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.
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Here is a unique way to incorporate technology into your Earth Day Music Class. If time and/or materials are not permitting you to create instruments from recycled materials, let’s create a song about Earth Day that we can then add classroom instruments and rhythm patterns to perform.
Read MoreThis play-along is challenging! The tempo is quick, there are a lot of chromatic notes, the rhythm has a lot of playing on the offbeats, and the play-along encourages one to look ahead when performing it. I would highly suggest slowing down the tempo on YouTube by clicking on the settings, choosing the “Playback speed” and slowing it down to 0.75 or 0.50.” Or use the “Transpose ▲▼ pitch ▹ speed ▹ loop for videos” Chrome extension that will allow you to change the pitch and key of most YouTube videos. In addition, I would use the screenshots/file found here in the blog post so that your students can practice this before trying it with the video.
Read MoreTurn your concert poster quickly and easily into a social media post!
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Read MoreWith Earth Day next week, 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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BretPimentel.com is a goldmine for music educators, offering a variety of interactive resources. My favorites include the Random Note Picker for quick assessments, customizable Fingering Charts, and the versatile Note Generator for flashcards and composition activities. Check it out today to enhance your music classroom with these creative tools!
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🎶 Looking for Play-Along Videos for End-of-Year Songs in Your Music Class? 🎶
Whether you're prepping for graduation, a moving-up ceremony, or just want a fun way to end the year, I’ve got you covered! I’m creating easy-to-use play-along videos that your students will love—featuring ukulele and boomwhacker parts for "Time of Your Life" by Green Day. 🎸🎼
Bring some musical magic to your final lessons of the year!
Read MoreCheck 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 MoreHello, World!
Here comes April Fools. Lots of rickrolling, funny posts, and flutes purposely playing with cleaners in them! Bring it on!!
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Get ready for some fun this April Fool’s Day! 🪄 Your students will think they’re diving into a rhythm play-along featuring Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” — but wait! Just when the beat is flowing and the rhythms are rocking, POOF! 🎶
They’ve been Rickrolled! 🎤🙃
That’s right! Suddenly, Rick Astley’s classic “Never Gonna Give You Up” takes over, turning this into the ultimate musical prank! But don’t worry — it’s all in good fun and totally classroom-safe.
🧡 Why You’ll Love It:
🎵 Simple rhythms using quarter, half, and eighth notes + quarter rests
📣 An intuitive crescendo to keep them musical.
🏫 Perfect for all grade levels.
😂 Guaranteed giggles, groans, and maybe even some spontaneous classroom karaoke!
Your students will hopefully be talking about this one long after the last note fades. Ready to pull off the most fun, musical prank? Click here to watch and join the fun!
👉 Watch the April Fool's Rhythm Play-Along
Happy pranking, maestro! 🎵🎭
With MusicFirst Elementary, you can turn your centers into dynamic, digital musical experiences. Whether you're decoding rhythms, matching instruments, improvising melodies with boomwhackers, or creating ostinato loops, MusicFirst Elementary offers tools that encourage creativity, retrieval practice, and individualized learning. Plus, these centers help assess student progress in one class period! Want to try it? Get a free 30-day trial here: MusicFirst Elementary.
Read MoreBringing back one of my favorites featuring opera, I present a Rhythm and Boomwhacker Play-Along Video featuring the one and only Frederica von Stade, a Far Hills Country Day School alum! Frederica, a seasoned opera star with a voice that wows, is here to jazz up your day. Dive in to discover the play-along video, fun classroom manipulatives, and insider tips on teaching the song. Ready to jam out? Spread the love by tossing a virtual coffee my way at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech/ 🎵☕
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Bring La Vaca Lola to life in your classroom with this engaging movement activity that will have your students singing, moving, and laughing! 🎶🐄 Download the free lesson, grab the recording, and see just how easy it is to energize your music lessons. Plus, unlock 30 days of MusicFirst Elementary for free to explore even more interactive songs and resources—perfect for making music magic happen this week! Click below to get started! 🚀🎵
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Ready to take your Boomwhacker play-alongs to the next level? 🎶 This week, I’ve created the Level 2 version of the popular Sia Steady Beat Play-Along to "Unstoppable", with more challenging rhythms like dotted eighth notes and sixteenth notes, plus an expanded range of Boomwhacker notes! 🥁✨ If you liked the first version, your older elementary students will have a blast with this one—complete with free manipulatives, video play-along options on YouTube, and interactive tools on Soundslice. Click here to get the free resources, teaching tips, and everything you need to bring this dynamic activity to your classroom today! 🎉
Read More🎉 Bring Math & Music Together this Pi Day! 🎶
Looking for a fun, creative way to celebrate National Pi Day (March 14) with your students? Why not combine the love of music and math in your classroom? Pi Day isn’t just for memorizing numbers or serving pie—it’s a perfect opportunity to explore sound, melody, and rhythm with your students.
I’ve got an engaging Pi Day activity that uses Typatone.com, an online tool that transforms typing into music. It’s a super fun way for students to explore how letters and numbers can create melodies, and it’s the perfect way to introduce them to the magic of combining math with music.
Click here to learn more about how to bring this Pi Day music activity into your classroom!
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🎵 Looking for a fun and meaningful way to celebrate Women’s History Month in your music classroom? Imagine your students performing the music of iconic female artists while mastering steady beats and rhythms! This week, we’re diving into an exciting Sia Boomwhacker Play-Along to her hit song Unstoppable — a perfect blend of music and motivation. Whether you have a full set of boomwhackers or just a few classroom instruments, this activity will have your students engaged, empowered, and eager to learn. Keep reading for teaching tips, creative alternatives, and even more female artist play-alongs! 🎤
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Looking for a fun way to keep your students engaged during Statue in the Park or Dancing Freeze? Statue cards add an exciting visual element, helping students strike creative poses when the music stops! While there are plenty of statue cards available online, finding diverse and relatable images can be a challenge. That’s why I created my own—featuring dancers from all backgrounds to show students that anyone can be a dancer! Want to bring these inclusive statue cards into your classroom? Click to read more and grab your manipulatives! 🎶✨ Watch the video here!
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Looking for a fun, engaging way to teach steady beat and rhythm in your elementary music classroom? The Ella Jenkins Sing, Clap, and Play a Steady Beat Play-Along is the perfect activity to get your students singing, clapping, tapping, and playing instruments — all while exploring the timeless music of the "First Lady of Children's Music," Ella Jenkins. Featuring interactive songs like Caney Mi Macaro, Play Your Instruments, and Pole Pole, this play-along brings music to life through movement, call-and-response, and multicultural rhythms. Plus, you can grab free manipulatives to enhance your lesson! Ready to inspire your students with the magic of Ella’s music? Click "more" to discover the full play-along experience!
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#TechTipTuesday: Celebrate Student Birthdays with YuStudio Sampler!
Looking for a quick, fun way to wrap up music class while introducing music tech? Discover how to use the new sampler feature in YuStudio — part of Music First Elementary — to create personalized, student-recorded soundscapes for birthdays or special days. It’s simple, engaging, and a hit with kids. Click to learn how to make music magic in minutes!
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Presenting four sessions at NJMEA!
Are you looking for fresh resources, tech tools, and strategies to enhance your elementary music classroom? This past week at the NJMEA conference, I shared some of my favorite free tech resources, classroom tips for PK and K music, and creative app ideas. Plus, I got to learn from amazing educators like Stephanie Leavell and Dr. Missy Strong. Don’t miss out on these valuable insights and resources—click the link to explore everything I shared and get inspired for your next lesson!
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