Young teachers often struggle with pacing and the ability to cover more than one or two songs and activities in a single 30-minute general music class. Included in this article are lesson activities that show it is not only possible to include many of the National Standards in a single lesson, but also possible to sing, play, and create in every…

The Common Core Standards and the wide-spread state adoption have implications for music teachers. Alignment with English language arts Common Core Standards is discussed, with examples provided for elementary general music experiences. The author notes the challenge of retaining focus on the music domain while meeting the expectations of the…

Inquiry-based learning is shown as an effective methodology to reach diverse student populations. It aligns with the National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems and their methodology of culturally responsive teaching. (Contains 2 resources.)

The main adaptations that will be made for music students with physical disabilities are those that make the classroom accessible and those that make classroom instruments accessible. There are a number of principles to guide one when selecting instruments for students with physical disabilities. These principles can assist one in determining the…

Poems are filled with musicality. Poetry and music are often described using similar terms: meter, cadence, phrase, form, and more. Poetry also has physical qualities recognized ever since the Greeks classified poetic meter in feet. In this article, the author presents a project that works well across the age spectrum: recording expressive poetry…

Minds-on engagement in active learning is explored through the experiences of Margaret Sanders, a general music teacher. Minds-on learners think about their experiences. They are actively involved as questioners and problem solvers while they complete musical tasks and reflect on their work after it is completed. Minds-off learners focus on their…

In 1979, MENC President James Mason announced the intention to create a national council on elementary general music education to be organized within the framework of MENC. This action was the first important step toward creating what became the Society for General Music. This article is a brief history of the Society, including description of…

Visual arts, movement, and music are all connected by common structural elements. The lesson described in this article was prepared so that teacher candidates in elementary education may make connections among music, movement, and the visual arts using an elemental integration approach. This lesson used visual art to introduce the concept of line…

This article outlines a sequential approach to unit and lesson planning for conceptual teaching in general music classes. Guidelines for the writing of well-articulated instructional objectives are provided. Two appendices show models of a unit plan and a lesson plan in which the assessment of objectives is clearly tracked and alternative…

This article describes the author's personal experiences leading primary grades in whole-class composing. Together they created songs inspired by topics the students were exploring in their homeroom classes. The author systematically describes the songwriting process they employed, identifying specific challenges encountered along the way. The…

Several years ago, the author had the opportunity to visit music preschools and elementary music schools in Moscow, Russia. The music education these children received was broad, deep, demanding, and joyful. One of her greatest delights was looking through children's portfolio of pictures they had made of every song they had sung that year. In…

The article presents activities that tap into elementary and middle school children's multiple ways of knowing by having them visually express impressions and thoughts about music, and conversely, express their impressions of visual art by creating music. Because most children learn through both visual and auditory senses, they may foster deeper…

This article explains the difference between concepts and skills in music education. Concepts about music cannot be taught; they are acquired through meaningful experiences. These experiences are typically called musical skills and include singing, chanting, playing, moving, creating, improvising, and writing. Suggestions for organizing the school…

The article deals with the use of rubrics as an assessment tool in the classroom. It is said that teaching elementary music holds many joys but there are serious challenges for new and seasoned teachers including the U.S. No Child Left Behind Act. With limited time to cover music curricula, assessment is often put aside because teachers feel the…

This article examines elementary music curricula. It presents an overview of research on childhood mental development; the importance of the early experiences of children on childhood development; the impact of environmental factors on language development; children's acquisition of music ability; enhancing elementary music curriculum; and…