Elementary Music Classroom 2025-2026

It's that time of year again: we're getting my elementary music classroom ready for a new school year! This is my 13th time setting up my classroom in this space, and I had a few "a-ha moments" about the way I've decorated and set up my classroom works for me that I want to share, plus a few tweaks that are relatively small changes but I'm happy about! So here's my elementary music classroom for the 2025-2026 school year.

First here's a quick video tour around the room to get our bearings:

One of the small tweaks I made was switching out the blue circle spots for a lighter blue that matches the line I have marked for the blue row chairs. This was sortof a happy coincidence more than anything- a few of my blue circle spots from last year were getting too worn out and I had some light blue ones from a set I had bought to replace another color a few years ago, and I realized the lighter blue matched the tape after the fact! This is obviously not a big deal for me but I can practically guarantee this is the  thing my students are going to notice first when they walk in my room :)

The other two tweaks are things I've been thinking about for a while and I'm glad to be in a place where I had the time and energy to do them: adjust my Kindergarten learning target spot (again) and update my teacher toolbox drawers. I got the teacher toolbox (something like this one, but I think I got mine at Home Depot) YEARS ago before I had any sort of set color scheme in my classroom, so I had just used a random set of scrapbook paper I thought was cute to decorate the drawers, and it just stayed that way all these years. I finally got some plain colored paper to put in the drawers instead, and now the toolbox finally looks like it belongs in the room! 

Here's my blog post from when I first made the toolbox if you're thinking of making one yourself- it's truly just little pieces of paper stuck inside the front of the drawer but if it lasted me a decade it must be good enough! :)

After doing a lot of work to make posted learning intentions something that actually works for me and my students over the last year and a half or so, I realized that the spot I had set up for posting the visual learning intentions for Kindergarten was way bigger than I needed it to be... which would be fine except I always felt like it was too much pink in one spot and looked a little out of place. Now I just have the same background that I use to write the 1st-6th grade learning intentions so the pink is no bigger than the other colors. I am all about streamlining visuals to keep the room from getting overstimulating!

You can read more about how I use pictures to create visual learning intentions that my pre-readers and language learners can actually benefit from in this blog post.

After doing those few small tweaks and setting up the rest of the room, it ended up taking me about 3.5 hours total to get my room ready for students. Going through the classroom setup process this year made me realize a few things that I thought were worth sharing, especially for newer teachers just starting out in a new classroom and trying to figure out how to get their rooms ready:

use a color scheme as your "decor theme"

Seeing how much my room instantly went from drab to fab just by setting out my ukuleles, boomwhackers, djembes, writing supplies, chair lines, and circle spots gave me fresh affirmation that using the common colors of the instruments and supplies I already have in my room as the "theme" for the rest of my classroom has been a game-changer for me. Using a color scheme instead of specific patterns or aesthetics etc already makes things easier (and makes them more universally appealing to a broader range of students), but I think using the colors of common elementary music classroom instruments is the boss move more elementary music teachers should be using. So many classroom instruments, from boomwhackers to handbells and everything in between, now come in similar colors to help students associate colors with pitches that it makes sense to use those colors. 

If you want to use any of the same posters I have to coordinate with the instrument colors, you can find the full set here.

classroom setup is an evolutionary process

I'm sure it has been said before but getting to the place I am now where I feel comfortable with where everything is and how everything is organized has been a process that has gradually evolved, with lots of trial and error, over the course of over a decade. If you are in your first year in a new classroom it's important to remind yourself of the old saying, "don't let perfect be the enemy of good". Rome wasn't built in a day.

classroom setup can eventually become an easy task

This is related to the last point but I was so pleased with how quickly I was able to set up my classroom this year, and it hit me that there does come a point when classroom setup is no longer the huge ordeal that it often is when you're first starting in a new classroom. Dealing with the pandemic probably made it take longer for me to get to that place since I had to rethink everything during those years, but this is the longest I've ever been in one classroom and it's nice to feel like things are where they should be.

I hope this helps give you some encouragement, inspiration, or at least solidarity if you're setting up your classroom as well! If you want to read more about the different things in my room, or how I think about classroom setup, here are some relevant blog posts below. And of course leave me questions in the comments below or send me an email, I'd love to chat!

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What To Do With Those Xylophones

If you are starting a new job in a new classroom and suddenly find yourself with access to a bunch of barred instruments you don't know what to do with, or you have had the instruments for a while and feel like you're not getting as much use out of them as you should, this post is for you! In this post you'll find tips for storing xylophones, procedures for managing their use with students, and tons of lesson ideas to use with every grade from Kindergarten up through 6th grade!

1. Storage and management

This isn't always possible depending on the classroom space, but I think ideally it's best to have all instruments, including xylophones and other barred instruments, easily accessible. If you have to pull them out of a closet to use them you're going to be far less motivated to use them in a lesson. To make them easily accessible, I recommend either:

1) setting aside some classroom space to have the instruments permanently out and ready to play, or

2) having the instruments on open shelving where they can quickly be taken out by you and/or students.

I had one classroom where having them out permanently made sense, but in every other room I've taught in I have had them on open shelves. If you are having your students carry barred instruments, just make sure to show students how to carry them properly so the bars aren't constantly falling off/ pegs being bent by holding them on the sides of the box and carrying them away from their bodies without leaning them on their chest.

Regardless of how you store them, it's important to establish- besides the general procedures for instruments like "don't play until the teacher says"- that everyone needs to walk around the instruments, rather than stepping over them, when they are moving to and from playing them. If you have xylophones on rolling stands then this won't be an issue, but when they are on the floor it's very tempting to want to step over them. I always demonstrate that, no matter how careful they are, if something/someone bumps them while they are stepping over an instrument it could be a big problem!

2. Introducing and Reinforcing Proper Technique

I've written an entire post on introducing proper playing technique already so I will link that below, but it's important to introduce proper playing technique from the very beginning and continue to reinforce those techniques every time they play. Here is my detailed lesson plan for introducing xylophone playing technique. Once I have established the proper playing technique in the beginning, I reinforce every time they play by reminding them of what they learned, saying "pinch, fingers, bicycle" every time they go to the xylophones, and reminding them to play "in the street, not the sidewalks" to remember to play in the center of the bars.

3. Lesson Ideas

I use xylophones and other barred instruments a LOT in my classroom so obviously this is not an exhaustive list, but here are a few of the main ways I use them in my lessons with each grade K-6.

Kindergarten: instrument introduction, mallet technique (here is the lesson plan for introducing xylophones, and here are a few of my favorite lesson plans to practice different mallet techniques: Mr. Quiet and Mr. Loud (adapted from this lesson originally called Mr. Brown and Mr. Black), and Froggy Gets Dressed)

1st grade: up and down, high and low (here is my favorite lesson to practice these concepts with this age with Mortimer)

2nd grade: ostinati, half notes, letter names (I use the song Duerme Mi Tesoro to have students play half note ostinati on metallophones, and introduce playing ostinati on specific letter name notes with We Are Dancing)

3rd grade: reading treble clef, recorder song prep, pentatonic improv (I have students practice reading the songs they will be learning on recorders in treble clef, like Hot Cross Buns, first on xylophones, and use this lesson plan with the song Zudio to have students practice pentatonic improvising)

4th grade: sixteenth notes, independent reading, ensemble skills (here is the lesson plan I use to have students play sixteenth notes with the song Diggidiggidong, and I also have students independently decode their own part from notation in a barred instrument ensemble piece- I use Pachelbel's Canon in D but in the key of C)

5th grade: advanced technique (I use these lesson plans on the music of Mozambique to have students play timbila music)

6th grade: chord tones, swung vs straight (I use these lesson plans to teach students about chords, and have them improvise straight and swung rhythms on xylophones as part of a unit on jazz)

I hope this gives you some ideas to start using your xylophones more in your lessons! If you want the fully detailed lesson plans and materials for everything I do with xylophones, you can find them in my curriculum. They are really an amazingly versatile instrument for teaching such a wide range of skills and concepts and they work well with every age!

Read more "What To Do With Those Xylophones"

3 More Tips for Using Google Slides in Elementary Music

I fell in love with Google Slides during distance learning and I now use them in almost every single lesson I teach as an elementary general music teacher. I shared some of my favorite tips for using Slides effectively back in 2020, which I still use all the time today, and in this post I want to share 3 more tips that I also use all the time! These will make your lessons run so much more smoothly, I promise!

1. Change Playback Speed 

If you don't already know how to embed videos in your Slides, check out my previous post on Google Slides for that- this is probably my most-used feature because I can choose specific clips from videos so I can set it to start at the exact part I want to show students, and it automatically removes ads. But did you also know you can change the playback speed of embedded YouTube videos right within the slide? Push play, click on the gear icon, select playback speed, and adjust it however you want! I will start slower when I'm having students do a particularly challenging play-along video (or if we start and I realize they aren't quite ready for that speed yet), or speed it up to add challenge if I have extra time. 

2. Mute a Video's Audio

This is another cool feature of embedded videos you may not have realized exists: you can mute the video so it plays without sound. It's funny how often this feature comes in handy because my job is literally about the sound, but I use it a lot when I want students to add their own music, sound effects, etc to a video, or if I want them to be able to watch a demonstration of a game or playing technique on loop while they practice independently. After you embed the video, click on the embedded video to select it, then open the format options (if it doesn't open automatically). Click "video playback" and you should see an option to "mute audio"- select that option to play it without sound. 

3. Link to Other Slides

Did you know you can link anything in the slide to another slide, not just a website? I use this a lot when I'm showing a bunch of different instruments within a family or from a specific culture, for example, when students are playing a game like Rhythm Battle where they go as far as they can and then go back to the beginning to start over, or when I want students to choose an answer or choose an activity. If I want to be able to quickly go back to the first slide of an activity or a "menu" slide that shows different options, I insert an arrow shape (click insert- shape- arrows) and link the arrow to the first/ menu slide (click on the arrow or whatever shape, click "insert link", then type "slide (insert slide #)"). To have several options of where you go next, like a "menu" slide where students choose from different songs/ activities they want to do, or a slide that shows several instruments that you are going to go through and show students videos of, or a slide that has a correct and incorrect answer that students choose from, I do the same thing but link individual images (of the instruments, or icons representing the options/ answers) to the corresponding slides. Then I usually add an arrow with a link back to the menu, or if it's a quiz game type thing, add an arrow with a link to the next question.

I hope you'll try out these features in your own lessons- I know they have made a huge difference for me! If you haven't already, don't forget to check out my previous post with 3 more tips for Google Slides, including using them to do "drag and drop" activities, embedding videos, and embedding audio!

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What To Do With THAT Class: argumentative

The helpless feeling you get when nothing you do seems to work with that one class can be absolutely horrible. Over the years I've had classes that leave me in tears, fill me with dread, make me want to take a sick day, or just leave me feeling like I have no idea what I'm doing. It's disconcerting at best, and can leave you completely miserable if you let it get the best of you. A few years ago I started a series sharing some strategies that have helped me improve my ability to work with some challenging classes with various difficulties- now I have another to add to the series! Today I'm focusing on classes that are constantly arguing, with each other and with you.

When I first started this series years ago I shared my advice to keep those challenging groups from making you miserable- if you haven't already, I encourage you to read that post by clicking here. Hopefully the solutions I'm sharing today will help you improve your relationship with your tough class, but that process is going to take time and you need to make sure you keep the situation manageable (for you and your students) in the meantime.

One of the points I shared in that post is to be prepared with a plan B, C, D, and E. There's a good chance the first strategy you try won't work! Remember that this is a process, and a very important one at that. Don't give up.

Argumentative

Sometimes you just get a mix of students in a class that really just does not get along, or has a lot of students in it that can very easily be set off by small annoyances. At any moment in the lesson, it can instantly go from completely calm to a full-on screaming match, seemingly out of nowhere. When you have short class periods like we do for music, this can be especially difficult because there's not enough time to really help mediate and talk through every disagreement to fully resolve it and still have time to actually teach the lesson!

tip #1: keep it moving Sometimes distraction can be enough to "power through" and keep everyone engaged and productive without even giving them a chance to get a word in! Making sure there is some type of activity that you can start immediately as students are entering (I use these student-led warmups) and having your entire lesson completely memorized so you can seamlessly transition between activities with no down time (and I mean not even a second to pause and think) can help prevent arguments from even starting.

tip #2: avoid conversation To go along with the last point, having students be engaged in active participation and giving them as little time when they are supposed to be sitting and listening to you (or another student) as possible can help prevent a lot of arguments. Limiting verbal directions/ instruction can also help a lot with avoiding the feeling of a power struggle (which can lead students to start arguing with the teacher). Model and have them copy, point to a word on the board and jump in, start with a familiar activity you've already practiced and go from there, or use silent gestures to get students doing what they need to do.

If you want a specific example of a lesson that works this way, here is one of my new favorites for upper elementary called the Team Rhythm Challenge.

tip #3: opportunity for expression A lot of times the easiest way to help students move forward when they get upset about something is for them to have a chance to tell you what happened/ what they're thinking. But if you have this type of argumentative group, letting them speak in front of everyone else will probably result in the whole lesson dissolving into an argument. Instead I have blank notecards and sticky note pads with pencils in a few different strategic places around the classroom, where they can be away from the rest of the class, that I show them to use to write down what's bothering them and give to me silently. I try to quickly skim it when they hand me a paper and follow up, either immediately if needed or I tell them I'll talk to them later and put it in my pocket. In that case I either talk to them at the end of class when everyone is lining up or, more likely with an argumentative class I'm trying to keep on task, I'll go find them in their homeroom later to talk to them. 

tip #4: catch the good This can be really helpful for a lot of different difficult class dynamics but catching them being successful and giving them positive reinforcement for that can help them want to continue working together to do well. Again, the warmups I do at the beginning of class can be a great opportunity to get them doing something simple enough that they can do successfully and I can immediately reinforce. Having something visual to recognize things the whole class does well like my letter system (see this post) is important here so you can give that positive reinforcement without having to stop and talk, which we already know we're trying to avoid.

tip #5: practice listening to each other It may take some time to get to a place where you can do this successfully, but the first step to helping students learn to interact with each other more positively is to learn how to listen to each other, and circle discussions are perfect for that. With groups that are really argumentative, I use a lot of quick, easy questions as prompts- nothing that would get too serious- to practice only speaking when it's your turn. See my discussion of community-building circles in this post for more details on how I do these.

tip #6: use catch phrases The "we listen and we don't judge" trend came in super handy for me this past school year with the couple of really argumentative classes I had. Having a catch phrase like that that you can repeat as a reminder for students not to get caught up in an argument can be really helpful. I found that, especially with one that students had already heard on social media, after I used it a few times they started saying it to themselves and to each other whenever someone would get upset at someone over a minor annoyance, and it became a strategy for self-regulation!

I hope these suggestions help you find a positive way forward together! They may not ever be the easiest class to teach, but if you continue to make it a priority to improve the class for everyone involved, you're bound to see positive changes over time!

If you have any suggestions of your own or questions you'd like to ask about this topic, please leave them in the comments below. I highly recommend taking a look at all of my previous posts in this series here for more tips on working with other types of difficult classes right here. And if you'd like to read more about how I handle "behavior management" as a whole, here are all my top posts on the topic.

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Songs and Dances from Around the World for Every Grade

Over the last few weeks I've been sharing the songs and dances my K-6 elementary students have performed in our annual International Music Festival, and today I'm compiling them all for easy reference! If you're looking for something to add to your concert, informance, or your general music classes, I highly recommend all of these!

In each of these lists I've noted the specific grade level I use each piece with as well as a brief description of what students do/ how I arrange the song, but obviously these can be adapted for different grade levels, equipment/ instruments, etc so I highly recommend looking through all of them to see what might fit your needs.

Kindergarten / 1st grade: Native American, Bolivia, Colombia, and Syria

 2nd / 3rd grade: Maori New Zealand, India, and Philippines

4th / 5th / 6th grade: Japan, Korea, Mozambique, and Brazil

I hope you find some new songs and dances to teach your students! If you're unsure about how to teach music from unfamiliar cultures, or want to see more of my lesson plans with music from around the world, check out all my posts on the topic here. If you have any questions or other songs you'd add to the list, leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!

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Team Rhythm Challenge

I am so excited to be able to share this new lesson plan that I came up with for the end of the school year with my most challenging 4th and 5th grade classes that I knew were not going to want to listen to ANYTHING I had to say or want to do anything that felt like "work", but also would dissolve into chaos if we were just playing freeze dance or something the whole period. I already have so many ideas for ways to adapt this game for band, orchestra, or choir classes in middle or even high school, and it's a great way to review rhythm notation and music vocabulary for whatever they're working on! Introducing: the Team Rhythm Challenge!

I knew I needed to come up with a lesson that would be engaging, require as few directions from me as possible, have some level of friendly, low-stakes competition, and also get the kids to work together in teams. What I came up with was the idea of the Team Rhythm Challenge, and it kept even my most difficult classes engaged the entire lesson on their very last day of music class before summer (so I think that's saying something).

Setup

Before class, I set out a music stand at the end of each row of seats. My students sit in 6 rows that I label as "color teams" (read more about all the ways I use them in this post) so each team got one music stand at the end of the row. I rarely use music stands in my general music classes- they're mostly in the room for the band and orchestra to use- so this immediately piqued their interest when they walked in and saw something new. I also had a scoreboard at the front of the room to keep track of points, so they knew something was about to go down!

Process

The primary goal was for me to give as few verbal directions as possible, so that I wouldn't have to bother getting their attention. I put the basic directions on the board, told them at the beginning that they will win the most points for their team if they paid attention, then breezed through the game without stopping to wait for anyone. They figured out pretty quickly that they would lose if they weren't paying attention, so they did!

The basic idea of the game is that each team has a rhythm that they have to count, then count and clap, then count and clap with a dynamic marking, then play with the same dynamics on an instrument, then play as an ostinato with a track. They get 1 minute to practice with their team before each level, and they can earn 1 point for doing it correctly. The team with the most points at the end wins the challenge. Here's a sped-up re-enactment of how I ran it to avoid verbal directions as much as possible and keep things moving quickly: 

There are so many ways to adapt this game and customize it for whatever vocabulary and notation students are reviewing! I will definitely be keeping this for right before breaks with my older students. If you want the full details on all the different ways to play the game, plus all the slides and print-outs I used, you can get those here. 

What are your most successful lessons for the end of the school year with upper elementary/ middle school classes? It can be tricky to find something that they will get excited about but this one was a huge success! If you have any ideas or questions please leave a comment below.

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World Music Performance Pieces: upper elementary

I've been doing a school-wide International Music Festival, where every grade level performs music and dance from a different country, for a few years now, and it is probably my favorite performance event I've ever done but it is a lot to put together! Although for the most part each grade studies the same culture each year to fit in with the skills and concepts they are learning in general music, each year I change at least some of the pieces so it's never the exact same program. Here are the performance pieces I have used over the years with my upper elementary grades- each of these would work well as part of any concert, informance, or program on their own, or you can use this list to put together your own International Music Festival!

I'm listing the pieces by culture/ country below, with the grade level I used them with in parentheses. Obviously many of these could be done with different grades as well, not just the ones I use them with!

Japan (4th grade)

• Akatonbo (students sing the song, first together and then in a round, while playing different triple meter ostinato patterns on various instruments- I use things like finger cymbals, tone blocks, hand drums, and metallophones- along with other color instruments in between sections- I use ocean drums, wind chimes, etc)
• Sakura (students sing the song while some play different ostinato patterns on percussion and barred instruments and some play harmony on recorder- link includes arrangement)
• Tokyo Ondo (students stand in a circle (or two concentric circles if the group is large) and do the Tokyo Ondo dance with this track)

Korea (4th grade)

• Arirang (students sing the song, first together and then in a round, while playing different triple meter ostinato patterns on various instruments- I use things like finger cymbals, tone blocks, hand drums, and metallophones- along with other color instruments in between sections- I use ocean drums, wind chimes, etc)
• Buchaechum (students each hold 2 fans and do some basic moves with the linked recording)
• Janggu (students play the introduction and basic janggu drum rhythm pattern with the linked recording, using a mallet and rhythm stick on boxes)

Mozambique (5th grade)

• Timbila (students gradually layer in repeated lines similar to the linked recording on bass, alto, and soprano xylophones)
• Bombela (students sit in a circle and pass beanbags on the beat while singing, each verse the passing pattern gets gradually more difficult)

Brazil (6th grade)

• Batucada (students stand in rows by instrument and step in place on the beat while playing some characteristic ostinato patterns on guiro, tamborine, tube shaker, tubano drums with the carrying strap, and agogo bells)
• Escatumbararibe (students sit in a circle and do the cup passing game demonstrated in the linked video while singing the song)
• Tambores (students stand in rows facing a partner and sing while doing the clapping game demonstrated in the linked recording, with 3 different versions gradually increasing in difficulty)

If you have other songs or musical performances you've done representing these cultures, or other ways you've used these songs, I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below! I've split up my lists of performance pieces I use in my K-6 International Music Festival into grade spans- here are the pieces I use with K-1/ early childhood, and here are the pieces I use with 2nd and 3rd grades. And if you are thinking about putting together a similar program, you can find all the information on what I do and how I do it, from logistics to teaching to stage setup, in this post:

Read more "World Music Performance Pieces: upper elementary"

World Music Performance Pieces: elementary middle grades

I've been doing a school-wide International Music Festival, where every grade level performs music and dance from a different country, for a few years now, and it is probably my favorite performance event I've ever done but it is a lot to put together! Although for the most part each grade studies the same culture each year to fit in with the skills and concepts they are learning in general music, each year I change at least some of the pieces so it's never the exact same program. Here are the performance pieces I have used over the years with my middle elementary grades- each of these would work well as part of any concert, informance, or program on their own, or you can use this list to put together your own International Music Festival!

I'm listing the pieces by culture/ country below, with the grade level I used them with in parentheses. Obviously many of these could be done with different grades as well, not just the ones I use them with!

Maori New Zealand (2nd grade)

• E Papa Waiari (students sit in rows facing a partner and do a different tititorea stick pattern with each verse, stopping to sing the last repeated line with the recording before changing patterns)
• Hine E Hine (students stand spread out, each holding one poi rope, and do some basic repeated moves with the poi with the recording, singing along with the repeated A section)
• Tutira Mai (students stand in rows and sing while doing the motions as shown in the linked video)

India (2nd grade)

• Kochu Poocha (students stand and sing while doing the motions as shown in the linked video. I've also had them sing while doing a clapping pattern facing a partner)
• Chakkardi Bhammardi (students stand in a circle each holding 2 sticks and do the stick game as shown in the video)

Philippines (3rd grade)

• Tinikling (students stand in rows between jump bands and do the basic tinikling step with the music as shown in the video, with one student holds the bands on each end of each pair of bands, sitting on the floor as shown with the poles)
• Bahay Kubo (half of the students sing the chorus while the other half plays a harmony line on recorder, then they swap parts)
• Magtanim Ay Di Biro (students sing the song while doing motions to show the lyrics, similar to the linked video, in the A section, then face a partner and do a simple clapping pattern with the beat for the B section)

If you have other songs or musical performances you've done representing these cultures, or other ways you've used these songs, I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below! I've split up my lists of performance pieces I use in my K-6 International Music Festival into grade spans- here are the pieces I use with K-1/ early childhood, and check back for the pieces I use with upper elementary/ middle school. And if you are thinking about putting together a similar program, you can find all the information on what I do and how I do it, from logistics to teaching to stage setup, in this post:

Read more "World Music Performance Pieces: elementary middle grades"

World Music Performance Pieces: early childhood

I've been doing a school-wide International Music Festival, where every grade level performs music and dance from a different country, for a few years now, and it is probably my favorite performance event I've ever done but it is a lot to put together! Although for the most part each grade studies the same culture each year to fit in with the skills and concepts they are learning in general music, each year I change at least some of the pieces so it's never the exact same program. Here are the performance pieces I have used over the years with my youngest grades- each of these would work well as part of any concert, informance, or program on their own, or you can use this list to put together your own International Music Festival!

I'm listing the pieces by culture/ country below, with the grade level I used them with in parentheses. Obviously many of these could be done with different grades as well, not just the ones I use them with!

Native American (Kindergarten)

• Water Song (students play the steady beat on rhythm sticks and turn each of the 4 directions to sing it 4 times)
• Navajo Happy Song (students sit in rows with their feet under them and their knees touching to do the different patting patterns mentioned in the link while singing)
• Iroquois Ho Ho Watanay (students pretend to rock a baby on the beat while singing)
• Sioux Epanay (students do a basic intertribal step in a circle while a few students play the steady beat on a gathering drum in the middle of the circle)

Bolivia (1st grade)

• Mi Gallito (students face a partner and do a simple 3-beat clapping pattern while they sing- I have them clap their own hands, touch the backs of one hand with their partners', then palms of the same hands, then repeat with the other side)
• La Mariposa (students do a circle dance with a recording while each holding a scarf and singing along on the chorus- the link has a full explanation of the moves that they do with each part of the song as well as links to recordings)
• Carnavalito (students do the dance in rows with a recording)
• Boquita Colorada (I have done this 2 ways- 1) students do the line dance with the recording and sing with the "lai lai" section, or 2) students play simple ostinati on percussion instruments like shakers, rhythm sticks, guiros, and drums)

Colombia (1st grade)

• Vallenato (students play simple ostinati on percussion instruments like drums, guiros, and ridged rhythm sticks with the linked recording)
• Juguemos en el Bosque (students sing and play the circle game)

Syria (lower elementary self-contained special needs)

• Tiri Tiri Ya-as Fura (non-verbal students do motions to show the lyrics of the song with the steady beat of the recording)
• Fiane Sheschra (students play different ostinati for each section of the music on hand drums with the recording)

It would be too much to put everything in one post so check back for future posts with lists of performance pieces I use with older grades in my K-6 International Music Festival! If you have other songs or musical performances you've done representing these cultures, or other ways you've used these songs, I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below. And if you are thinking about putting together a similar program, you can find all the information on what I do and how I do it, from logistics to teaching to stage setup, in this post:

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Stretchy Band Songs and Activities for the End of the School Year

I have discovered a new favorite lesson activity to add to my list of things to do at the end of the school year, especially with the younger grades but honestly with the older ones too: the stretchy band! If you're looking for engaging activities to keep students from bouncing off the walls that can also be used to review musical concepts at the end of the school year, I highly recommend these.

I bought a stretchy band years ago with the intention of using it with my Kindergarten and self-contained classes, and then proceeded to leave it sitting in my classroom until this year. Every time I had the idea that maybe I would pull it out and use it, I just didn't feel confident that I had a clear idea of how to actually do it! If you're like me and haven't used a stretchy band in class before, I can assure you it is just as fun as they say it is and these activities are all beginner friendly. If you don't know what a stretchy band is, here is one you can get from Bear Paw Creek.

To get set up, I have students sit in a circle on the floor and tell everyone to keep their hands in their lap, then I get out the stretchy band and lay it out flat in a circle inside where they are sitting before having everyone grab the part in front of them with two hands and hold it down in their laps. I have 3 rules for using the stretchy band safely:

1) keep two hands on the band until I tell you to let go

2) don't jerk it around

3) stay sitting (not lying down) while holding it

1. Stretchy Band Song

For first time users I think this is the best one. The song explicitly tells you what to do with the band so you can focus on making sure students are using it correctly and not worry about remembering the words to the song or what comes next- just turn on the recording and follow along! It's also a great way for students to quickly experience the different ways you can use the band so it's a great way for them to practice using the stretchy band as well. Of course once they've learned the moves you can have everyone sing along as well. This activity is really a way to practice how to use the stretchy band and showing steady beat.

2. Put It In

This song is a good next step for younger students, and besides using the basic movements as the first song and continuing to review steady beat, it also gives students the opportunity to create and improvise by coming up with their own additional verses. I don't use a recording for this one- I sing while the students move when I first introduce it, then I teach students the song and we all sing together, stopping to choose new verses after each repetition of the chorus.

3. Show Form

Here is where I have really found the stretchy band to be versatile and effective for a broad range of ages: I've realized it's a fun and easy way to review form by doing different moves for different sections. I've done this with songs that we sang earlier in the school year, or with listening examples with older students. For example I used the stretchy band with "Shoemaker's Dance" with 1st grade to review same and different sections by having students wind, pull, and tap on their knees with the A section, and pass the band around the circle with the B section. I used it with "Sleigh Ride" with 5th grade to review Rondo form by having students move the band up, down, left, and right on the beat for the A section, move in and out on the beat for the B section, and tap on their knees with alternating hands and pull back for the whip, then pass around the circle for the C section. You can really do this with any form and it's a great way to mix it up at the end of the year.

4. Show Rhythm

The stretchy band is also a fun way to review rhythms at the end of the year too- take any song that you used to introduce or practice new rhythm elements during the year (or teach them a new one) and add a specific motion with the band that shows that rhythm that you do every time you sing it. For example I reviewed half notes with 2nd grade with "Who's That" by having them slowly lift the band up and then down with each pair of half notes, I similarly had 3rd grade students lift the band slowly up and down with the pair of whole notes at the end of "I Got a Letter", and had 4th graders tap on their knees with alternating hands to show the sixteenth notes in "Ding Dong".

There are plenty more fun ways to use the stretchy band, but those are my favorite ways to use it with different grade levels at the end of the school year! If you're finishing out the school year right now like I am I hope this helps give you some fresh ideas to close out the year. 

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International Music Festival Teacher's Guide

I've been doing a school-wide International Music Festival, where every grade level performs music and dance from a different country, for a few years now, and it is probably my favorite performance event I've ever done. It's very rewarding and a lot of fun but it also took a lot to figure out how to put together a production where every student in the school is performing for each other, including singing, instruments, props, and more! If you would like to try doing something similar in your school, here's everything you need to know about how I do mine.

In this post I'm sharing an overview of all the pieces that come together to make this production a reality. I'll be putting together more detailed posts on specific steps in the process in the future, and I'll link those in the relevant sections below as they're published, so keep an eye out for those coming soon!

1. Program

The basic idea of the program is for each grade to share a couple of songs/ dances from a specific country/ people group. This idea came up initially because I have always done an in-depth unit in the spring on a specific culture's music in each grade- I choose the country of focus and the specific literature they learn based on the music curriculum goals. This blog post explains how I design those units, along with the specific lesson plans I use for each grade. Although I don't completely change the program each year, I do try to make sure I don't do the exact same program 2 years in a row- usually there are a few songs that stay the same and the rest of them are either a different culture altogether or different songs from the same culture.

2. Planning the logistics

The biggest puzzle for me was figuring out the logistics of how to manage all the instruments and equipment and set up the performance to flow smoothly between grade levels. I've found having everyone sit in the gym in a round, going in grade level order around the perimeter of the gym with everyone facing in, works best. Each grade sits in the formation of their first song to watch the grades before them so when it's their turn they are ready to go, and I leave the middle of the gym open for some songs/ dances that need more room.

To make that setup work, I try not to have any grades sharing instruments/ supplies. I write down the number of students in each grade and how many of each prop/ instrument I will need for their performances to make sure I have enough and figure out what instruments to use for the different grade levels' song arrangements. Some years I've borrowed instruments from my colleagues to make sure I have enough, and some years I've changed the instrumentation of a song (like using rhythm sticks instead of tone blocks, or using a different type of drum) so that there are enough to go around. 

3. Teaching

In the 4-6 week units leading up to the International Music Festival, students learn about a much bigger picture of the music and the culture itself (see this blog post for more details). But in terms of the actual performance literature, I always make sure I've figured out the logistics and supplies mentioned in the previous point before I start teaching, and plan instrumental arrangements and physical setup based on those logistics.

With entire grade levels performing, I usually try to have a few students from each class playing each instrument. I try to make my arrangements based on how many of each instrument I have, adding or changing parts to fit the number of students in that grade. If I don't have enough for the whole grade to play together, I'll have each class take turns playing, but I try to make it flow together in one cohesive performance by having students hand over to the other class one instrument at a time while the other instruments are playing etc. Whatever we're doing to put the classes together, I make sure to practice it that way in their music classes so they know what to do.

I also think through the physical setup based on the space they have in the gym, and have them practice performing in that setup, whether that's who is in which row, or who is partnered with who. I have found I can do things to save space (which is always at a premium with our average size gym) like having students perform a circle game or dance in concentric circles, so I always make sure to practice everything that way in class as well.

The other element I make sure to rehearse in class is the transition between songs and how to get ready to begin and end their performance. Depending on the grade level they are usually using different instruments/ props/ formations for their 2 songs, so it's important to talk through and practice actually moving between the 2 formations, switching props, etc, including where they will get everything from during the performance and where they'll put everything after they're done.

4. Setup

The most labor-intensive part of putting on the festival is physically setting up the space. I preset all the props and instruments in the gym the night before and morning of the festival so that when each grade walks in, they can go to their area, get their supplies/ instruments, and be ready to go. Obviously every year is a little different depending on what students are performing, but here's a view of what my setup looked like this year as an example:

5. Communication

Because of space I didn't invite families to come to the festival until last year, but it has been awesome to be able to invite families the last couple of years. We set up chairs all around the perimeter of the gym, up against the wall, and families sit in any of those seats so they're behind the students (I try to point out to them that they should probably sit on opposite side from their child so they can see their performance from the front). 

The biggest factor in making sure everything goes smoothly during the festival is letting all the staff know in advance what the setup will look like and what supplies/ formation each grade level will have. I set up a google doc with a map of where each class sits and a brief description of what they will be doing and what instruments/ equipment they need and when ("2nd grade will be sitting in 2 rows, each student facing 1 partner, with a pair of sticks in front of each student and a poi rope behind each student. Please help collect the sticks back in the box when students stand up and move to the center with their poi."). I include specific, concrete things staff can do or keep an eye out for so they know how to help. In our school all non-homeroom teaching staff are assigned to a homeroom to sit with and help with at all assemblies, so they stay with the same class for the festival as well. I try to make sure it's nothing staff need to feel like they're having to prepare for, but feel like they know how to help guide students correctly so it's not chaotic when there's only one of me to help get them set up in the beginning.

I hope this helps you think through your own production and maybe consider doing an International Music Festival yourself! I know other music teachers have done similar events, and I'd love to hear what you do and how you organize yours in the comments as well. I will be sharing more details in future posts but if you have any questions please leave those in the comments as well!

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New Ideas I Loved This Year

After teaching elementary music for almost 2 decades there are a lot of things that I can do on autopilot. I definitely have to think about a lot less things than I did my first year of teaching! But I also would get completely bored if I didn't mix things up, and of course every year bring fresh challenges and ever-changing students to teach. Here are the new things I did this school year that I loved. 

1. Djembe storage

I found myself with a very good problem this fall: I got one more set of the rainbow-colored djembes I love to use with my younger students to get a class set, and the storage setup I had been using no longer fit the extra instruments! My solution: by storing half of them upside down, they take up less shelf space and I can fit them all neatly in the same shelves.

2. Teaching passing games

I was so thrilled with this idea I already wrote an entire post on the topic but honestly, this has been maybe the most exciting new idea of the year for me. After years of struggling to get students to be successful with passing games, I realized that if I have them start in small groups and then gradually increase the group size until they are doing it with the full class, they are much more successful! Read about the full strategy and how I run it in my classes in the post below:

3. "Hip and Hop Don't Stop"

I excitedly bought this book several years ago knowing it would be perfect to teach fast and slow in place of the tired old tortoise and the hare story, and just never got my act together and it sat in my closet. This year I finally pulled it out and put some lessons together and they went just as well as I thought they would, PLUS I was able to bring some hip-hop skills into my Kindergarten curriculum in an authentic way. Click below to see the lesson plans I used:

4. Algonquin Water Song

Finding Native American music I can comfortably and confidently teach my students has always been challenging. When I came across this song that was specifically written to be sung by anyone, whether indigenous or not, that is also simple to learn, I was thrilled. I used it this year with Kindergarten, including for their performance in my annual International Music Festival, and it has been the perfect addition to our repertoire. Click below to learn more about the song:

5. "I Got a Letter"

This song is actually an old favorite from my first couple of years of teaching that I brought back, but the lesson plans I did to build community at the beginning of the year while introducing new rhythms to my 3rd graders were new, and they were so successful my students still talk about those lessons. Click below for the full lesson plans:

6. Taking personal days for myself

Some of you are probably going to shake your head in disbelief, and some of you are going to nod in understanding. This year, my 18th year of teaching, was the first time I took a personal day for myself. Don't get me wrong, I have used my personal days in the past, but only to take care of my kids when they've been sick or needed to go to the doctor. This year I felt myself getting pushed to the brink of burnout and I took a personal day to rest. I took another half personal day the afternoon after my morning concert to avoid pushing myself too much as well. I think this is a testament both to just how taxing this school year has been for me, but also to what I'm learning from the younger teachers entering the profession. I think there is definitely a balance we need to strike, but us "veterans" can learn a thing or two from the new teachers about keeping an eye on our own mental health and giving ourselves a break when we need one. 

Of course there are lots of other small things but that's a roundup of the highlights of new things I've tried this year in my classroom. What about you? If you haven't already, I encourage you to reflect on the new things you've tried this year, whether they were completely successful or not. It makes me feel proud to realize all the new things I've tried this year and now I'll remember to keep the successes for next year! Maybe you'll find some inspiration from my list to try in your classrooms next year. If you have any new ideas you've tried this year please leave them in the comments so we can all get fresh ideas from each other too!

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