SPELLBINDING Music Class Activities to Embrace the Magic of Autumn!

The taste of pumpkin spice lattes. The smell of fallen leaves and bonfires. The excitement of the impending holidays in the air. As Autumn creeps into the last days of summer – we music teachers can begin to consider music class activities to embrace the MAGIC of the season!

Here are some AWESOME project ideas to consider for your music classroom this fall season!

1. Project Idea #1: SPOOKY Theme song creation for HALLOWEEN!

This project is a great way to bring the magic of Halloween into the music classroom. It teaches students to select their own musical ideas, consider expressive intent when composing, and utilize musical terminology like “tempo,” “instrumentation,” “percussion,” and “pitch,”

1. First have your students decorate a “Spooky” item such as a black cat, a witches cauldron, or a haunted house.
2. Next, have students PLAN a theme song for the item that they will create on Chrome Music Lab. Before composing, they should decide:
   • What will the TEMPO of the song be?
   • What INSTRUMENTATION will they use for the melody?
   • What PERCUSSION instruments will they use for the rhythm?
   • Will they use HIGH pitches, LOW pitches, or BOTH?
   • What do they want the listener to FEEL when listening to this song?
3. Finally, have students follow their own PLANNING guide to compose their spooky theme song in Chrome Music Lab.

Here is a link to a TPT version in which students are guided through this process independently!:

2. Create a Gratitude Playlist for THANKSGIVING!

Put the THANKS back into THANKSGIVING with this wonderful SEL-based music project. Though this project, students will select music that connects to a specific idea (gratitude) and explain this connection.

1. First, have students create a slide show (powerpoint or google slides) called “My Gratitude Playlist.” Have them set it up so there is one title page (It should say “My Gratitude Playlist” and five additional blank pages.
2. Next, have students create their gratitude playlist on the five additional pages. They should answer ALL OF the following questions of EACH of the additional pages (5 Answers Per Page):
   • what is one thing you are grateful for?
   • why are you grateful for this?
   • what is a song that reminds you of the thing you are grateful for?
   • who is the artist of the song?
   • why does this song reminds you of the thing you are grateful for?
3. Have students present their gratitude playlists to the class.

Here is a link to a TPT version in which students are guided through this process independently!:

3. Autumn Songwriting Project

Have your students join the league of artists who were INSPIRED by the wonders of the Autumn through this Autumn songwriting project.

1. First, students should BRAINSTORM lyrics by using this seasonal guide:
   • Things to see:
   • Things to hear:
   • Things to smell:
   • Things to eat:
   • Things to do:
2. Next, students should choose their five FAVORITE FALL WORDS from the list above and find RHYMING words for them. Online rhyming dictionaries are perfect for this.
3. Then, students should use these words and rhyming words to create a four line “poem” about fall. Teach students to rhyme the ENDS of each line with either the next line or every other line.
4. Once students have created their “poem,” they can use a chord generator online to create a harmony to serve as accompaniment.
5. Next, have students try “singing” their poem along with their accompaniment to create a final melody.
6. Once students have finished their songs, they can perform them for the rest of the class! This project works best in small groups.

Here is a link to a TPT version in which students are guided through this process independently!:

Thanks for Reading!

Check out this AWESOME bundle of Fall Vibes music projects!