Amy M. Burns

Elementary Music Technology and Integration

Amy M. Burns has taught PreK-grade 4 general music for over 25 years at Far Hills Country Day School (FH) (https://www.fhcds.org/). She also teaches grade 5 instrument class, directs the FH Philharmonic, is the Performing Arts Department Manager, and teaches privately in the after-school conservatory after being the director for over 20 years. She has authored four books and numerous articles on how to integrate tech into the elementary music classroom. She has presented many sessions on the topic, including four keynote addresses in TX, IN, St. Maarten, and AU. She is the recipient of the 2005 Technology in Music Education (TI:ME) Teacher of the Year, the 2016 New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) Master Music Teacher, the 2016 Governor’s Leader in Arts Education, and the 2017 NJ Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year Awards. Her most recent publication, Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches (2020), published by Oxford University Press (OUP) is available from OUP and Amazon. Burns is also the Community Coordinator for Midnight Music (MMC) at https://midnightmusic.com/, the General Music Chair for NJMEA Board of Directors, and the Elementary Music Consultant for MusicFirst (https://www.musicfirst.com/), a company built by music educators for music educators, dedicated to helping music teachers and their students make the most of technology in the classroom.

Looking for my YouTube Channel, or the manipulatives for my Play-Along Videos, click on the social feed buttons below!

Reduce Reuse Recycle Play-Along for Ukulele and Classroom Instruments

February 09, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

Although Earth Day is not yet here, it is always important to keep the 3Rs in mind. In particular, we refer to the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Jack Johnson's song of the same name is composed of two basic chords - C and G. The C chord is a great starting point for beginners on the ukulele. This song can be a valuable tool for students to learn G.

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What's New in YuStudio? (January 2025)

January 28, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

Bring Movie Magic to Your Music Class with YuStudio’s New Game-Themed Videos

Attention music educators! If you’re looking for innovative ways to captivate your upper elementary students, you’re in for a treat. MusicFirst Elementary, powered by Charanga, has recently added exciting updates to YuStudio, its web-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) designed for young musicians. The newest feature? Five computer-themed video games your students can compose soundtracks for, including car racing, basketball, flight simulators, and more.

Imagine your students crafting sound effects for a Hogwarts adventure or adding dramatic melodies to a high-speed car race. These bite-sized videos, ranging from 19 seconds to just over a minute, are perfect for teaching composition, sound alignment, and creative scoring techniques.

In this blog post, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step guide to incorporating these videos into your classroom, complete with tips for aligning sound effects, creating background tracks, and adding melodies. Whether your students are just starting or ready for a challenge, YuStudio makes it simple to bring their musical ideas to life.

Click through to explore how these videos can transform your music lessons into cinematic experiences your students will never forget! 🎶

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MusicFirst Elementary's Rhythm Grids Now Has a Lockable Hear Button!

January 23, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

Transform Your Music Classroom with MusicFirst Elementary's Rhythm Grids!

Looking for a fun, interactive way to engage your students in rhythm practice? MusicFirst Elementary's Rhythm Grids is the ultimate tool to help your students decode rhythms, compose, and build confidence—all while having a blast!

With features like a lockable "Hear" button, customizable meters, fullscreen mode for group activities, and interactive settings, Rhythm Grids is the perfect addition to your music classroom. Plus, it’s a fantastic self-assessment tool, empowering students to take ownership of their learning.

This is just one of the seven creative tools available in MusicFirst Elementary, designed to make teaching music easier and more effective than ever.

🎶 Ready to see it in action? Try it FREE for 30 days! Learn more here.

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#techtiptuesday Michael Markowski's Music Lab

January 20, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

Michael Markowski’s Music Lab is a treasure trove for music educators seeking innovative ways to teach theory and ear training. With engaging tools like chordal slot machines, interval recognition games, and jazz harmony identification, it transforms abstract concepts into fun, hands-on learning experiences. These activities are perfect for supplementing classroom instruction or encouraging students to explore music independently. To discover how this resource can enrich your teaching toolkit, explore the full array of interactive activities at Michael Markowski's Music Lab.

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Quick Elementary Songwriting Project for MLK Day

January 19, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

🎶 Inspire Young Voices with the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! 🎶

Looking for an engaging and creative way to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day in your music classroom? This lesson plan combines history, music, and technology to help students honor Dr. King’s remarkable legacy through songwriting. From interactive resources like Seesaw to singable lyrics, this activity will have your students learning, creating, and connecting in meaningful ways.

Click now to explore this ready-to-use lesson and empower your students to write their own songs inspired by Dr. King’s dream!

Want the lesson? Please visit https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech to get the lesson plan and to read the blog post.

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Sing-Along and Play-Along for the song, "Sing About Martin" by Miss Jackie.

January 12, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

As the third Monday of January approaches in the States, schools will close to observe the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929. In music classes, many music educators will use numerous resources to study how Dr. King used nonviolent resistance to achieve equal rights. Here are some that I have used together in my classroom along with a Sing-Along/Play-Along.

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Any info, student examples, pictures, graphics, etc, may be used with permission. Please contact me personally before using any info, student examples, pictures, graphics, etc.