Hello there! I'm Amy M. Burns, the elementary music educator of 28 years behind amymburns.com and the proud author of "Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches." By day, I share the magic of music with young learners as an elementary educator at Far Hills Country Day School. In the evenings, I take on the role of Community Coordinator at Midnight Music and work as an Elementary Music Consultant at MusicFirst.

Join me every Tuesday for weekly tech tips to elevate your music classes with MusicFirst Elementary! Immerse yourself in this interactive K-5 program (soon to include Preschool through grade 6) that offers engaging printable lessons, a diverse range of global melodies, instrumental music for bands, orchestras, and classroom instruments, as well as tools for creating stunning movie soundtracks! Click the links below to sign up for a 30-day free trial and discover a top-tier curriculum with cutting-edge resources. Let's create beautiful music together!

Using MFE for End-of-the-Year Activities

In the States, numerous elementary music teachers are wrapping up the school year and seeking fast and engaging end-of-year activities for the final days. If you're a MFE subscriber or using the free trial, here's one activity for the end of the school year. Stay tuned for an upcoming in-depth video featuring five end-of-the-year activities with MFE. Don't forget to like and subscribe to access professional development videos and interactive content for your elementary music class.

Let’s explore Grade 2 and discover a lesson enriched with extra activities. By this time of the school year, your students may have already had their final concert, participated in an elementary musical, or are getting ready for end-of-school activities. Introducing a new song might not be the best idea at this point. Despite being a song-centered curriculum, consider focusing on the supplementary activities available in MFE to engage students when their energy and attention levels are challenged.

Grade 2 features several songs with interactive music-making activities embedded in them. I suggest selecting The Redwood Tree for its intriguing science connection and catchy chorus. My students have caught themselves singing this song outside of class, even when we were simply listening to it without focusing on learning the words yet.

Here is how I would approach this lesson in my class, which you can adapt to suit your students’ learning styles:

• Begin by listening to and watching the song's video.

• Listen again, this time engaging with the Respond tab to answer higher-order thinking questions. Then, explore the “Did You Know?” tab to discover facts about the Redwood tree and learn about the Folk style of music in the song.

• Discuss the image of the person next to the Redwood tree, as my students find this picture captivating.

• Proceed to the “Play Your Instruments with the Song” Tab. Depending on the available instruments, students can use boomwhackers for Glock 1 part or the Glock 2 part. Incorporate both parts to allow students to enhance their performance using a mix of boomwhackers and xylophones. Additionally, there is a recorder part provided. If your classroom lacks pitched percussion instruments, consider using unpitched percussion options like rhythm sticks, bucket drums, or body percussion.

• Move on to the “Improvise with the Song” tab. Encourage students to improvise using three pitched notes (CDE) or vocalize with the notes CDE or Do Re Mi. Alternatively, utilize unpitched percussion or body percussion for the improvisation session. Demonstrate different patterns and have students improvise individually or in groups.

• Conclude with the “Compose with the Song” tab. Utilize the Music Explorer tool to create a 3-note or pentatonic melody. In my second-grade class, we engage in this activity as a group using the interactive whiteboard. Guide students through composing within the specified guidelines. Practice the new melody and eventually perform it with accompaniment. Save the composition for future reference.

This comprehensive lesson will occupy at least half of the 45-minute class period. The remaining time can be dedicated to practicing songs for the moving-up ceremony or engaging in a folk dance or movement activity.

Discover Music Explorer in MFE today! Stay tuned for more MFE tech tips on #TechTipTuesday next week as we delve further into MFE together.

Free trial of MusicFirst Elementary: https://www.musicfirstelementary.com/site/