When it comes to Spring, it often feels like the home stretch until summer break. Most of us are returning from Spring Break, sometimes refreshed and sometimes more exhausted at the thought of teaching. The weather is slowly getting warmer, so why not take your class outside? Here are several ideas for easy spring music lessons for your early years music class.
Lesson Idea #1: Sound Walk
This can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it! With your younger classes, walk around your school yard and see what kind of sounds you can hear. Compile a list, make some recordings, or simply count the different sounds you can hear. Before heading outside, ask your students what they expect to hear. Afterwards, inquire about any surprises they may have experienced.
BONUS IDEA:
Compose a soundscape using the sounds from your walk. Compose as a class or split into separate groups and then perform for each other!
Lesson Idea #2: Take Instruments Outside
Again, this lesson can be as simple or complicated as you’d like. Take your movement games outside with your djembe or hand drum. Practice recorders- this is great if you pair off your students and have them play their Recorder Karate songs in different places. Or try a drum circle! Use a gathering drum or bring some tubanos outside to play without any fear of being too loud.
BONUS IDEA:
Experiment with different instruments to mimic the sounds you hear. What kind of instrument would sound like leaves falling?
Lesson Idea #3: Scavenger Hunt
This one takes a small amount of time to prep but it is a BLAST! Send your students outside with a clipboard, a pencil, and a recording sheet. They will find different melodies, rhythms, or sounds- whatever concept you are working on -and then they will record it on the page.
For this type of hunt, print this page on cardstock (for durability) and cut out these shapes. You may want to laminate them to weather-proof the game, just in case. Hide them around the school yard before class/school/at lunch, etc and then send out your students to seek! Find a variety of these games with several levels HERE.
This next scavenger hunt has less prep. Each student gets one page to seek. For the higher levels, have the students play the melody with the sound (or something similar). To find this resource, click HERE.
BONUS LESSON IDEA:
Take out a bluetooth speaker and play Freeze Dance, Floor is Lava, or just have a dance party!
What are your favorite easy spring music lessons?