Take A Stand

I've shared a little song I wrote for our youngest students to help encourage and empower them to stand up against bullying behavior. Take a listen and share your feedback!

Playing Cups to Help With Rhythm Recognition

Students play a music game that focusing on creating, performing and responding.

RHYTHM ACTIVITIES for Younger Students

First graders use technology to practice rhythm creation and reading notation.

The Vocal Squiggle

Using art to create music, a piece of yarn a story and lots of imagination.

Kindergartner’s Sing & Play

Kindergarten is a time where students are deeply immersed in early reading and decoding strategies. This can be supported by reading and writing music. Students in Kindergarten place quarter notes above the words of a song. There is no staff on the paper, just empty space above the lyrics. This gets them used to reading …

Song Writing for Kindergarten

In Kindergarten, we have spent most of the year working on quarter notes, quarter rests and the letters in the music alphabet.  We've played games and had simple songwriting activities that have practiced these concepts individually.  Towards the end of the year we begin to put all of these concepts together by composing simple songs.  …

Preschool Composers?

When we think of composing music, preschool is not the first thought that comes to our mind.  As an early childhood teacher having to teach reading to Kindergarteners, I have been focused on how to break down music into a very simple form of notation.   Using color-coded bars on Orff instruments I am able to …

Hit the Target in Music

Learning targets are a big thing in schools these days.  Well, that gave me an idea for Orff instruments.   I have been really trying to think how to get kids to tap in the center of the bars where you get the best sound and the bars don't come flying off.  Since I have put …

Practice Reading Music

Kindergartners practice reading the music alphabet colors.  I use colors that coordinate with the boomwhackers.  I colored each of the bars so students who can not read letters have another strategy to use in playing the instruments. First Graders practice reading music with colors and music alphabet letters as much as possible.  I'm not worried …

Music Centers in the Early Childhood

So I have been moving toward music centers in my Kindergarten to 2nd grade classes.  I was a Kindergarten teacher for 8 years so centers were something I have come to know and love.  I have jumped on the bandwagon in the music room.   I love that the kids have choices when they come …