It’s January 2021, and we are still in the midst of a pandemic- do you find yourself needing more distance learning music activities? Look no further, because in today’s blog post, I am going to be sharing with you my top five distance learning music activities that work well within my socially distanced music classroom (They also work well virtually!)
If you want to hear even more about these activities and see real time examples of distance learning music activities I use within my own classroom, make sure to check out this YouTube video HERE
And make sure to download your FREE Duke Ellington Virtual Music Field Trip- It comes with a rhythm play-along to “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”- the perfect lesson to use with your students in person and virtually! Download it HERE.
1. Write The Room- Rhythm Races!
Write The Room is a super fun activity that my students love! You start by hiding different rhythms all around your classroom (Each rhythm has a picture associated with it, usually themed by season/holiday), and then give students a sheet with all of the pictures but missing rhythms. Students must then go around the room looking for the pictures and writing the matching rhythm on the line- of course it turns into a race to see which student finds all of the rhythms first!
I love this activity because the students can do this on their own time and stay pretty socially distanced, but every student always loves a little bit of friendly competition (I usually have some sort of prize for the winner!) My ultimate purpose for this activity though is to have them practice notating rhythms, as the rhythms are only going to get harder and harder as we move up through elementary! The one that I use in my classroom can be purchased HERE
2. Tennis Ball Meter Activity
I know, you might have read this and went “Tennis Balls in the music room? Sounds like a disaster!”
It’s not, I promise! Tennis balls can be used for so many great activities in the music room, but my favorite way to use it is to introduce meter! It also lends itself very well as a distanced learning music activity!
I’ll typically start by showing students the Quaver Music Episode on Meter, and then teach the song “Bounce High” to introduce strong and weak beats. Then, I bring out the tennis balls! The students know that if they start bouncing without permission or doing things they’re not supposed to, I will take the tennis ball back, and that usually stops any misbehavior right there.
To teach 2/4 meter, I tell the students “Bounce, Catch”, with “Bounce” being the strong beat, and “Catch being the weak beat”. We then turn on Yankee Doodle and practice bouncing the ball to 2/4 meter.
To teach ¾ meter, I tell the students “Bounce, Catch, Pass” (They pass the ball from one of their hands to the other), with “Bounce” being the strong beat and “Catch, Pass” being the weak beats. We then turn on “Neville’s Waltz” from Harry Potter, and practice bouncing the ball to ¾ meter.
To teach 4.4 meter, I tell the students “Bounce, Catch, Pass, Pass”, with “Bounce” being the strong beat, and “Catch, Pass, Pass” being the weak beats. We then turn on any 4/4 song (I like using “Beat It” by Michel Jackson, and practice bouncing the ball to 4/4 meter.
The final challenge is competing of course! I found a song forever ago called I Have A Hat-Hat, and it fluctuates between fast and slow sections- The students will be in a circle and will practice bouncing the ball in 4/4 meter. If a student drops the ball, it rolls away from them, etc. they are out and must sit down. The last student(s) standing, wins!
3. Paper Plate Skating!
Paper Plate Skating is one of the easiest and exciting times in music class- You simply give students two paper plates, turn on some winter music (I always use Skater’s Waltz by Emile Waldteufel), and let them go!
The students have such a fun time listening to the music and skating around the room, trying to perform leaps and spins! It’s a highly requested winter activity for sure and pairs itself well as a distance learning music lesson, as students can do this at home as well!
4. Rhythm Play-Alongs
Rhythm Play-alongs are a god send in the elementary music world, especially for socially distanced music lessons! I will always throw in a rhythm play-along into a lesson if I can, as it’s a quick and easy way for students to practice their rhythms.
Here are some links to my favorite YouTube channels for these play-alongs!
Musication
Ready Go Music
Music With Mrs. Gibbs
5. Virtual Field Trips
Virtual Field Trips are the perfect distance learning music activities to do with your students- the students get to have all the fun of a field trip within the confines of their own room or music room!
Typically virtual field trips will consist of different places the students can travel to, and there will be different musical activities for the students to complete at each location. The ones I use showcase a famous musician, like Ella Fitzgerald, and takes the students on an adventure through her life, showing video clips of them performing, and pivotal moments in their lives, and always ends with a musical activity of some sort, whether it’s a rhythm play-along, a folk dance, an orff arrangement, etc.
You can check out my Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual Field Trip HERE or my Ella Fitzgerald one HERE (And don’t forget to download your FREE Duke Ellington one HERE so you can use it with your students as soon as tomorrow!)
And, there you have it- My top five favorite distance learning music activities- all tried and true. Hopefully you can begin using them in your classroom soon!
I’d love to know in the comments down below what some of your favorite socially distanced music lessons are- the more, the merrier!
