I thoroughly enjoyed my time at TMEA this year. I presented four sessions: three technology-focused and one focused on Preschool and kindergarten activities. I attended sessions that varied from podcasting to movement to curriculum. I also showcased MusicFirst Elementary at the MusicFirst booth. The attendees at the sessions were amazing and I loved meeting music educators from Texas!

The TMEA/TI:ME Conference kicked off yesterday and there were many great sessions. I was thrilled to present three sessions. Here are the titles, descriptions, and links to the Wakelet for my sessions.

It is the height of conference season where music educators gather to learn from each other and to rejuvenate themselves. I have been very fortunate to have been able to represent my school, Far Hills Country Day School, by presenting at the Georgia Music Educators Conference (GMEA) showcasing MusicFirst Elementary, New Jersey Association for Independent Schools (NJAIS) “What the Tech?” three-minute session demonstrating Canva’s AI Magic Tools, and most recently, California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC) highlighting creative tools for elementary general music classes.

This week, I will be heading to San Antonio, Texas, for the annual Technology in Music Education (TI-ME) National Music Technology Conference/Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) State Conference and will be presenting four sessions.

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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Recently, a member of the Midnight Music Community brought up an interesting topic: "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Teaching." Several members, myself included, provided their insights. Following that, Midnight Music posed a similar question on their Facebook Group, asking for advice that we would give to new teachers. That question and this topic change for me annually as what I felt I needed to know when I first started teaching is not what I would advise 25+ years later. Here are 10 items I wish I knew and would give advice to a new teacher today.

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I love being able to play music at my church. Since my flute was overhauled this past fall, it is much nicer to play the lower notes of the instrument and joyful to play this song again. I hope that you enjoy this performance.

In the States, many of us return around 7-10 days before the federal holiday that honors the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There are numerous songs and activities that can be utilized in the elementary classroom on the first day we return. These are wonderful ways to create cross-curricular connections with what the students are learning in their classrooms, as well as honoring Dr. King’s life and work. This post includes how a music curriculum like MusicFirst Elementary (MFE) can assist with this and how to add additional resources and activities to the lessons.

For those of you who are returning to school in the next few days, you may be experiencing the "Sunday Scaries." It's that sudden feeling of fear that arises when we have to start planning activities for the upcoming week. Luckily, I've got you covered.

Whether you're a long-time follower or a new reader, I've been sharing "10 Elementary Music Activities for a First Day Back to School" to help you start the year off right. These activities can be implemented now, at the beginning of a new term, or even at the start of a new school year.

#10 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL RHYTHM PLAY-ALONG

#9 USING THE FREE SITE 4FOUR.IO FOR MUSIC ACTIVITIES

#8 BLOB OPERA TO CREATE, WARMUP, AND REFLECT

#7: CREATE SIMPLE PLAY-ALONG BOOMWHACKER MELODIES WITH DR. MUSIK

#6 PK AND K STEADY BEAT AULD LANG SYNE BODY PERCUSSION PLAY-ALONG

#5 REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR RESOURCES

#4 DECODE WORDART INTO RHYTHMS

#3 A WEB-BASED DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION AND MOVIE SCORING TOOL FOR ELEMENTARY MUSIC CLASS!

#2 A MUSIC GAME AND USING HTTPS://APP.MAGICSCHOOL.AI/ TO CREATE FIRST-DAY BACK ACTIVITIES
#1 AULD LANG SYNE BOOMWHACKER PLAY-ALONG

Let’s deep dive into #1.

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You read that correctly. #3 in our countdown is using MusicFirst Elementary’s YuStudio to create music and score a short video in your elementary music classroom!

This video comes from my MusicFirst Elementary Playlist on my YouTube Channel.

Activity #4: Decoding Wordart into Rhythms is a music class lesson that encourages students to share one word about their break and decode its rhythm. The words are combined as Wordart to create a unique rhythm pattern that the students can perform. The materials needed for this activity are a screen, paper, drawing utensils, or a device with a drawing app, Wordart.com, and a rhythm accompaniment site like M&M Bite-size Beats, Groovepizza, or Incredibox. Alternatively, MusicFirst Elementary's Rhythm Grids can be used to decode and perform the rhythms.

#06 PK AND K STEADY BEAT AULD LANG SYNE BODY PERCUSSION PLAY-ALONG

Looking for a fun and interactive way to get your young elementary students to practice and perform the steady beat? This simple, generic body percussion play-along video can be used at the beginning of a new calendar year, school year, or quarter. It's designed for young elementary students between the ages of 3-5 and uses body percussion to perform the steady beat. Use it on the first day of class to build an entertaining and cohesive group dynamic or as retrieval practice.

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#7: Create Simple Play-Along Boomwhacker Melodies with Dr. Musik

Using the Apps and Games portion of the site, your students can click on Boom!Writer to compose simple, diatonic Boomwhacker melodies utilizing quarter notes/crotchets, or a combination of quarter notes and eighth notes/quavers. Click more to read about four activities you can perform on the first day back from a break. Like my resources? Please consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech

#8 Blob Opera to Create, Warmup, and Reflect

Who knew blobs could sing? Music educators are raving about Blob Opera, and for good reason! Check out the video below for some ideas on how to jazz up your first day back from a break with some melodic blob fun. Like my resources? Please feel free to buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech

#9: Using the Free Site 4four.io for Music Activities

When we return to the elementary music classroom after some time away, whether it was a long break, a short break, or you only see your students during a seasonal term, we will want to do some retrieval practice to assess their musical skills. The free website 4four.io can be a wonderful tool to help create activities for assessment purposes, games, or retrieval practice. Check out the featured activity using the dice to learn more about this useful site. Like my resources? Please consider buying me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dashboard

#10 First Day of School Rhythm Play-Along

It's that time of year again – my annual countdown to the New Year! To kick off a new year, I'm sharing ten fun-filled elementary music activities for the first day back to school. Whether you're returning from a holiday break or beginning a new school year, these activities are perfect for any month. Be sure to check back daily, hit the like button, subscribe, or bookmark this page for later updates as we count down to the New Year!

#10 First Day of School Play-Along - Use this and the downloadable manipulatives as retrieval practice for reading and performing rhythm patterns while learning about Yo-Yo Ma and Auld Lang Syne.

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Recently, I unveiled a Nutcracker Rhythm Play-Along extravaganza with quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, dotted half notes, quarter rests, and sweet accents in a variety of meters. But wait, there's more! This week, I'm back with a body percussion play-along to shake things up. Get ready to groove!

MusicFirst Elementary (MFE) Powered by Charanga is an exceptional curriculum that offers many features to enhance any elementary general music classroom. One of the most wonderful features is the inclusion of band, orchestra, and classroom instrument arrangements that can be utilized in your general music classroom setting or your band/orchestra classroom setting.