This resource of the Thanksgiving classic, Over the River and Through the Wood, includes parts for Boomwhackers, bells, and ukulele. Each part has audio and video files to support student learning AND in two different tempos-lento and adagio. Students learn about beats per minute (bpm) as they play their parts.
Play and learn in class or use it as a wonderful performance piece for winter concerts!
Here are some options if you can’t play all the chords!
Play just the chords you know and skip/stop strumming the ones you can’t play yet.
Strum only ONE time for every chord. That may give you time to get your fingers set for the next chord, even if it’s a hard one for you.
If you are in a group, divide the chords up.
I’m always ok with exchanging a seven chord for a triad. If a song has G7 and you know G, substitute. (Exchanging major and minor chords will not work. For example, Am and A sound very different)
Ukulele Songs for Christmas, Winter, and December Holidays & Celebrations
Here are some ideas to explore the wonder of the great jazz virtuoso, Thelonious Monk. You’ll find biography info, a movement activity to his fabulous piece, “Stuffy Turkey,” some links, and advanced movement options!
Take the classic canon, “Ah Poor Bird”, add new lyrics, and you have the perfect Winter song!
Questions…
As I worked with this canon, three questions arose. After much research, I still haven’t found any definitive answers. If you have thoughts on it, please leave a comment!
Originally published October 12, 2021 Latest Update, August 19, 2026
Here’s a great list of Veterans Day songs and music activities as well as info about scripts, decor, and programs for your school.
Veterans Day curriculum can be anything from simple in-class lessons to an all-school Veterans Day program with songs, guests, speeches, decorations, and displays of patriotism everywhere in the school!
Having the honor of organizing many of these programs at my schools, here are some of my favorite ideas!
Table of Contents
Veterans Day Decorations and Art Projects
Veterans Day Songs and Music Ideas
America, The Beautiful
This iconic song of America teaches students so much about patriotism and love of country. This song is a part of many Veterans Day programs and other national events.
Here is a blog post with many teaching ideas and a free coloring sheet to help teach the song through art and literacy.
Armed Forces Medley
Good arrangements are REALLY hard to find. Here are four that might work for you.
Classroom Classics-scroll down to see the buying options for mp3s, sheet music, and lyrics.
It’s a challenge to find a concert selection that is long enough but easy enough to learn in the limited time we have with our students. A Song of Peace covers both of these challenges!
The verse and chorus of A Song of Peace combine as a melody & countermelody to create a gorgeous 2-part section. Add a lovely Orff arrangement and the universal message of peace and you have a perfect concert piece for Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, and more.
Patriotic Song List
America, The Beautiful
You’re a Grand Old Flag
This Land Is Your Land
Yankee Doodle
Music K-8 has LOTS of selections. Do a search for Veterans Day, Patriotic, America.
JW Pepper Music has lots of choral choices.
Piggyback Songs-You or your students can write a piggyback song about veterans, patriotism, etc using a familiar song or one that has chords that are accessible to your groups.
Patriotic Marches
There are some excellent contemporary music selections but there’s nothing like a march to connect to service personnel! When playing a recording of the march, add movement with red, white, and blue props or a bucket drum routine would be fabulous!
How about red, white, and blue drums! Here are some from Uline.
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Veterans Day Concert Programming
The Order of the Day
How many songs, poems, and speaking parts make a good Veterans Day program? Here is a list of one possible order. You can move, delete, and add to this program.
Prelude-Military marches (Sousa), instrumental playlist of patriotic favorites, slide show featuring veteran’s pictures and info.
Welcome-I had my principal do the welcome and closing. Students hosted and gave narration for the rest of the program.
Music-Feature a grade level, choir, or instrumental group for the music portions of this program.
Pledge of Allegiance
Star Spangled Banner
Posting of the Colors-local honor guards or boy scout troops
Veterans Day History-Include a brief history of the day to honor our vets but also to serve as a history lesson for our students and the community.
Music
Reading (poem)-In Flanders Fields is a popular choice. Ask classroom teachers to partner with you for poetry writing and use student-written poems. There are also lots of poems online.
Introduction of Guests (vets)-We passed around a microphone so each vet could tell us their name, branch, and their connection to our school. (student parent, grandparent, friend, etc.) We had a special designated seating area so all vets were together.
Music
Reading (poem)
Moment of Silence
Taps-a student who plays trumpet really well, sometimes your color guard will play it for you, or use a recording.
Armed Forces Medley-taught to the entire school. Vets stand when their song is sung. This was a highlight of our YEAR for many students and very, very meaningful to the vets.
Originally published October 3, 2021 Latest Update October 7, 2026 Written by Laura Bartolomeo
Get your students playing barred instruments with this Orff arrangement (and other ideas) for the Halloween song, Pass the Pumpkin. Halloween is the perfect backdrop for engaging learning activities in music class.
This is a great beat-passing game! Whoever has the pumpkin on the last beat of the song is OUT! Continue playing until there is a final winner. As students get out, they can go get sticks and play to the beat as the game progresses.
