RELIABLE Activities For The First Day Of Music Class!

The first days of school can be SCARY. Both teachers and students get the back-to-school jitters. Here are 5 sure-fire ways to set yourself up for success on the the first day of music class!

1. “Stick-It” Music Class Game

This game is the PERFECT way to get to know you students. First, write a music-related question on the board. For example, “What is your favorite song?” Then, have each student write their answer on a post-it note and stick it to the board. YOU turn away from the board. After the students are finished, try to guess who put up each answer. Do this by sticking each note to the student whom you think it belongs. As you play, be sure to include your reasoning for each one. This will ensure that students will feel that you are making an effort to know and understand each of them!

2. Mixer-Style Folk Dance

Folk dances are a great way for students to work together and be musical – without requiring prior musical ability. Due to their “low-stakes” nature, students do not feel the pressure of performing but still engage in music making. A great, easy, example of a “first day of school” folk dance is “Sasha.” The directions and track for this dance (and MANY others) can be found in the New England Dancing Masters “Alabama Gal.”

3. Create a “Back-To-School” Playlist

Have students create a slide show OR write on paper to show their answers. Here is an outline the instructions:

• Type how you are feeling about school starting, choose a song to represent this feeling, and then write an explanation for why you chose this song. 
• Explain the best part of last year, choose a song that can help you remember this event, and then write an explanation for why you chose this song. 
• Identify the best part of the summer, choose a song to help you remember this part of the summer, and then write an explanation for why you chose this song. 
• Select what you are most looking forward to this year, choose a song that makes you excited for this, and then write an explanation for why you chose this song. 
• Identify what you are nervous about for this year, choose a song that can help you be brave for this, and then write an explanation for why you chose this song. 
• Think of your goal for this year, choose a song that will motivate you to achieve this goal, and write an explanation for why you chose this song.

You are WELCOME to steal this idea from me and type up directions for your students, but you can also buy the pre-made google slides version on TPT!

4. Play a Singing Game

I’m ALWAYS nervous about the first time I have my students sing. If it goes poorly, it will be DOUBLE challenging to win them back.

In order to lessen the fear in my students, I like to start with a game in which the focus in on the playing instead of the performance. A good example of such a game is called “Charlie Over The Ocean.” Here are instructions on how to play.

First have students sit in a circle. Then, select one student to walk around the group. The student who is walking sings “caller” part of this call and response song while the sitting students sing the “response” part. After the song, the walking student selects a sitting student’s head to tap. Finally, the sitting student gets up to chase the walking student around the circle.

This easy game is very similar to duck, duck, goose, and students understand it right away. To find the song, there are many examples of the song AND students playing the game on Youtube! There is also an MP3 version available on Amazon by John M. Feierabend and Jill Trinka. Check it out!

5. Create a Listening Journal

With my older students, I have them enter into their listening journal every morning as their “do-now.” On the first day, it is a good idea to let students personalize their journals through magazine collages, drawings, and paintings of things that represent them and their interests.

First, I have students decorate their journals. Then, I have students write me a few sentences in the first page of their journal explaining how their decorative choices represent them. Then, I have them write definitions for the five categories that I have them listen for every morning: genre, instrumentation, articulation, dynamics, and tempo. This sets up their daily procedure, another GREAT thing to do on the first day of school!

Thanks for Reading!

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