
2. Build-Your-Own Dulcimers
My students built dulcimers using kits with wooden fretboards, tuning pegs, and cardboard sound boxes. We started by looking at ratios and building pan flutes. Check out the video below!
What they need: Wood pieces, strings, tuning pegs, and simple hand tools to construct playable dulcimers. STEM connection: Students explore ratios, vibration, and sound waves by measuring string length and tension to create specific pitches. Building the instruments reinforces concepts of fractions, resonance, and engineering design, while the music-making celebrates creativity and collaboration. View the STEAMY Rockin’ Ratios slideshow ›
3. STEM2Strings: Electric Guitar Kits
STEM link: Woodworking, wiring, and the physics of sound meet professional-quality instrument assembly. Classroom twist: Small groups can each build one component before final assembly.
4. Theremins Bring Joy
STEM link: Explore sound waves, frequencies, and electronic circuits with an instrument played entirely by manipulating electromagnetic fields. Engagement idea: Connect a theremin to a spectrum analyzer so students see the frequencies they create.
5. Music and Building with 3D Printing
STEM link: Combine music performance with 3D design by printing instrument parts or custom picks. Extension: Compare resonance of printed parts vs. wood or metal.
6. Ukuleles for a STEAM School
STEM link: Explore sound vibrations and frequency while developing fine-motor skills. Budget tip: Add a unit on string tension to connect math ratios to pitch.
7. Percussion Meets Engineering
STEM link: Measure, cut, and assemble percussion instruments while experimenting with pitch and resonance. Quick start: PVC pipes or tin cans become a percussion lab.
8. Coding with Electronic Drum Pads
STEM link: Connect drums to software, learning about coding, MIDI data, and digital audio production. Student favorite: Program pads to trigger different sound effects and build a class beat.
9. Sound Science with PVC Instruments
STEM link: Investigate air columns, pitch control, and instrument design. Fun challenge: Predict the note before cutting each pipe, then test with a tuner.
10. From Scrap to Symphony
STEM link: Sustainability meets acoustics as students engineer instruments from recycled materials. Eco angle: Track decibel levels of different recycled materials to compare sound quality.
11. Build-Your-Own One-String Guitars
STEM link: Engineering, design, and acoustics come alive as students construct and tune their own playable instruments. Tip: Simple wood, wire, and a tuner app keep costs low.
12. TinkerTar
This one-string instrument is PERFECT for learning about pitches and relationships with length of string and vibrations. Read all about it!
Funding Your Idea
If you’d like to bring one of these projects to life, DonorsChoose often runs STEM Innovation matches where eligible music projects receive bonus funding. Even outside of match periods, a well-written proposal with a clear STEM connection can attract donors year-round.
Key Takeaways
Music and STEM naturally overlap through acoustics, vibration, and resonance.
Instrument-building projects reinforce engineering concepts like measurement and problem-solving.
Technology projects introduce coding and electronics while keeping music at the center.
Hands-on learning ends in performance, proving that STEM concepts create real art.
Integrating STEM into music doesn’t require expensive gear or a physics degree—just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to experiment.
How have YOU integrated STEM and music? Share in the comments below!
This easy-to-use digital tool lets you design and download barred instrument visuals for your elementary music classroom. Perfect for teaching with Boomwhackers, glockenspiels, and xylophones, this visual generator helps with differentiated instruction, slides, or handouts in just a few clicks.
Watch How To Create Custom Barred Instrument Visuals
This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.
Barred Instrument Visual MAKER
How to Make Barred Instrument Visuals
Choose your scale – C Major, F Major, or G Major.
Grey out unwanted bars by clicking on the bar, click again to bring the color back
Select a color scheme – Boomwhacker rainbow, wood tone xylophone, or silver glockenspiel.
Pick your labeling style – Letter names (C D E), solfège (do re mi), or numbers (1 2 3). I used a movable do system.
Zoom in using your browser for crystal-clear resolution (see tips below).
Take a screenshot and paste it into your Google Slides, PowerPoint, or printable PDF.
Paste it into Canva and add special images (fall, winter, spring icons)
What You Can Do with These Barred Instrument Visuals
Show students which bars to remove before playing
Create a player’s-eye view of the instrument
Tap individual bars to demonstrate an ostinato pattern or melody
Differentiate instruction by customizing colors and labels
Save time preparing lesson visuals for Orff activities
Zoom Tips for Clear Screenshots (for high resolution image)
On a Mac:
Zoom In:Command + +
Zoom Out:Command + -
Reset Zoom:Command + 0
On Windows/PC:
Zoom In:Ctrl + +
Zoom Out:Ctrl + -
Reset Zoom:Ctrl + 0
Zooming in before taking your screenshot increases the pixel dimensions and sharpness. For digital use, zooming to 150% or 200% often gives excellent results.
Why Music Teachers Love This Tool
No downloads or special software needed
Save time creating visuals for student presentations
Reinforce concepts from your Orff approach curriculum
Works great on classroom projectors, slides, and handouts
Use this free barred instrument visual generator to support your creative lesson planning and deliver better visual instruction in your elementary music room.
More Classroom Presentation Tools
One of my top favorite presentation tools is a clicker with a laser pointer. Kensingtons were my go-tos.
Can I print the instrument image? Yes! For small-scale printing like handouts or worksheets, just zoom in before taking your screenshot. For posters, consider using vector graphics.
Can I include this in my digital resources? Absolutely. It works great in slideshows, student instructions, or PDF lessons.
Can I request new features or color schemes? Let me know in the comments or contact me directly! I love feedback from music teachers.
Want More Resources Like This?
Join the Oodles of Music mailing list to get fresh resources, seasonal activities, and planning tips delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe here.
This guide will help first year elementary music teachers start strong without the overwhelm. If you’re just starting your journey as a new elementary music teacher, welcome! We’ll create a first year elementary music teacher checklist of the essentials.
Whether you’ve trained for this or landed here unexpectedly, one thing’s for sure.
Your first year can feel like a whirlwind. It’s absolutely normal.
This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.
Table of Contents
🎯 And hey — don’t miss the free checklist I made for you. It’s a one-page survival guide you can print or keep online. Grab it below and take a deep breath. You’ve got this.
You have a finite amount of time before the students’ day one. Setting up your space (NOT decorating), having an accurate calendar of concerts and events from your administration, and connecting to some key staff members are essential.
Set Up Your Space
🟢 Do NOW
Decide how you want students to sit-rows, circle, or something flexible.
Where is the Smartboard and your tech space? (computer, other connections) Think about how they will be able to view projected learning and your access to it.
Organize instruments and other resources so that using them will be efficient for you and the students. Give it your best guess and you can change later.
Think about where students will line up to leave and try to keep your desk away from that area. Kids love to touch everything!
🟠 Do LATER
Do NOT decorate your Pinterest Dream room! Trust me.
Would you rather spend your available time putting together a super cute bulletin board or writing out what you’re going to do with 400 students the first two weeks of school?
Calendars Before school starts, meet with your admin and go over your calendar. Many new teachers are caught off guard by concerts they didn’t know about but were assumed to be happening.
Ask about -scheduled performances -expected traditions (like a Veterans Day or Winter Concert) -other outside-of-class responsibilities
It’s much easier to clarify now than to be surprised later.
Personnel It’s often said that the front office people and custodians run the building. It’s true!
Get to know these people.
Front office loves a heads up if parents will likely be calling in about something. (e.g. concert attire, start time, etc.)
Help out your custodial staff by keeping your room as clean as possible. Talk to them about expectations for concerts, stage, riser setup, etc.
If you bring in snacks for your team, get some for the front office and custodians too. They appreciate being included.
You’ll learn what you need as time goes on but it’s essential to have some routines & procedures in place as well as a basic classroom management plan in mind.
Teach Routines & Procedures from Day One
The Basics
🟢 Do NOW Figure out some basic routines & procedures!
How to enter and exit the room-I always had assigned seats and students entered and went straight to that seat. To exit, I called by rows, “Row 3, walk to the door (or to line up).
How to sit-I used criss cross applesauce but would let older kids have one leg out or both legs curled to the side and similar, especially if we were sitting for an extended period.
Quiet Signal-This is for transition times when students have some informal talking/instrument play going on and you need to get everyone quiet and refocused on you. Teachers use the “clap, clap, clapclap, clap” pattern that students echo, or T: Class, S: Yes, or art teachers: Mona, student: Lisa. Most kids know the clapping routine so you could always start with that and see if you need something different.
Class Starters-I used Body Shapes (a slide deck of focus movements) or immediately began an opening routine of singing/signing a major scale. Some teachers start with a welcome song. (I found this too hard on my voice and a time suck as far as figuring out the songs for different grade levels, rotation, etc.)
Procedures-for instrument time, game, movement time, etc.-If you play a game on day 1, you teach a routine/procedure or two along with it. (e.g. how to make a circle, how to sit/stand in the circle)
Student Requests-Raising hands to be called on is the norm. Some classes need to stick with that and others can have more open conversational classes.
Restroom Rules
Should you let students go to the restroom during music? “We don’t use the restroom during music.” was my mantra and I explained to them that it was a very short period of time.
Exceptions: Kindergarten at the beginning of the year is brutal and I’d let them go 1 at a time. If 1 had to go, 15 will need to go so… Also, older kids would want to go and say it was an emergency and so I’d let them. If I noticed a problem with asking too frequently over the course of a couple of weeks, I’d start the next music class and ask, “How many emergency bathroom visits do you think someone could possibly need in a year DURING music?”
🟠 Do LATER
Tweak Your Rules-A routine/procedure isn’t working so you need to adjust and re-teach/practice.
Classroom Management Incentives, Games, Competitions-These might come into play later if you see that basic routines and procedures need some power behind them.
Instrument Use/Partner or Group Activities/Centers-Unless you do these the first couple of weeks of school, these will probably happen a little later but you’ll need to know in your head how you want this to look and have specific procedures in place.
Classroom Management Guidelines for a First Year Elementary Music Teacher
Some schools have school-wide behavior programs but many leave management up to the teachers. Some admins will look for Essential Agreements posted in your room. If you don’t learn about these in your beginning of the year meetings, ask your team teachers (PE, Art, etc.).
🟢 Do NOW
Have a plan for assigned seating and how you’ll handle classroom management.
Assign seats on day 1 (for all seating-rows, circles, etc.)
Begin learning names immediately. Name Games are great for you and the students.
Get to Know Your Students-Give them some info about you and then through culturally responsive teaching, get to know them.
Choose some basic rules such as
Stay in your assigned seat
Raise your hand to speak
Be kind and helpful
Be safe
Consequences-Here are some common consequences.
Talk privately to the student about the expectation or reminding to follow the expectation.
Send to a time-out spot-Give it a name such as Rest Area, Cool Down Corner, Think It Spot, Reset Zone, etc. You do NOT need to decorate it and provide fidgets, flexible seating, etc. I had a stool along a wall behind the other students that my kids loved. They were away from the group but could see everything going on and didn’t have to participate. Pressure was off.
If they are respectful in the time-out area, let them come back. If not, call home.
Lastly, do not be afraid to stop and re-practice a procedure. It shows you have a standard and it’s important.
🟠 Do LATER
As mentioned above, if needed, put deeper management pieces in place: incentives, class rewards, competitions, etc.
Re-Teach & Tweak routines and procedures as you see them start to be forgotten or lose effectiveness. This goes on throughout the year. It’s never one and done.
Lesson Planning for a First Year Elementary Music Teacher
Strive for activities that are fun, culturally responsive, and musically enriching the first few weeks. Then you need a long-range plan.
Want help with that planning?
The Oodles of Music Newsletter is full of the latest -YouTube videos (play alongs, movement, etc.) -seasonal tips -classic and new elementary music resources
Think about WHAT you’ll teach and then think about HOW you want students to behave in the process.
In the beginning, you might not know the answer to all the routines and procedures you need, but you’ll know when you see something that is NOT acceptable. That’s how you learn.
Some common problems -students interacting negatively with each other (touching, pushing, speaking inappropriately) -students not respecting the space (touching items in the room, handling instruments in an unsafe manner) -students talking and not listening (to each other, to you) -safety (running, pushing)
Fun, Get-to-Know You Music Activities
Fun Activities-games, songs, video activities, challenges
Get to Know Your Students Activities-Use Culturally Responsive activities. This is NOT about diversifying repertoire. It’s about providing activities that let kids draw on their personal backgrounds.
Students then feel connected and engaged.
Activities that show personality might include: –Name Games -Would You Rather? games -Four Corner games -Improv on drum (they’ll often play rhythms that they are used to hearing) -Freeze Dances (free dancing before the freeze) -Human Game Board -Love It or Leave It –Thumball
Music Specific Activities-rhythms, singing, moving, creating, and instruments like drums and rhythm sticks work great at the start of the year.
Here are a couple of lesson plans for day 1 with the minutes for each activity and routines/procedures underlined.
K-2 Lesson Plan (35 minutes)
Enter-sit in front of screen, random order. (1 min)
Introduce myself (short slide show) and practice saying my name. (my last name is difficult) (5 min)
Essential Agreements & safety in the music room(3 min)
Assign seats in columns/rows (8 min) They will forget but after a couple of weeks they’ll have it. Criss cross applesauce
Make a circle (eventually this will be an assigned circle)(2 min)
Stepping-step around the room to a drum beat that stops and changes tempo. Before playing, T walks around the room pointing out instruments, resources, etc. and asks “Is it ok to touch this?” Don’t touch anybody. Don’t touch any thing. (6 min)
Back to assigned seats-Have them sit after the stepping activity, and to help them remember their assigned seat, read their names by row. (3 min)
Slide Show-Introduce myself, hobbies, etc. (4 min)
Assign Seats–This is for columns and rows. (If you are seating your students differently, figure out how to do it efficiently with little down time.) The back of the room should be empty so begin calling out assigned seats for the back row, then work your way to the front. (5 min)
Essential Agreements–I read down my list and after each one ask students to raise their hands if they agree. If they don’t, I ask why, address it and thank them for sharing. You’ll get a majority on most all and boom we’re done. (5 min)
Head & Shoulders Baby–Make an assigned seat circle. Mine was in ABC order so I just quickly called the names. Echo the song and motions. Play the game. This involves partners so we got into tapping a partner’s hands on day 1. (15 min)
Would You Rather Game– (5 min)
More Grades 3-5 activities or the beginning of the year.
Long-range plans give you a roadmap to what you’ll be doing the entire year.
If you continue to write plans week-to-week without a long-range plan, you begin to look for random activities to fill the time.
Combine grade levels your first year.
K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 is a nice grouping or you can do K-2 and 3-5. Instead of writing 6 grade level plans, you’re writing 2 or 3. Then the next year you can diversify. (or not) This process takes time.
Learning Goals & Songs
Jot down just a few learning goals for each grouping-rhythm and pitch mainly.
Then take take a calendar monthly format (Google Sheet, Word, written in a notebook) and put in your concerts and the learning goals.
Add in heritage months and special events you want to highlight. Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Veterans Day, Valentine’s Day, etc.
Then begin to look for songs and activities that you can use the first few months.
Now you can write specific weekly plans from that general framework that you’ve created.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are tons of ideas out there, but start with just a few trusted places so you don’t get overwhelmed. Choose a couple of songs, games, or routines and really get to know them. Then teach them confidently.
Here on Oodles of Music, you can find answers to most all of your questions.
In the sidebar at the top, use the SEARCH feature or the CATEGORY dropdown menu.
Experienced Teachers-Quick List for a New School
For those of you who are going to a new school and are more experienced, these suggestions are what I found helpful whenever I moved.
I taught in 9 different schools over the course of about 40 years. Half were moves because of my husband being a college football coach and we moved around a bit and half were me choosing to switch with one being a school closing.
Get to know the staff as quickly as possible.
I’m assuming you’ll have meetings with your team but if not, make it a point to get to know them quickly.
Eat lunch in the teacher’s lounge. You and other teachers can more quickly get to know each other.
If you don’t have a morning duty, hang out in the halls occasionally and chat with teachers as they welcome their students.
Grab doughnuts for the front office and custodial staff and chat with them a bit. It’s a chance to connect.
Ask Questions About the School Community
Know about your PTO/PTSA, parent liaison, etc.
Ask about past programs/events (not necessarily music) that are traditional or well-loved.
Make Music Decisions
Following a much-loved teacher can be challenging.
Decide how you’ll approach, “Ms. B didn’t make us do that” and similar.
Concert extravaganzas from the former teacher but you like more of an Informance style. Making drastic switches in that direction are something to consider carefully.
I followed a much-loved teacher only one time and it was HARD! My mistake was trying to steer the boat in a different direction too quickly. I should have taken the first year and eased it slowly to my style and kept some of her style in there. But I was relatively young and inexperienced.
Final Thoughts + Free Checklist
It’s the norm for a first year music teacher to feel unprepared. You’ll learn by doing, adjusting, and asking for help when you need it. Be patient and give yourself grace.
FREE Checklist
Ready to take a shortcut? Download the free checklist and get guidance on how to start your journey as a new elementary music teacher!
It’s got the essentials you need to start strong and feel a little more confident each day.
Looking for creative teaching ideas for nursery rhymes and songs in elementary music classes? If you’ve ever felt stuck doing the same fingerplays or songs over and over, you’re not alone.
How can we make nursery rhymes more musical, more interactive, and more developmentally rich, without spending hours in planning?
In this post, you’ll find a big list of ways to use nursery rhymes as springboards for movement, beat work, rhythm exploration, singing, storytelling, and more.
Whether you’re teaching short 20-minute classes or planning for centers, there’s something here you can plug in and use right away.
This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.
The Playlist
Why Use Nursery Rhymes in Music Class?
Nursery rhymes are packed with:
Repetition and rhyme
Simple rhythms and phrasing
Playful language that’s perfect for vocal exploration
Built-in story structures that support sequencing, improvisation, and creativity
And the best part? They’re familiar to many students already. Even when they’re not, the short length makes them easy to teach in just a few minutes.
How do we generate new teaching ideas for nursery rhymes and songs we’ve known forever?
Generate & Streamline Teaching Ideas for Nursery Rhymes and Songs With a Template
Choose a rhyme and then plug it into the below template: Introduction, Beat & Rhythm, Singing & Vocal Exploration, and Phrasing & Storytelling.
💡 Here are more ideas about how to use this template!
Introduce the Rhyme
Introduce the rhyme by saying it for the students with lots of expression. You may want to do some echo speaking to help students learn it. Depending on the rhyme, you can add motions and body percussion. You can then go straight into Beat & Rhythm activities or save it for the next lesson as part of your multi-lesson approach.
Beat & Rhythm
Nursery rhymes are the perfect launchpad for beat & rhythm exploration. Try these ideas:
Echo speak the rhyme one line at a time, using natural rhythm or speech syllables
Keep the steady beat with body percussion (tapping legs, patting shoulders) or beanbags on knees
Use rhythm sticks or egg shakers to add sound and structure
Create a beat-passing game around the circle while saying or chanting the rhyme
Tap the beat while students speak the rhythm. Switch.
These activities reinforce beat vs. rhythm and help your youngest learners internalize musical timing without needing formal notation.
Singing and Vocal Exploration
These quick ideas turn simple rhymes into rich vocal exploration experiences.
Melody: If the nursery rhyme doesn’t have a known melody, try singing it with sol-mi or sol-mi-la.
Character voices: Speak or sing each line using a different voice (high, low, squeaky, giant, animal)
Melodic direction: Choose words that suggest pitch movement (“up,” “down,” “fall,” etc.) and move your voice with the word
Add a vocal slide or glissando on key words for fun and expressiveness
Rhyming, Phrasing, and Story Play
Nursery rhymes are short stories in disguise. Use them to build phrasing awareness and storytelling skills.
Rhyming games: Pause before the rhyming word and let students fill in the blank
Partner phrases: Take turns speaking each phrase with a partner, then switch roles
Create new verses using the same rhythm or structure
Act out the story with puppets or stuffed animals
Story sequence with picture cards. Students place them in order or tell the story themselves.
Have students color a scene from the rhyme and retell what happened or a coloring page that already sequences the story.
All of these support memory, listening, sequencing, and creative thinking.
Nursery Rhyme Centers for Elementary Music
Prek, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade nursery rhyme centers are a great way to give students hands-on time with rhymes, especially in shorter class periods.
These ideas are a natural follow-up after experiencing the whole-class teaching above.
Voice choice cards: Students speak the rhyme using silly voice cards (robot, whisper, giant, mouse)
Rhythm center: Use rhythm sticks or drums to tap the beat or create a new rhythm for the rhyme
Story sequence puzzles: Give students cards to place in order (beginning, middle, end)
Beat maps: Students move a small object along a path as they say the rhyme, tapping the beat
Puppet play: Students act out the rhyme alone or in pairs using simple puppets or stuffed animals
These centers don’t require tons of prep, but they reinforce musical concepts and keep students engaged.
My puppet stage was loved by ALL my younger students. (older students would beg to play too) Here’s a smaller version of the one I used.
If you want to see the big stage from my classroom, check it out (and other favorite items) on my Amazon Storefront!
As an Amazon Affiliate, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Nursery Rhyme Lesson Plan Examples
Here’s a quick example of how you can take one rhyme and expand it into several music-focused activities. You’ll find a full visual of this in the infographic below.
“This Old Man”
Introduce: Sing with motions
Beat & Rhythm: Play rhythm sticks on “knick knack paddy-wack”
Singing: Replace “man” with mouse and sing with a high voice. (elephant/low)
Phrasing & Storytelling: Coloring page with the ten verses
“Pease Porridge”
Introduce: Echo speak/clap the rhyme, discuss porridge and who eats oatmeal (hot? cold?), food likes/dislikes
Beat & Rhythm: Using small percussion, play the rhythm, the beat, then only on the rests.
Singing: Vocal exploration-speak entire rhyme in high voice then low voice then alternate phrases with high and low. Partners try different ways to use high/low speaking voices.
Phrasing & Storytelling: Split phrases between teacher and students, switch. Have partners explore who says the phrases.
“Miss Mary Mack”
Introduce: Speak with motions. Teacher speaks beginning of phrases, students say all repeated words.
Beat & Rhythm: Explore which repeated words use 1, 2, and 3 syllables. Play those on instruments.
Singing: Speak the poem but sing the repeated words on a pattern such as mrd or ds’s’ or d’d,d, or similar
Phrasing & Storytelling: Have students place sequence cards in order. 1. Miss Mary Mack 2. Dressed in black 3. Silver buttons, etc.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to reinvent your nursery rhyme lessons from scratch. Just one rhyme can turn into five or six different experiences over multiple classes, all tied to musical concepts you’re already teaching.
Repetition is so important! When students revisit the same rhyme in different ways, it strengthens their musical memory and gives them chances to learn new elements in new ways.
Got a favorite way you use nursery rhymes in your classroom? I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram @oodlesofmusic to share your ideas!
Here’s a step-by-step guide to introducing and teaching the recorder to your students using basic techniques that work for all students.
Knowing how to teach the recorder involves ordering lots of small but important steps such as note reading, instrument care, routines & procedures, and the ever important sound production, then putting it all together and playing songs.
Originally published January 11, 2025 Latest update April 13, 2026
💡 You’ll find lots of tips and tricks whether you’re a new teacher introducing the recorder for the first time or looking to refine or shake up your recorder teaching approach.
How Do You Begin Teaching the Recorder and Recorder Units?
There are 4 main phases to beginning a recorder unit: 🔹 introduction or review of the treble clef and basic rhythms 🔸 introduction to the instrument 🔹 introduction to playing techniques 🔸 playing songs
Table of Contents
A condensed lesson plan outline is at the bottom of this post. The top is to use with your students as you teach.
Introduction to Music Reading
Learning about the treble clef and the note names is a long game. Students don’t learn it instantly or retain it without lots of practice. And let’s face it, the frequency we see our students isn’t conducive to learning notes and retaining the information. Besides this TedEd introduction, you can use lots of other vehicles for learning treble clef notes.
Knowing these notes is not a pre-requisite to beginning the recorder.
Lots of beginning recorder playing is echoing, creating, improvising, and playing from non-standard notation such as numbers, colors, and letters.
Can All Students Learn to Read Music Notation?
From my own experience, I’d estimate that 10% will become proficient treble clef readers, 40% will have moderate ability reading from a staff, 30% will have limited ability meaning they can do 3-5 note songs, and 20% will never be able to make the note/instrument connection. In a class of 30, that’s 3 super readers, 12 moderate, 9 needing limited notes, and 6 that won’t make the connection.
Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment below.
But guess what? We all can still learn together as we play, create, and make beautiful music!
How to Read Music from TED Ed
StaffWars App
StaffWars is my favorite app for iPads that kids ADORE! Play as a class, in centers, or if you have the ability, individually.
Introduction to the Soprano Recorder
Recorder History & How It’s Made
The Recorder Family
Now’s a great time to get out your recorder collection and show it off during class. There’s nothing like seeing and hearing them in person. You can invest in lower cost plastic models and still find great quality.
Hear Low to High Recorders
Hear the bass, tenor, alto, soprano, sopranino, & garklein (aka sopranissimo or piccolo)
Recorder Consort
How Low? A Sub Contrabass Recorder
How to Play the Recorder
Recorder Hand Positions
Left Hand Relay
To solidify the left hand goes on top, have students sit in two lines with their right hands behind their backs. Give a recorder to the first person in each line. Students have to pass it down using only their left hand on top. The winner is the first line that passes the recorder correctly to the end.
Articulation & Breath Control
The Feather Game
Put a small feather in your hand and your hand in front of your mouth. Echo rhythms on tu or du without blowing the feather off your hand.
What are Some Fun Recorder Games?
Recorder games can be simple competitions and challenges based on rhythms, treble clef notes, identifying note fingerings, and playing simple melodies. Popular recorder games include Poison Pattern, Guess the Melody, Four Corners, Kaboom, Melody Roll (Composing with Dice), Blooket (identify fingerings), and Doggie, Doggie (on recorder instead of sung).
Rhythm Kaboom
In teams, instead of pulling sticks, Recorder Kaboom uses a spinning wheel that displays a rhythm. You can choose the note that the team will play the rhythm on. If they get it correct, 1 point. There’s always the chance that you’ll land on KABOOM and lose all your points!
Song Playing Ideas & Techniques
What Notes Do You Begin With?
Years ago almost all beginning instruments began with ONE note that you played with a variety of rhythms. So for recorder it was B. Then you’d added A and had B-A songs. Thankfully, we have gotten away from that way of learning!
What notes do you begin with when teaching recorders?
BAG, GE, CA? Pros & Cons
Now the question is whether you begin with BAG, GE, or CA. I’ve tried them all and each has their pros and cons!
BAG is easier to get some initial good sounds but then that pesky right hand is (even though you tell them to put their right thumb on the back) everywhere but where it should be. By the time you’re ready for E they’ve gotten into some bad habits.
Beginning with GE means those hands are beautifully set in place. YAY! But getting that E out means you have to have SIX holes covered really well. That can initially be frustrating plus there’s a serious lack of anything musical sounding with only G and E.
Starting with C and A has lots of sound success because only one finger needs to move. Also, it teaches C early on which is so handy to come back to after learning lower notes. You also can play in F (add some ukuleles), C pentatonic, and Am. The cons are that again you have the bottom hand not being engaged as quickly and high C is HIGH. Of the 3 choices, it comes in last for me personally.
In the end, I don’t think it matters. Just pick one and go with it!
The below Recorder Orff Pack has a BAG song and a GE song so that you’re starting notes don’t matter. Take a look!
BAG E Warmup Trick
Here’s a little trick. If you start with BAG, have them learn E sooner rather than later so that they learn to set that hand. Here’s an echo play warmup using numbers that’s loads of fun and accomplishes that hand set.
Recorder Orff Pack
Your students will love recorder playing with Orff activities, games, movement, and fun accompaniment music genres!
This resource GUIDES you through the teaching process!
Tone Tracker
A Game Changer! Evaluate EVERYTHING they play as a class in a FUN way! We’re looking for a pleasing tone. (see below for more info)
Mary Had a Little Lamb or Hot Cross Buns
I love starting with these time-honored favorites! Begin with NO playing but articulating (too, doo, etc) as you move your fingers on your recorder.
Practice & Assessment
Give students practice time with a partner. Talk about what it means to be a good partner. Partners can take turns playing for each other and offer advice. A partner can see if your finger isn’t covering a hole. Voila! Squeak fixed!
As partners are practicing, call up students 4 at a time or walk around the room and ask students to play Mary for you in small groups. Make finger adjustments and offer verbal advice.
Assessing at a very early stage can help students tremendously and get them going in the right direction.
Sound Trick
You can turn a recorder BACKWARDS so that YOU can finger it as the student plays. I would often do this when kids were SURE there was something wrong with their instrument and that’s why it kept squeaking. 😊
Deedle Deedle Dumpling (G & E Song)
Echo speak and clap the rhyme. Students clap the rhythm as they think the rhyme. Students articulate (too or doo, tu or du) as they think the rhyme.
Play the rhyme using G on the black words and E on the red words.
Recorder Composition Units & Projects
There are so many ways to get students composing on recorders. One of the easiest ways is to give them a poem/rhyme and have them compose a melody for the rhythms. You give them the available notes they can use. Common ones would be GAB, EG, EGAB, DEGAB, CBAG.
Partner composing is helpful because the collaboration supports both students musically and creatively. I’d have everyone use the same poem to see all the creative variety that will happen.
Composition Lesson Plan
A lesson order for EGAB might be:
Introduction
Introduce the rhyme/poem
Clap it, speak the rhythms.
Compose a Melody as a Class
Explain home tone/key of Em so their song needs to begin and end on E.
Use a whole-class example to show them exactly the process.
Should you use staff notation or letter names below the rhythm? I think notation would complicate the creation process so I’d begin with letter names. When complete, I’d have students add notation on the staff.
This is a great time to talk about the power of repetition in song writing. Give your piece a title!
Partner Composing Process Begins
The composing process begins with teacher circulating.
Hand out the rhythm of the poem using paper/clipboard or dry erase sleeve so that they can write the letter names below each note.
Partners raise hand when finished for you to hear and check if rhythms are correct and that it begins/ends on E. Give a time limit.
As you circulate, if some are having trouble, remind them to use repetition.
All share their song (and title).
Have a few students share which song would get 5 stars from them and why.
Performance
Accompany the pieces using an E-B drone (or whatever fits with your chosen set of notes) on barred instruments.
Your whole-class song example from early in the process could become your A section and you could have it return between all the duets for a super RONDO form!
Writing Notation
Take the whole-class example and put the notes on the staff. Add composer name, date, and a title.
Partners then transfer their piece to a staff. I’d hand write them but if you wanted to then try writing them using Noteflight or similar, that would be a further extension. These final copies would make an AMAZING bulletin board display.
LESSON PLAN: Recorder Unit Multi-Day
This is one possible order of activities to begin a unit on recorders.
The activities at the top loosely follow this outline.
Introduction to Music Reading
Introduction to Music Reading
Treble Clef Notes-Introduce or review the notes of the treble clef
Rhythms-Review basic rhythms
Introduction to the Recorder
History of the Instrument & How It’s Made
The Recorder Family
Listen to Fun Examples of Recorder Performances
How to Play the Recorder
Hand positions, finger numbers, indentations on fleshy part of finger.
Articulation, tonguing
Echo speak 4 beat rhythms on articulation syllable too, tu, du, doo, etc.
Discuss warm air, cool air
You want your birthday candle to barely flicker NOT blow out. You may even want to say, “You are NOT blowing into the recorder as much as whispering our special articulation word for every note.”
Recorder Routines
Discuss how to get recorders
Discuss how to put them away
We practiced putting the instruments into their cases and placed across their laps by the time I counted to 10. I’d say, “Please put your recorders away in 10, 9, 8, etc.” We practiced until the entire room did it correctly.
I always had them hold the foot and put them head first into the case. That protected the mouthpiece from being touched.
Have a resting position during play/instruction time (across lap, hold on shoulder) I never had them put them on the floor to prevent being stepped on or accidentally grabbed by the person next to them.
Get Your Recorders
Students FINALLY get their recorder and practice the routines above.
Practice making indentations with left hand thumb and 1, 2, 3
Echo Time (using a 4-beat rhythm such as ta ta ti-ti ta) and thumb and 1 (B)
Whisper with articulation syllable
Play
Continue echoing different patterns with syllables and then playing
The Tone Tracker
The Tone Tracker-Use a visual chart that indicates their tone as a class. You can use dynamics where piano is a top score and forte is bottom. Other possibilities could be rainbow/thunderstorm, cat/lion, Black Panther/Hulk. Almost every time they play, adjust the chart to reflect how they just played. All classes in a grade level were on the same chart so they could compare how other classes were playing. When I started doing this it drastically reduced silliness, on-purpose loud sounds, and indifference to their personal quality of sound.
Playing Songs
Start with (Mary Had a Little Lamb (or Hot Cross Buns) if you start with BAG)
No Recorders
Begin with echoing and articulation warmup like above.
Echo speak Mary
Echo play Mary
Get recorders & repeat no recorder activities
Partner Practice-partners check for holes covered and correct fingerings
Play as a class and use a Tone Tracker
Practice Time & Assessments
Using partners and quick assessments is essential. I sometimes partnered students up with someone of similar abilities and sometimes a high/low mix. The variety of partners kept things interesting and valuable for all.
Storing Recorders
How should I store a set of classroom recorders?
I have enough for a full set for each class but no cases and need a way to number them or put names on them also. I keep them in a plastic drawer but I want a way to keep the mouthpieces from laying on each other. Any ideas, cost effective is a plus!
Cases
Use plastic bags
Gallon bags, easy to write on, put a paper towel inside to absorb moisture.
Sew cases
Costly in time. I made them from fleece (fun colors but hard to use Sharpie on) or muslin (super cheap).
Purchase
Purchase cloth bags from West Music (bulk buy for $0.93 each)
Storage
I’ve used wine boxes from Trader Joe’s, cardboard mailboxes to keep them sorted, Sterilite plastic boxes, and shoe or stuffed animal organizers.
Here’s the organizer in my classroom and a similar one on Amazon with 24 pockets.
I kept the recorders sorted by rows (so 4 slots) and had row leaders get the recorders for their row and pass them out. (saves SO much time)
I used over the door shoe holders. One slot for each row. If you don’t have a door, you can hang them with sturdy hooks or nail into wood.
Numbering
I used a silver Sharpie on dark recorders and a black Sharpie on light recorders and cases made of plastic or fabric.
Recorder FAQs
What are the best classroom routines for teaching elementary recorder as a new teacher?
For first-time teachers working with 3rd–5th grade, success starts with three core procedures: Establish a Resting Position: Prevent accidental “squeaking” by requiring a consistent resting position, such as placing the recorder across the lap or resting it on the shoulder when not playing. Focus on Sound Quality: Explicitly teach articulation (using “tu” or “du” syllables), breath control, and volume management from day one. Diverse Song Selection: Keep engagement high by moving beyond traditional folk songs to include a variety of musical genres.
How do you scaffold recorder lessons for diverse learners?
To build skills smoothly across different ability levels, use a dual-track approach: Multimodal Instruction: Blend traditional notation with rote learning. Incorporate echo playing, reading by letter names, and short “riffs” alongside standard treble clef reading. Student Composition: Allow students to create their own melodies early on. This builds ownership and reinforces fingerings without the pressure of sight-reading. Varied Grouping: Move away from constant whole-class instruction. Use partner activities, games, and integrate recorders into Orff arrangements where students rotate between recorders and barred instruments.
Here’s a big list of winter, December, and holiday Christmas music games and activities for the elementary music classroom!
The key to learning in December is to continue to offer active music making through games, movement, and instrument playing. Themes include weather and December holidays such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve.
🤷🏼♀️ With teacher overload from rehearsals, concerts, grading, back-to-back classes, and oh yeah, a personal life, downtime for lessons (movies) sounds nice but often doesn’t engage the way we think it will.
🔥 Keep them moving, singing, and playing!
This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.
Table of Contents
🔵 Winter, December, & Christmas Music GAMES
Meter Beat Tag (Winter Edition)
A tag game where you can only move on the downbeat! FUN!
Check out more on how to play and then add winter music for lots of fun! This playlist includes music in 3/4 and 4/4!
Snowball Fight
There are so many ways to play this game. It all starts with a sheet or half sheet of paper that has something written on it that is wadded up into a ball. Then when the music starts, kids throw them and have the snowball fight. When the music ends, they have an action.
Rules When the music ends, throwing ends. (practice with a short clip of music) A student or two will probably need to sit out to prove you mean it. Only throw below the waist. (or no throwing at someone’s head/face)
Here are some game possibilities.
❄️ Find the Match with musical terms/symbols Two versions. One matching term to symbol and the other just matching the term or pattern.
Term to Symbol:Paper has a musical term on one and the matching symbol on another. “Treble Clef” matches to its symbol. (notes, staff, dynamic & tempo markings, treble clef notes)
IDEA: In partners, let the students determine what term/symbol they want to contribute and create the two snowballs!
Matching: Students find their exact match so first graders might look for the match to quarter-quarter-two eighths-quarter written out in notation. Or grape-grape-apple-grape icon pattern.
Playing The Dreidel Game was an annual event (along with singing the song) in my room and the kids always LOVED it.
🔵 Winter Music ACTIVITIES
Listening Activity with The Nutcracker (Grades K-5)
This is such a flexible activity because you can easily change the music selection and use any time of the year. Using the idea in December is effective when you need focus, calm, and centeredness to all the end of year chaos.
Pick a piece. This example is Dance of the Reed Flutes from The Nutcracker.
Students lie down and listen. (turn lights off or down)
Listen again, and with white boards, markers, erasers (socks) draw what the music is saying to you. What does it remind you of? How does it make you feel? If it was an animal, emoji, or person, what would it look like?
Share with a partner
As a class, hold up your whiteboard toward the teacher and tell them what it is. (all at once)
Might be fun to let one row go at a time so kids could share with more than just the teacher or a partner.
While you have the whiteboards, draw some lines. Straight, wavy, curvy, pointy, swirly and after each type, sing what the line would sound like. (vocal exploration)
With partners, one person draws a line that the partner can’t see, then sings it, and the partner tries to guess what the line was.
Get in groups of 4, sit in a circle, and each draws a line or shape. Put the boards on the floor. Go around the circle and sing your shape. Rotate the boards to the right and sing the NEW board. Keep going until all have been sung.
Snowball Vocal Exploration (Grades PreK-3)
Use purchased snowballs or wadded pieces of paper. If wadded, this activity could come before or after one of the Snowball games above.
In a big circle, throw or roll the snowball to another person, making the sound of the path. A roll would be a sustained lower pitch. A high arcing throw would have a glissando up and down. A fast throw straight across would have a sustained but quick pitched note.
Students get in pairs and toss a snowball back and forth as they make the sound of the path. Try getting further apart to increase the length of the vocal sound. Switch partners several times.
Everyone gets a snowball and tosses into the air (up/down) or drops the snowball to the ground (down glissando) making the appropriate vocals. To end the activity, have each student, one at a time, throw their snowball to the teacher as they make the sound.
A Kwanzaa Song (Grades 2-5)
This song is by music educator and artist, Lovely Hoffman. The instrumental track is available on TPT.
Activity-Use the form to create movements or use the ones provided.
Introduction-Sway right and left
Intro (sway), Verses (alternate R & L pats to a ta ta ti ti ta pattern), Chorus (pat clap pattern) Bridge (roll forearms around each other)
Winter Cheer Movement (Grades PreK-1)
In the video: clapping, stretching, stomping, jumping. Add: twirling, floating, tiptoe, growing, melting, turning.
The 12 Days of Christmas Music Parody (Grades 3-6)
Play or sing a bit of The 12 Days of Christmas that the class will turn into The 12 Days of Winter Break.
Divide the class into 12 groups. If the class is small, the teacher can take one of the days or willing students can take a day as a solo.
The Nutcracker (Classic Christmas Music Games & Activities)
Give each student two paper plates and skate around the room to any song. Sleigh Ride would be fun as well as some waltzes (Nutcracker Waltz of the Flowers) to get that 1-2-3 Glide-pause, Glide-pause feel.
Snow & Cold Spotify Playlist
Trepak Movement (Grades K-5)
Nothing says Christmas music games like The Nutcracker! You can use paper plates or pieces of paper!
🔵 Winter-Themed Instrumental Resources
Adding instruments to your winter concert and classroom activities is engaging and musically meaningful.
Your K-3 students will love the hilarious story in There Was a Snowman Dressed in Plaid. The pentatonic song and easy Orff arrangement are perfect for the classroom and a winter or holiday concert.
Even if you haven’t played ukuleles this year yet, pull out the ukes for the grades that played last year for something that will feel NEW!
Las Posadas & Mi Burrito Sabanero (Grades K-5) Hand Percussion
Sing along with the lyric version or watch the live performance video. Use the form to play percussion instruments. Here’s a translation and lots of great information.
Keep a steady beat when it’s your section. Fun instruments would be claves, sticks, drums, shakers, guiro, etc.
With Jimmy Fallon and Josh Harmon, a great example of music and sound to highlight a visual story. For fun and future reference if you do a Foley FX Sound Effects unit!
