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.
If you've ever found yourself in a professional development session completely unrelated to teaching elementary music, you're not alone – those can be quite challenging, right?
This play-along video was created for two pitched C instruments. In my elementary music classroom, that would be recorders and metallophones. However, you could use either pitched instruments like bells, xylophones, flutes, ukuleles, possibly boomwhackers, virtual instruments, or other instruments your students can access. For practicing purposes, isolate one of the parts and also highlight the middle to work on the passage that has different notes than the other passages.
Though this video is also on my YouTube channel, it works much better on this SoundSlice channel (https://www.soundslice.com/slices/tmKzc/) as you can make the screen less busy by only showing the video or isolating the parts.
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Source: Adrian Hartanto - @adriannetwork
Fourth of July
Today's #techtiptuesday celebrates the Fourth of July. For the past three years, when the school year ended, I would teach in our school's summer elementary program. When this occurred, I devised weekly lessons around themes. Since the Fourth of July is occurring next week, here is a quick lesson you can use in your future class or your summer music camp from MusicFirst Elementary (and the fun video of Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” with the world record of 189 piccolos!
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This past weekend officially started my summer projects! I love setting summer goals. Will I meet most of them? Probably not, unless the goal is to avoid the other goals I set! 🤣
However, my summer goals for this summer are:
Spend time with my family.
Relax and sleep more.
Read one or two books about music and teaching.
Go to Broadway and see a couple of shows at discounted rates.
Create some classroom instrument arrangements for play-along videos.
Work for Midnight Music and MusicFirst Elementary.
Work every day on Duolingo learning Spanish.
Exercise daily.
Clean out more of the basement for my girls to use.
Powerwash the house and stain the deck.
Go on vacation!!
These are in no particular order. Last night, I started #4 and saw The Outsiders, which was amazing! And today, I am working on #5: Create some classroom instrument arrangements for play-along videos. This play-along includes recorders, boomwhackers, classroom instruments, xylophones, metallophones, and sound effects (I used Star Wars sound effects in Flat!). These can be substituted for any instruments you have access to.
Tip: If the video is too busy, use the Soundslice link to change the view of the video.
Read MoreToday's #techtiptuesday shows you ways you can use the Musical Games found in the Supplementary Tab of MusicFirst Elementary. When you click on Musical Games you will find that it is separated into four categories:
Instruments
Musical Elements
Musical Styles
Curriculum End-of-the-Grade Quizzes
Haven’t tried MusicFirst Elementary? Check out the link in the description to try it for free for 30 days.
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As I explore the weekly resources provided by Jim Frankel’s course titled “AI in the Music Classroom”, I am uncovering many ways to incorporate AI in the elementary music classroom, reminding me of how we previously integrated tools like Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), notation programs, and web-based music creation platforms to enhance the musical experience for all students, especially when traditional methods were not available.
Check out these five by reading the post or watching the video. Like my resources? Please consider buying me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech.
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Today's #techtiptuesday comes from the many new users we have received recently. Here are five ways to begin with MusicFirst Elementary!
#5 Lesson Plans/Curriculum Maps/Scope and Sequence
#4 Sheet Music
#3 Supplementary Tab
#2 Creative Tools - Music Explorer and YuStudio
#1 Interactive Lessons
And There's More!
Take a look at my YouTube channel, where I have a MusicFirst Elementary Playlist with in-depth videos and a #techtiptuesday playlist with videos like this one that give you quick tips and ideas on how to use MusicFirst Elementary in your music class today!
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Five end-of-the-year activities with MFE
It's that time of year when school's wrapping up faster than a holiday gift. Elementary music teachers are running on fumes, trying to jazz up those final lessons. But fear not, MusicFirst Elementary is here to save the day! Say goodbye to last-minute planning and hello to five fun end-of-year activities for your music classes. Let the musical countdown begin!
#5 Interactive Supplementary Musical Activities
At this stage of the school year, your class might have rocked their last concert, starred in a school play, or are gearing up for end-of-year fun. Tossing in a new tune might not be the brightest idea now. Instead of hitting the musical note, why not dive into the interactive musical activities in MFE to keep the class buzzing during this wacky time when focus is as rare as a unicorn in a desert storm?
All grade levels feature several songs with interactive music-making activities embedded in them. These activities include some or all of the following:
Play-Along Activities
Improvisation Activities
Composition Activities
Have your students grab pitched or non-pitched instruments from bells, to boomwhackers, to rhythm sticks, to voices, to body percussion to have them play along with the music, improvise new melodies or phrases, or compose new melodies or phrases using the built-in composition squares in kindergarten or the Music Explorer composition tools in grades 1 through 5. These interactive jam sessions will have your students skipping out of class with a smile and a tune on their lips!
#4 Quickbeats
Get the classroom grooving with a fun activity! First up, let your students craft a snazzy quickbeat using the Creative Tool. Once they've got their beat, challenge them to whip up a haiku poem - perfect for those poetry buffs. Then, watch the magic happen as they rap out their haiku to their cool new beat! For the older crew, let them shine solo, but for the young ones, gather 'round the interactive whiteboard or screen for a group beat-making session. Next up, have each kiddo introduce themselves with a tasty twist - think "My name is Sarah, and I'm all about sweets!" Let the rhythmic fun begin!
#3 Play-Along Videos in the Supplementary Tab
The Supplementary Tab has a plethora of activities that require very little prep. One example is the Resources for Classroom Instruments. Within this tab, you will find numerous play-along videos for recorder, bells, boomwhackers, and ukuleles. All of these resources gradually add notes one-at-a-time to make it intuitive for you to pick a few videos that will help your students at any age level feel successful. Start the fun by having them sneak a peek at the performance before jumping in. Then, let the show go on, mixing notes and trying out new chords a few times.
#2 A Decoding Scavenger Hunt
Play one of their favorite music games that they played earlier in the year. An example might be Pass the Pumpkin, Doggie Doggie, Obwisanasa, or one from the Kodály Supplementary Songs Tab. When finished with the game, have them decode the rhythms of the song using Rhythm Grids. This could be performed with 1:1 devices, as a group, or in a center. Once decoded, have them use the “Hear” tab to listen to see if their decoding was accurate. After finishing up, let your students pick a musical genre and show off their performance skills with that vibe.
#1 Score a Movie with YuStudio
If you have followed my channel or seen my other videos, you know that currently, YuStudio, which is included in MFE, is the only web-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that can score a movie. For your older students, assign one of the short 30-second movies found in MFE and have them score a drumbeat, guitar, and bass to it and have them assign one to two sound effects to go with the movie.
For your younger students, have them draw pictures during one class of a topic you assign. Then create a video from those pictures using Canva, Clipchamp, the Photo tool on your MAC, or other creative tools. Upload the video to YuStudio and have them help you create music to those pictures. With my young students, I ask one student to choose between a drum or guitar. I then ask them to choose between two loops from one of those instruments. This guided practice helps move the activity along with everyone choosing various loops to perform with the video.
The school year finale can seem like a slow-motion race to the end. But fear not, with MusicFirst Elementary, we can glide across that finish line effortlessly!
In the States, as we approach the end of May and then the month of June, many schools are having graduation or “moving up” ceremonies. These time-honored traditions can include a graduation song that the students sing during the ceremony. These songs usually consist of a message of hope, growing up, or something else that is very positive. This does limit our choices for songs and many teachers ask for advice on what songs would work well. In this blog post, you will find a Wakelet of song choices and a rhythm play-along medley with five songs that my students have liked over the years for these ceremonies. Come back next week when the medley will include boomwhackers.
Like my resources? Please consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech
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Last week, I premiered the rhythm play-along version of the Graduation/Moving Up Ceremony Song Medley. This week, we have the boomwhacker play-along version with diatonic boomwhackers performing chords for all five songs. Use the rhythm play-along to learn the rhythm patterns. Then use the manipulatives included to learn the chord progression. As your school year winds down, remember to breathe and have some fun with your students. I hope that this play-along helps with that!
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It is #techtiptuesday #14 with MusicFirst Elementary. Check out three more updates to YuStudio, currently the only web-based Digital Audio Workstation that can score movies. Check out MusicFirst Elementary today!
Read MoreThis rhythm play-along medley consists of four popular songs for higher elementary moving up days. The rhythm patterns covered are syncopation, quarter, eighth, whole, dotted quarter, and sixteenth notes, as well as quarter rests.
Read MoreUsing 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.
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Canva has introduced a new presentation tool that allows users to add elements one at a time for a more dynamic and engaging presentation experience. This feature enables users to control the appearance of each element on the screen, such as characters, instruments, and excerpts, by displaying them individually and incorporating effects like blur for added visual appeal. The tool also allows users to manage the sequence of animations and customize the order in which elements appear during the presentation.
Additionally, Canva has introduced a new Magic Grab tool that enhances the ability to manipulate elements within a design. Users can now choose specific items to grab or brush over areas they wish to isolate, detaching them from the background image for easier editing and positioning. This feature provides more flexibility in layering elements and creating visually appealing designs.
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This week, MusicFirst Elementary introduced new instruments to the Music Explorer Creative Tool. In case you didn't know, MusicFirst Elementary offers six creative tools to enhance musical knowledge and creativity, promote music-making, and assist children in developing their musical ideas and choices. The Music Explorer tool is an engaging, interactive platform featuring over 20 instruments designed to support various musical activities such as pulse games, listening skills, notation introduction, improvisation, and composition.
The Music Explorer tool has now included ukulele and boomwhackers among its classroom instruments. This enables students to compose individual or group songs using various diatonic boomwhacker notes and using C pentatonic or open ukulele strings and rhythms like whole, dotted half, half, or quarter notes. For instance:
Access MFE on your device and project it onto a screen/interactive whiteboard.
Navigate to Creative Tools > Music Explorer > Ukulele.
Select open strings for intuitive performance.
If you require a virtual ukulele, refer to the resources provided below for a suitable alternative.
I will then offer my students three musical style choices and narrow them down based on their preferences. Typically, my students enjoy the Jazz (Big Band) style at a moderate tempo. Depending on the grade level, I might opt for the Note Grid or Notation with Note Names. I appreciate the six options provided by MFE, ranging from steady beat to rhythmic and pitched notation. Using the Note Grid, students can place notes on the grids, identifying whole, dotted half, half, or quarter notes. After practicing the song, we perform it with the chosen Jazz (Big Band) style.
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Every few months, students tend to follow a new trend. Recently, a teacher in an elementary music education group shared about the Veggie Dance trend from Gracie’s Corner YouTube channel, named "Veggie Dance." This catchy tune has become quite popular, with people unknowingly finding themselves humming along to it. The trend has gained so much traction that even my teenage daughter shared the video with me, mentioning that her friends were also into it.
Within the music education group, a member requested a dance and rhythm play-along video featuring call-and-response sections with vegetable names. Over the weekend, I managed to create this video, considering that many of us are nearing the end of the school year and looking for engaging activities for our enthusiastic students. I hope that this video will assist you in your teaching efforts and also act as a helpful review tool for rhythm patterns involving quarter (crotchet), eighth (quavers), half (minim) notes, and quarter rests. There is also a copy of my Google Slide Manipulatives to assist in teaching the movements and rhythm patterns found in the song. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19qFJG19XxA91m5VraeI8gQU1qg24VSvHd51Afl6CHh4/copy
Like my resources? Please feel free to buy me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech
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Hi! I'm Amy M. Burns, the creative mind behind amymburns.com and the author of "Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches." By day, I bring music to life as an elementary educator at Far Hills Country Day School. During the evenings, I take on the role of Community Coordinator at Midnight Music and also work as an Elementary Music Consultant at MusicFirst.
Prepare for weekly tech insights every Tuesday to enrich your music lessons with MusicFirst Elementary! Immerse yourself in this interactive K-5 program (soon to include Preschool through grade 6) offering engaging printable lessons, diverse global melodies, instrumental music for bands, orchestras, and classroom instruments, as well as tools for creating impressive movie soundtracks! Click the links below to sign up for a 30-day free trial and discover a top-notch curriculum with cutting-edge resources. Let's create beautiful music together!
Last week's #techtiptuesday highlighted the Supplementary's Tab Musical Elements and Theory Animations, focusing on Animated Musical Elements. This week's focus is on Music Theory Basics, where you will find concise animated videos explaining key music theory concepts:
The Staff
Time Signatures
Time Signatures, Bars, and Barlines
Quarter Notes
Quarter Note Rests
Half Notes
Half Note Rests
Whole Notes
Check out a fresh ukulele play-along featuring Green Day's hit "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." The title has been slightly modified by omitting "Good Riddance." This rendition is from the 1998 Letterman Show when the album "Nimrod" was introduced. The performance is by Green Day's frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong. As it's a live version, it skips the initial part found on the CD, excluding a word unsuitable for an elementary music setting.
This song is based on four chords: G Major, E Minor, D Major, and C Major. The teaching approach involves introducing one chord per class session. Read more below.
Read MoreThis week's #techtiptuesday features the Supplementary's Tab Musical Elements and Theory Animations, focusing on Animated Musical Elements. By exploring this, you will discover concise, animated videos covering eight musical elements: beat, dynamics, rhythm, pitch, tempo, chords, texture, and timbre.
Read MoreMusicFirst Elementary, powered by Charanga, is a cloud-based curriculum tailored for elementary general music, serving grades K-5 (with intentions to encompass preschool and grade 6). The program offers 36 progressive lessons per grade. When you access MusicFirst Elementary, you will encounter an interactive resource functioning as a virtual textbook. It is accompanied by lesson plans, curriculum guides, assessment resources, and six innovative web-based tools like a drum machine and a digital audio workstation for music composition and video scoring. MFE has been designed and built from the bottom up for the US and the National Core Arts Standards with completely new songs and materials but also utilizing all of Charanga’s vast 25+ years of experience building high-quality interactive music curricula around the world.
This video gives you an in-depth look at the new features in MFE’s YuStudio, a full-featured, web-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) with movie-scoring capabilities, by showing you how to create an ABA template for your students where they will improvise the melody for the B Section.
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