The Top 10 Elementary Music Teaching Resources You Need

Whether you’re a new teacher or a returning teacher, there’s always a core set of materials you need to be effective. When I first began teaching I had a guitar and a schedule. Then I was given the Making Music Series- but no scope and sequence. It was difficult to organize all of the materials and I found there were much needed activities that just weren’t covered in the books. So I began creating resources for my Kindergarten through sixth grade classes. Over the years I’ve discovered the importance of greeting songs, transitions and activities. That’s why I’m sharing how to kick off your school year with success by learning about my top 10 elementary music teaching resources.

Here’s why and how I use these basic and essential music class resources.

WHY YOU NEED THESE ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCES

ESTABLISH ROUTINES WITH SONGS & CHANTS:

Ideally, you’ll want to have Hello Songs, Get to know you songs and games, Classroom Management Chants, because they will help you establish your classroom routines.

BUILD CLASSROOM COMMUNITY:

Consequently, you’ll want to have easy to use materials that not only have music lessons, but also help build classroom community.

That’s one of the reasons I included “Johnny Plays the Drum Beat” Video Sing a Long. It’s the perfect Name game for back to school fun.

Again, Name Games and brain break activities will help students get to know each other and help you- the teacher learn all their names!

There’s 5 Get to Know You GAMES for Grade 3-6 and PRINTABLE ready to use NAME CARDS to use the first day.

In addition, you’ll find 5 Hello songs to greet your students.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND PROCEDURES:

In order to establish a positive environment you’ll love the classroom management songs and chants for procedures like standing, sitting, lining up, getting quiet.

And they work for transitions, Brain Breaks and Stretching.

GET ORGANIZED:

Every elementary teacher has to be organized. Music teachers have to plan concerts, lesson plans and when to prepare students for performances.

I’ve found that it’s much easier to have my calendar dates and lessons planned so that my energy is focused on student needs.

HERE ARE THE 10 ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER RESOURCES:

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCE: SONGS, GAMES, CHANTS

Music Essentials Bundle

The MUSIC CLASS BASIC ESSENTIALS BUNDLE is the perfect companion for the Elementary Music Teacher.

Inside you find original songs, games, chants, planner and décor provide the essentials that every music teacher needs to create a foundation for a successful music classroom.

Whether you need to establish or embellish your music classroom, you’ll find that the music class essentials basic is the answer to your next school year success.

I especially love to use the Video and Audio files because they make teaching songs and games easy!

Make your classroom a place where students sing and move to music throughout the class time.

It’s perfect for K-6 General Music Classrooms.

Check out the other products that are included in this Bundle:

You may want to read this post for some name game ideas and Free Games!

Play Name Games for Music Class Back to School Fun

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCE: CLASSROOM DECOR

Music Class Decor Bundle

Music Class decor in bright vibrant colors that will energize your music classroom. This bundle includes the complete music class decor and the Solfege decor and Games resources. You’ll easily create a welcoming music classroom with these color coded posters. Flashcards for games, and a Music Teacher presentation with Music symbols, alphabet, words, standards, I Can’s, and Classroom Organization is ready for you to put your music room in order.

This colorful decor set works well with most décor packages. Music Class Solfege Posters and Game in Color coded colors include visuals to help students learn solfege. Solfege employs multiple learning styles, including visual, kinesthetic, and auditory.

Playing these solfege hand sign games will help your students to identify and connect the hand signs with the pitches more accurately and demonstrate their ability to sing and sign.

Get this bundle today to decorate your room and provide your students with the visuals and manipulatives to help them make deep connections to music concepts.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCE: PLANNER

Music Teacher Essentials Planner

Music Teachers can now spend their time teaching! Easy to use and simple planner in color and black and white with day, week, month, quarter, year planning pages, lesson plans, goals, dreams, materials, concerts, posters thank you cards and and much more all at your fingertips to make your teacher life easier.

This planner is a simple, yet effective music teacher notebook planner for music teachers K-6. It’s perfect for the teacher who needs to “see” the big picture and make concrete plans.

Ultimately, this planner will help you so you can spend more TIME doing what you NEED to do- TEACH.

Check out the details:

You’ll find: NEW! National Arts Standards in 3 formats, I Can statements for learning goals, lesson plan template, Sheets for Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly Lesson Planning, Calendar, Concert Planning Sheets, Notebook dividers, 2 classroom posters, an IDEA page for lesson planning and some note taking sheets with music graphics.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCE: INSTRUMENT FAMILY LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES

Instrument Families Bundle

Not only will students will learn all about the instruments from this amazing bundle of interactive activities including, VIDEOS, Presentations, posters, flashcards, sound files, games, a story and a variety of worksheets, but you can decorate your room too!

Please note that all instrument sounds were recorded on a synthesizer.

Bonus File! Specific activities for Grades K-6

*BONUS FILE: 3 Activities Matching, Identifying and Naming 50 Instruments.

OVERVIEW OF THIS RESOURCE:

INSTRUMENT FAMILY PRESENTATION teaching video and power point presentation.
INSTRUMENT POSTERS (50 images)
INSTRUMENT FAMILY GAMES AND ACTIVITIES
INSTRUMENT FAMILY STORY VIDEO “How the Instruments Learn to Make Harmony”

Here are some ways to use this resource:

Teach the lesson on sound to help students understand the different ways each instrument makes sound.
Assess student’s abilities in identifying and reciting the names of the instruments.
Play the games to practice and assess.
Decorate your classroom using these colorful water-color splash graphics.

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING THEORY RESOURCE

Music Theory Lessons, Games, Activities, Worksheets Bundle

Wouldn’t it be nice to have one resource with the basic music theory concepts?

Get all the music theory essentials in this bundle! Note and Rest names, values, pitch, rhythms, symbols for your music classes.

This resource is especially helpful for upper elementary and middle school students.

Lessons, presentations, posters, flash cards, animated videos and worksheets provide interactive opportunities for students to learn basic music theory essentials.

Catch up your students so that the music making can begin!

Level 1-6 Rhythm Videos. Best for 1-8 grades.

Check out what the Music theory resource includes:

Alphabet Lessons with song, presentation, flashcards and games.
Note and Rest Values with Animated Rhythm Practice
Symbols with presentation posters, flashcards and worksheets.

Here’s the teaching materials you’ll find inside:

Teaching Presentations
Lessons
Games
Activities
I Can Statements
Posters
Flash Cards
Worksheets
Videos
Song Mp3 Tracks

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCES: LESSONS

BACK TO SCHOOL Music Class Songs, Activities, Games, Chants, Lessons, BUNDLE

Wow your K-6 Music Classes with these interactive songs, games and lessons during the first month to six weeks of school.

Establish classroom community through songs, games and activities that teach and develop music skills right on the first day. Guide included.

Make your back to school year easy and stress free with this amazing Music Class bundle.

Apple Tree Game Song (so-mi)

Apple Tree Game Song (so-mi-la)

Hello Song and Game

“Hello Song and Game”

Sing this fun back to school “Hello” song to build classroom community and develop solfege skills. Games and Activities are a great way to welcome students back to school and make music class fun! Best for primary grades. Includes Create Your Own melody and rhythm pattern Graphics. Best for Grades K-3

WAYS TO USE THIS RESOURCE:

Sing Sol-Mi, Play a Rhythm, Play the beat.
Teach Call and Response FORM
Use the steady beat, rhythm and focus rhythm and melody pages to guide your students according to their abilities. Use the blank slide to fill in rhythms. (If you have a smart board)
The pages are divided into three sections: Rhythm-Lyrics-Solfege/Melody
The objective is to build classroom community first.
Then develop singing and solfege skills.

And for your upper elementary classes-

Get to Know Ya Rhythm Music Lesson

“Get to Know Ya Rhythm”

Play a fun Rhythm Game with your upper elementary students on the first day back to school or after a break.

The chant, activities and printables work well for grades 3-8. Smart Board Graphics now included.

RESOURCE INCLUDES:

PDF for printing or projecting
Teaching pages
Student Activity pages
Game Directions
I Can Statements
Practice Worksheets in Black and White

Concert Manners Poem

Choral Song “Come Along and Sing with Me”

Body Percussion Activities

ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCES: GAMES

Elementary Music Games Bundle

Playing games in music class is one of the most successful strategies teachers can use to help students learn music concepts.

MUSIC CONCEPTS:

Eighth, quarter, half, whole notes and rests

BASIC OVERVIEW OF RESOURCE MATERIALS:

8 (Eight) Games with directions and adaptations for grades K-6 in Poster size and Mini-Card size.
Printable Black and White Booklet of the game directions.
Print, cut and laminate the mini-cards to hang on a ring for easy use.
Use for a substitute in your sub plans.

Flash Cards:

Notes and Symbols
Note Values
Note Names
Instructions

Instrument Game:

Improvisation
so-mi-la-do
Playing a Melodic or Rhythmic pattern.
Dynamics
Note Identification and Reading

SOLFEGE SCALE KEYS with and without Pitch Names

Curwen hand signs with pitch names.
without pitch names.
with pitch names and images of clip art kid making the hand sign.
black and white with pitch names.
black and white without pitch names.

3 SOLFEGE GAMES:

“Match the Secret Sign & Secret Code”
“What’s the Secret Sign?”
“What’s the Secret Code?”

Additionally, you can find some free and easy back to school activities here:

Free and Easy Back to School Activity

MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES

Creative Movement Bundle

There’s lots of ways to incorporate movement into your music curriculum. Elementary students need to move and these types of activities also support music concept learning goals.

I’ve created many movement resources, but I’m sharing this one because it has activities for 4 different movement props.

SCARVES
BEAN BAGS
PARACHUTE
STRETCHY BANDS

Music and movement Activity Songs, Directions, Posters, Games & Activities to get your students moving and learning with Scarves, Bean Bags, Stretchy Bands and Parachutes.

Ultimately, this movement resource is perfect for Music, PE, Preschool and Special Needs Teachers to help students exercise fine and gross motor skills, stay focused, burn energy and have fun.

Just think! Creative movement activities provide opportunities to practice social and team working skills and experience positive exercise!

And, the songs can be used with stretchy bands, scarves and parachute movement props.

Homeschoolers will love the music and movement activities.

Activities can be adapted for Preschool up to Grade 6.

Looking for some BEAN BAGS?

I love BEAR PAW CREEK PRODUCTS!

BEAN BAGS

And their STRETCHY BANDS
MOVEMENT ACTIVITY LINK.

FREE ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHING RESOURCES

Elementary music teachers usually have a colorful room with music words, symbols, notes, and posters on how to play xylophones, recorders, ukuleles, keyboards and guitars.

To celebrate Back to School this year, I put together a bright and colorful set of decor posters and included the National Arts Standards along with kid friendly I CAN statements.

Freebie Music Class Posters, Standards, I Can Statements, Decor

FREEBIE: Back to School Song “I’ve Got the Back to School Blues” VIDEO SONG

The song is best for at the start of the year or after a long break.

This back to School Music Class Song with a fun bluesy melody, chords and strumming pattern to warm up your elementary students.

Build classroom community on the very first day by sharing real feelings and saying it’s “OK” to feel differently than someone else. Best for 1-4 grades.

Don’t forget to get the rest of the FREE elementary music teaching resources at the Sing Play Create Teachers Pay Teachers Store!