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It’s the end of the school year and there’s still so much to get done! In this post I'm sharing three ways to end the school year on a positive note.

3 Ways to End the School Year on a Positive Note

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It’s the end of the school year and there’s still so much to get done!  In this post I’m sharing three ways to end the school year on a positive note.

https://youtu.be/PcGX8aEKkZo

3 WAYS TO END THE SCHOOL YEAR ON A POSITIVE NOTE

PLAY SINGING GAMES

I love to play singing games. And playing them at the end of the school year works well for most grades.

One of my favorites is “Bluebird, Bluebird”. This song is best for Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

I play a simplified version of the game.  I only use the first verse of the song.

BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD through my window.

BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD through my window.

BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD through my window.

Oh, Johnny aren’t you tired?

Students will stand in a circle. 1 child is the blue bird.

Everyone holds hands and we’ll practice making a window before we begin.

The blue bird is in the middle.

As we sing the blue bird works its way in and out the windows.

When they sing “Oh Johnny aren’t you tired?”

Everyone drops their arms, and the blue bird is caught.

The blue bird will then tap the shoulder of the child closest to them and use that child’s name for Johnny.

Kinders may need some help with that part of the game.

Then the new blue bird follows the first blue bird and then the blue birds begin again to weave in and out the circle.

This time, the second blue bird will take the turn of singing a new name and choosing the next blue bird.

This continues until everyone is in the line and there’s only 4 blue birds left. I have those 4 make a line so that there’s 2 windows to go through.

The blue birds weave in and out of the 2 windows and then just circle back and repeat until “Oh Johnny aren’t you tired?”.

The last bluebird to be caught can flitter and fly in a little circle and the bluebirds just walk around in a big circle singing the song. Then that bluebird joins all the other blue birds.

After we play, I have the blue birds lay down and take a rest.

GET THE BLUEBIRD MUSIC LESSON RESOURCE

“Bluebird, Bluebird” Folk Song & Game: Kodaly Music Lesson

 Other music lessons that work with this resource:

Kodaly Sight Singing Activity

Need a Kodaly mi so la review activity? Choir warmup? Assessment? Then you'll love this sing and play teaching presentation for mi so la and notes e g a! Tons of materials including a teaching presentation, flashcards and posters you can use in so many different ways in your elementary music classroom. There's sight singing, Curwen hand signs, notes on the staff and practice patterns for a complete set of materials. The pages are sequential. They begin with so-mi and then integrate la. Adaptable for any grade level learning mi-so-la.

Kodaly Posters and Flash Cards

Elementary Kodaly Music Teacher? You'll love having this set of solfege posters and 3 games to kick start your school year. Revamp and refresh your Music Classroom décor with these lovely watercolor Solfege and Curwen hand sign posters and flashcards.

STYLES: 6 Styles to choose from to fit your teaching needs! 3 varying levels of games to help students connect singing with movement.

Kodaly Posters and Games

Elementary General music Class Solfege Posters and Game in Color coded colors blend well with any music classroom! These primary posters and flashcards 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.

PERFORM FAVORITE SONGS AND CHANTS

One fun way to finish off the school year is to have students prepare and then present their favorite songs.

I ‘ll have a list of choices for each grade.

Then we’ll divide up into small groups.

Each group chooses a song.  I’m okay with the groups doing the same song.

Then I give them the expectations for each song.

It will tie back to how we did it in class.  So, if we played the song, then I’ll ask them to do that. 

I will also ask them to create something else for that song

They can come up with a dance or another musical part.

I like this activity because its very student driven and it’s creative.

I keep track of the groups and songs and then figure out when they will perform.

They are only performing for each other during class time. 

Resources with activities to help you with this idea.

PIRATE CHANTS

Ahoy Matey's! These here Music Class Pirate chants can help you and your students celebrate "Talk Like a Pirate Day" and learn, practice and perform rhythms. K-6 Applications. Upper and lower elementary students will love imitating pirates and chanting about their life in these original and rhyming rhythm chants. Perfect for a music program too!

DOGGIE, DOGGIE WHERE’S YOUR BONE? MUSIC LESSON

“Doggie, Doggie Where’s Your Bone?” Is a favorite Kodaly game song for elementary children. (Easily use these materials to "chant" if you can not sing.) The materials provide a variety of ways to encourage learning and practicing sol-la-mi patterns, independent singing and social skills like “taking turns”. The VIDEOS, audio and presentation files will help you give your students a variety of learning opportunities to develop beat, rhythm and pitch/melody skills. Videos are perfect for online teaching. Best for K-2.

FOLK SONG THIS OLD MAN

Folk Song favorite "This Old Man" is a great song to teach Music Concepts of Steady Beat and Rhythm. This set of music lesson materials will help you reinforce or introduce and practice singing, rhythm, notation, melody, and ostinato using the Teaching Video with FIVE sections to learn music skills. Lesson Ideas for K-6 included.

I’VE GOT PEACE LIKE A RIVER http://bit.ly/3aJ2gVN

POSITIVE REWARD TICKETS AND STICKERS

At the end of the school year when behaviors may not be the best, I’ve found that using a special reward system can help.

I save this reward system for the end of the school year.

I use these reward tickets and wrist bands  at the end of the year.

I made them in black and white because the students get to color their reward ticket.

This may work for some of your classes.

I’ve also used stickers and put them on the students’ hands.

I used them in different ways.

At the end of class I have them line up and put fists out and then plop a sticker on their hand.

During class to “notice” on task and great behavior  and participation.

I also chose 3 to 4 students to be my positive choices leaders.  They got to give out the stickers.

This was the MOST SUCCESSFUL positive behavior system I have used.

The students really got into it!

FREE REWARD TICKETS

Free reward tickets for any classroom.
Free exit and reward tickets, wrist bands, positive reward classroom management.

AMAZON LINK TO STICKERS

I hope these 3 ways to end the school year on a positive note spark some ideas for you!

Check out these other end of year games, songs and activities made especially for music teachers at the end of the year at the TPT STORE

Music Class Awards with Editable Templates for Concerts, Awards, End of Year

Celebrate student achievement in Music Class with these creative and editable awards. Easy to use and the perfect way to end the year or congratulate students after a concert, program, assessment. Put a smile on your students face today.

Creative Movement Activities Bundle: Bands, Scarves, Parachutes, Bean Bags

Creative movement activities for Music and movement. PE! Preschool! Classroom! Virtual! At Home! Movement Activity Songs, Directions, Posters, Games & Activities to get your students moving and learning with Freeze Dance Movements, Scarves, Bean Bags, Stretchy Bands and Parachutes. Perfect for Music, PE, Preschool and Special Needs. Activities can be adapted for Preschool up to Grade 6.

Creative Movement Activities Bundle #2: Bands, Scarves, Parachutes, Bean Bags

IN THE SING PLAY CREATE SHOP

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Looking for more end of year activities? Try reading this blog post with bean bag games.

Elementary Music Bean Bag Activities

Let’s move and learn with music!

Sandra from Sing Play Create
It’s the end of the school year and there’s still so much to get done!  In this post I'm sharing three ways to end the school year on a positive note.

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Meet Sandra

Hi there!  I’m Sandra, one of the authors behind Sing Play Create.  My goal is to provide teachers with interactive resources and activities to improve the effectiveness of their teaching and enhance student learning.

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