In the past years I’ve struggled with teaching songs about Thanksgiving in music class because of the history associated with it. I want to teach kids the true facts about Thanksgiving but the facts are grim. So, my solution has been to put the focus on learning about Native Americans and the general idea of gratitude.
lesson plan
“Sing about Martin” MLK Song+Ukulele
Hey friends! Since Martin Luther King Jr. Day is coming up, teachers in our district get a 3 day weekend! I am SO looking forward to this! I don’t know about you, but January feels long…..like, REALLY long. It’s been rainy for the past few weeks in Dallas, so I’m hoping there will be some…
“The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything”-Storybook+Movement+Instruments
One of my favorite things to do in the music classroom is read books to my students! I especially love it when the book has musical aspects to it so it can be easily incorporated into my music curriculum. A book that I look forward to reading every Fall is “The Little Old Lady Who…
Kye Kye Kule-Movement+Instruments
“Kye Kye Kule” is the perfect song for teaching rhythm, movement, instrument etiquette, and singing technique to elementary students. So let’s dive in!!!
Pete the Cat-Circle Game+Name Game
One of my back-to-school lessons for Pre-K, Kinder and 1st graders is a circle game+name game that corresponds with “Pete the Cat-I Love My White Shoes.”
“We Will Rock You”-Bucket Drums+Guitar
Beginner Guitar and Beginner Bucket Drumming lesson for music teachers.
Nutcracker Story & Music Questions
Ah, yes- 1 week left until Winter Break. It is the best of times……it is the worst of times. You know what I mean!! Thankfully, I’ve got my Winter Program out of the way and I can fully dedicate my classes to teaching “The Nutcracker”. There are many resources out there for “The Nutcracker”, but…
Skin and Bones
I’m not gonna lie. Sometimes as a music teacher, the holiday seasons from October-December start blending together. Even though I love Fall with the air getting cooler, the pumpkin patches, and festivals left and right, often I’m not the most “seasonal” person during the Fall months. I don’t always put out pumpkins and halloween decorations,…
Simple Sub Plan
It’s October! That means Pumpkin Patches, fair days, crisp air, halloween, and I don’t know about you, but for me it also means ALLERGIES. I was out sick the other day and needed a simple sub plan. When I first started teaching, I would print off hundreds of worksheets for my sub and leave behind…
Pipe Cleaner Rhythms
Hello everyone!!! I’m currently teaching Kindergartners and 1st graders about quarter notes and eighth notes. Fortunately, they seemed super excited to clap and shout “TA, TA, TI-TI, TA!!!!”. It has never been a problem for my students to learn rhythms by rote. But in the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to put an…