Products for Prep and a TpT SALE

Here are some of the things from my store that I think will help your year get started off on the right track!

1) MUSIC Rules {Posters and Songs}

I believe it is so important to get kids used to singing, moving and playing games from the first day of music. Last summer I was really stuck on how to get in more singing on the first day while you are also worried about getting all of your rules and procedures covered. I decided one thing I could do was set my rules to folk tunes. Now, this is not a very "Kodaly" thing to do because obviously the words are contrived, but it is much more enjoyable for both me and my students to learn the rules through song. I found that it helped the remember the rules better and if a rule wasn't being followed, sometimes I would only have to hum the tune and the kids knew exactly what I meant and were right back on track.

For my rules, they spell out "MUSIC"
M- Make good choices
U- Use kind words
S- Show respect to classmates, teacher, and the music
I- Involve yourself
C- Care for our room and instruments

I have a little poster for each one.

I put magnetic tap to the back and hang them on my board. This stuff is amazing! I cut a piece for each corner that was maybe a 1/2 inch and I still have plenty left!

Each rule has a song, set to a familiar folk tune. Last year since the rules and songs were brand new to my students, I just focused on one a day so we could talk about what it meant, learn the song, but not waste our entire 30 minutes on learning the music room rules songs. So it took me five class periods to cover all of them. This year with the upper grades, since most of the kids will already know them, we will go over all of them quickly on the first day, with a bit of role playing and breaking/following the rules demonstrations, sing the song that corresponds and move on! K and 1st grade I will do as I did last year and do one per day.

Here's an example of what the songs are like:

If you are interested in a set of rules posters and songs like this for your classroom, I have these three different themes:

- Bright Chevrons, Birds and Owls

- Music Notes and Kids

- Nautical Theme (pictured above)

2) Yearly Planning Guide

In my poolside planning post, I shared a free sample of how I get started with my yearly. If you would like to see each grade level laid out by rhythmic and melodic concepts for the whole year as well as a song list for each grade level divided by rhythmic and melodic concepts, you might be interested in my "Ready, Set Plan" file which will map out the whole year, or my "Off to the Races" which will map out the first semester. 

The excel files are completely editable (for personal use) so if your kids are in different places or you need to spend more or less time on a concept, you can totally adjust as needed. The song lists should not be taken as "grade level" song lists, but more of "concept song lists" so if your fourth graders are just now getting to re it's not a big deal, you just go with where YOUR kids are at. Everyone's schedule is different I have seen a LOT of crazy schedules out there. We are all doing the best we can with the time we are given. 

3) Music Room Decor 

Whether you would love to have some new posters for your wall, instrument labels, binder covers, or ready-made bulletin boards sets, you can probably find it in my store.

This year I am going with a quotes of "Music Washes Away from the Soul the Dust of Everyday Life" and "Music is like the ocean, it belongs to everyone" as my inspiration for my nautical themed music room. 

Although my room decor isn't all up yet, I really love the way it is coming together!

I will be sure to post more pictures when I get the whole thing done!