UreMusic Education

Elementary school music teachers have to be creative in their approach and have several fun and educational games to teach children about music. With children, keeping them active and busy will help keep them focused on the task. Kindergarten through sixth grade is a time of expansive learning from children and all activities must be planned to be hands-on activities. Rhythm Bingo This activity requires some time to prepare. You will need to create a new bingo card for each group of students. For a class of 30 children, you should have at least 15 cards. Place two children on each card so that they can help each other. When possible, pair a more experienced child with a less experienced child. On the card, make a grid of 1-by-1 inch squares in 5 rows and columns. You will need to write down 25 simple rhythms no longer than 2 beats in duration on a separate sheet of paper. This will be the teacher’s key. Randomly assign these rhythms to every square on the sheet. When the teacher plays ...

Teaching a kindergarten class music should be an enjoyable and active experience for the children. Before getting into the serious music exercises, it is advisable to warm up the kids to prepare them for music activities. Spend five to 10 minutes on warm-ups to ensure that the children are primed and ready to begin singing, playing and experimenting with music. Rhythm Begin each music class with rhythm clapping exercises. Clap a rhythm for the class and then have the children repeat the rhythm. Make the rhythms short enough for the children to remember. Start with one full measure of rhythms that last for four beats. Use only quarter notes and half notes at first. You may begin with two quarters followed by a half, one half followed by two quarters or a quarter note followed by a half note and quarter note. If the students get all of those rhythms down, add in eighth notes until you have used up your allotted time. Singing Start the class with a breathing exercise. Have all of the chil...