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 instrumental class, directs the FH Modern Band, is the Performing Arts Department Manager, and teaches privately in the after-school conservatory, having served as director for over 20 years. She has authored four books and numerous articles on integrating technology 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, the 2017 NJ Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year, and the 2026 NJMEA Distinguished Service Awards. Her most recent publication, Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches (2020), is available from Oxford University Press (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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One of my favorite parts of summer is creating new resources that elementary music teachers can immediately take back to their classrooms. This post is an update from my summer series a few years back of play-along videos featuring songs and musical concepts commonly found in the Kodály and Orff Schulwerk approaches.
This week's featured resource is:
As elementary music teachers, we're always looking for ways to save time while creating engaging resources for our students. Canva has become one of my favorite tools because it allows me to quickly design worksheets, bulletin board materials, games, and assessments without needing advanced graphic design skills.
Recently, I stumbled upon a Canva feature that can make resource creation even faster: Canva's built-in worksheet templates.
Here is the video or read on. Don't forget to join me at the Elementary Music Summit on Tuesday, July 7, to learn about more Canva hacks for music teachers!
Don't forget to join me at the Elementary Music Summit on Tuesday, July 7, to learn about more Canva hacks for music teachers!
Read MoreIf your students are anything like mine, they are obsessed with Dog Man! When I discovered that Yung Gravy created the song "Supa Good" for the movie, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to bring a current student favorite into the elementary music classroom while reinforcing rhythm-reading skills.
This rhythm play-along combines engaging visuals, a steady beat, "dang" word removed, and repetitive rhythm patterns to help students practice music literacy in a way that feels more like a game than a lesson.
Tip: Please remember that some songs work well in classrooms and some do not. Please always check the lyrics before using a song in your music class.
Read MoreSummer is one of my favorite times to learn, reflect, and gather fresh ideas for the upcoming school year. While attending an in-person conference is wonderful, it is not always possible due to travel, family commitments, or budget constraints. Fortunately, there are several excellent online professional development opportunities this summer that allow you to learn from outstanding music educators right from home.
Read MoreMy Favorite Play-Along This School Year...
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Have you ever arrived at school ready to teach an amazing lesson, only to discover that the internet is slow—or worse, completely unavailable?
If you use Canva for your classroom presentations, there is a simple feature that can save the day.
Many music teachers create daily lesson slides, movement activities, visual supports, and interactive presentations in Canva. While Canva is cloud-based, you can still access your presentations without an internet connection.
Here's how:
Open your Canva presentation.
Look for the cloud icon near the top of the screen.
Click the cloud icon labeled "Changes Saved."
Select "Make Available Offline."
Once enabled, Canva stores the presentation on your device so you can continue presenting even when the internet is unavailable.
A reliable presentation can make all the difference during:
Concert rehearsals
Classroom lessons
Professional development workshops
Conference presentations
Special events and assemblies
Instead of scrambling to find a backup plan, you'll have access to your slides and resources right when you need them.
If your Canva presentation contains embedded YouTube videos, those videos will not play without an internet connection.
To avoid this issue, consider finding a downloadable version of the video and uploading it directly into your Canva project before your presentation. This way, the media is stored with your presentation and can be played offline.
Technology doesn't always cooperate, especially during a busy school day. Taking a minute to make your Canva presentations available offline can provide peace of mind and help ensure your lesson runs smoothly no matter what happens with the internet.
It's one of those small Canva features that can make a big difference when you need it most.
Join at the Elementary Music Summit on July 7!
Head over to the website to learn more and grab your free ticket. More information will be sent straight to your inbox afterward.
I know what you are thinking, because I am thinking it too...I just got out of school (or if you are like me, I haven't finished school yet) and you are talking about the school year?!? However, this is a great, free opportunity to learn new strategies and earn PD, all while in your pajamas!
Read MoreIf you're an elementary music teacher who uses Canva to create classroom posters, bulletin board displays, worksheets, certificates, concert programs, or visual aids, there's a small update that can save you a few clicks.
Read MoreThis post and video brings me back four years ago when I created my first play-along video where the music is scrolling across the screen and the boomwhackers on the bottom of the screen play along with the music. This was also my first play-along using a video of a live recording (the credentials and the link to the original video are below). I enjoyed creating this, but I am not perfect and there are times when the downbeat rushes slightly. With that said, this boomwhacker can be used to practice, reinforce, or used as a tool for multiple modalities with the following musical concepts:
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This was a challenging process to create a play-along video with a live recording and scrolling music. Read more to find out about the process.
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As the school year winds down, many elementary music teachers face the same challenge: students are mentally halfway to summer break, but you still want your final music classes to be joyful, meaningful, and musical. The good news? You do not need elaborate lesson plans or hours of prep to keep students engaged.
Here are five low-prep (or no-prep!) activities that help students end the year with creativity, laughter, and positive musical memories.
Read MoreStarting your first elementary music teaching job can feel exciting, overwhelming, inspiring, and exhausting all at once. You are learning names, building routines, figuring out curriculum, managing instruments, and trying to stay one step ahead of hundreds of students every single day. The good news? You do not need to have everything perfectly figured out during your first year.
Below are five practical ideas that can help you save time, build confidence, and create a positive classroom environment right from the beginning.
As the school year comes to a close, many elementary music teachers begin preparing for one of the most meaningful moments of the year: graduation and moving up ceremonies. Whether your students are leaving preschool, crossing a bridge into a new grade level, or celebrating the end of elementary school, music can make these milestone moments even more memorable.
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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!
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Timers can be a game-changer in the elementary music classroom. They help students transition between centers, prepare instruments, clean up efficiently, and even refocus during calming moments. While there are many premade timers online, creating your own allows you to customize the visuals, music, and overall vibe to fit your classroom perfectly.
One of the easiest ways to create customized timers is with Canva. Here’s the process I use to make my own music classroom timers!
Read MoreYesterday, I came across a post from Mrs. King’s Music Class where she shared music timers she uses in her classroom. It reminded me just how valuable timers can be in an elementary music setting. While timers may seem like a simple classroom tool, they can completely transform transitions, pacing, classroom management, and even student self-regulation.
In the elementary music classroom, every minute matters. Whether students are rotating through centers, setting up instruments, transitioning to movement activities, or simply taking a moment to reset emotionally, timers can provide the structure and predictability students need.
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Are you searching for the perfect kindergarten end-of-year song? As the school year winds down, many elementary music teachers are looking for meaningful, engaging songs that celebrate growth, community, and moving on to first grade.
Here are five tried-and-true kindergarten graduation songs that are easy to teach, memorable for families, and adaptable for performances.
Read MoreWhen I need to put together sub plans quickly, I rely on a reusable Google Slides template. If my substitute can log into Google Slides (using a school-created sub account), everything is ready to go.
Here’s how it works:
I update one title slide with the day’s schedule
Each grade level is clickable and links to its lesson
The substitute simply clicks and teaches—no guessing
Students follow along with activities like:
Boomwhacker play-alongs
Rhythm games
Composition “creative blocks”
Songs with lyrics + audio
And more
It keeps the day structured and familiar for students—even when I’m not there.
It is that time of year! It is the week when May 4 will fall on a school day and you can celebrate two celebrations: May The Fourth Be With You and Dave Brubeck Day! This year, I created a rhythm play-along to John Williams's Theme to Star Wars, conducted by Henry Mancini, From The Reader's Digest Music: Wizards & Dragons - A Fantasy Game Mix. Like my resources? Please consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech
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