Are you in a panic when your school’s electricity goes out, the projector bulb goes pop, you need emergency sub plans, or your computer is on the fritz? Make this no-tech, low-cost Jeopardy board and you’ll be ready for any emergency! Say goodbye to technology and hello to an innovative, interactive, and budget and sub-friendly game that will make learning music (or ANY subject) an absolute blast!
What is a No-Tech Jeopardy Game?
A no-tech Jeopardy game provides an opportunity to combine music education with a thrilling game show format any time and in any situation. A music teacher or sub with no musical background, can walk in and without hitting a power button of any kind, have great learning K-5.
Modeled after the popular TV show, this interactive game allows students to answer questions, earn points, and engage in friendly competition. By transforming your music lessons into an exciting game, you can foster a love for music, encourage teamwork, and enhance student learning in a playful and memorable way.
Did I mention that it folds down to an easy-to-store rectangle?
Looking for simple and fun ways for your music classes to be active and engaged outdoors? Check out these easy outdoor music and movement activities for kids! Why outdoors? To enjoy the weather, quiet time during testing, or just a change of scenery for a brain break.
Pat, Clap, Snap (Rock, Paper, Scissors)
I learned about this game from our PE teacher and kids LOVE it. I tried to reconfigure it for music and came up with Pat, Clap, Snap. The objectives-
brain break
using body percussion
team building
Directions:
Two teams in rows. (red and blue above) The object of the game is to get your player from one end of the hula hoops to the other before the other team. Players must jump (2-footed) from one hoop to the next.
One person from each team begins. Those out go to the end of the line & the next person on your team begins at the beginning.
The red team begins at the green hoop. The blue team begins at the yellow hoop. The configuration of the hoops can be in any design as long as there are starting (ending) points for both teams. (In the gym or outside you have lots of room to curve the course all over the place.)
If your music room isn’t very big or you can’t use the gym or go outside, I think sit spots or bean bags would work. Instead of jumping IN the hoop, you’d jump over each spot/bag.
At some point the two players will meet (be facing each other) and that is when they’ll play Pat Clap Snap.
Instead of Rock, Paper, Scissors’ fist-fist-rock/paper/scissors, they will clap two times and then the third beat will need to either be a pat, clap, or snap. If they do the same motion, it’s a tie and they do it again until there’s a winner. The image above is a visual to help them remember what beats the other.
The winner keeps jumping, the loser goes to the end of their line and a new player for that team begins jumping, hoping to stop the other player. Here is the Rock, Paper, Scissors version.
Earth, Wind, and FIRE
Take any upbeat song such as Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “Let’s Groove Tonight” and create easy movement.
Intro (stand and bounce to the beat)
Verse (lots of words so keep it simple-WALK to the beat)
Chorus (easier lyrics so stop and do simple choreography)
arms up, arms out, arms down, arms out (repeat)
Bridge (freestyle)
Walking and freestyle are a snap! Just something simple for the chorus and BAM, you’ve got it.
Whether you call them music centers, workstations, stations, or group activities, kids just call them FUN! Learning stations give kids a variety of activities to explore a single objective or many musical objectives. Here are my best tips on implementing music centers.
Why Centers?
Centers were always a HUGE hit with my students! I think there are a couple of reasons.
They loved the variety of the day but also the variety in the music curriculum. It was a SPECIAL day! I usually set them up about 4 times a year, once every 9 weeks.
Centers offer kids a chance to explore lots of musical objectives and is a valuable and engaging learning tool.
Fairy tales are great tools for vocal, instrumental, and movement exploration for all students in the music classroom. From simple storytelling to a story with sound effects to a grand production, fairy tales are engaging and capture the imagination.
Start with the story, add body percussion, vocal sound effects, and then transfer to instruments. See the tables below as examples.
Blooket in the elementary music classroom is a perfect option if you are using devices. Here are the basics of the game, assessment opportunities, safety reminders, SEL considerations, and a list of games I’ve created.
Blooket was created to imitate video games that kids love. It is Kahoot with more game options and can be played solo and as a class.
Finding the best movement activities for grades K-5 can be daunting. Ideas need to be engaging, repeatable, and if they offer a creative component, they get the ALL-STAR status! Here are my best multi-layered lessons for some of my favorite movement activities.
The best movement activities are integral to a quality music education experience for children by providing ways to express, explore, and learn.
Check Out the Suggested Grade Levels (K-2), (3-5), (K-5)
The One-Beat Diner is a 2-page rhythm writing music resource that features a menu full of one-beat (building brick) yummy foods that can be turned into a delicious 4-beat take-out order. Page 1 is a place to create your one-beat foods and page 2 is where you put them into 4-beat patterns.
One of the top ten songs EVERY child should learn to sing.
Included on this page-
Lyrics-Ukulele music-Performance options-TpT Link to an America the beautiful presentation-Free coloring page download, Great video examples of the song
