Elementary Ed

Ever wonder how to make a Virtual Classroom? Want your students to make their own virtual classroom? Check out this resource for step-by-step instructions! Olivia Yachnick offers instructions to build a customized classroom using bitmoji, google slides, and google images. Virtual Classrooms can play a vital role even with in-person instruction. Build your virtual classroom today!

Price: Free Always

Ever wonder how to make a Virtual Classroom? Want your students to make their own virtual classroom? Check out this resource for step-by-step instructions! Olivia Yachnick offers instructions to build a customized classroom using bitmoji, google slides, and google images. Virtual Classrooms can play a vital role even with in-person instruction. Build your virtual classroom today!

Price: Free Always

Ever wonder how to make a Virtual Classroom? Want your students to make their own virtual classroom? Check out this resource for step-by-step instructions! Olivia Yachnick offers instructions to build a customized classroom using bitmoji, google slides, and google images. Virtual Classrooms can play a vital role even with in-person instruction. Build your virtual classroom today!

Price: Free Always

This lesson unit provides teachers with examples of how to help students make pitched instruments and perform at home. Created by Elizabeth Stavniychuk, students need little technology to participate in this unit.

Price: Free During Covid-19

Teacher Theresa Sharp created this PDF resource.  The pages provide teachers with public domain songs, activities, and assessments for teaching the element ti. For each grade level there are links to videos, editable worksheets, and differentiated lesson ideas for teaching synchronously and asynchronously. Download the PDF for free right here!

Price: Free During Covid-19

Link

The “Composers for Kids” playlist provides descriptions, fun facts, and biographies of composers. The videos vary in ways of presenting information; this playlist includes lectures as well as animations. Videos range in length from two to twenty minutes. Most videos will appeal to younger students, but some are suited for secondary-age students as well.

Price: Always Free

Link: Composers for Kids on YouTube

Ideal for general music classes of any level, this YouTube playlist provides descriptions and biographies of composers. Contents range from short, animated videos covering information about a single composer to two-hour-long audiobook readings and everything in between. This playlist draws content from several creators/sources, so a wide range of material is available!

Price: Always Free

Link: Composers for Children YouTube Playlist

Ideal for beginner or general music classes, Five Minute Mozart provides videos on basic theory, piano tutorials and brief composer biographies. The basic theory videos cover concepts like note names, intervals, and rhythms. The piano tutorials include sheet music as well as piano keys that light up show what note to press down. The brief composer biographies give a two- to three-minute biography of a well known composer.

Price: Always Free

Link: Five Minute Mozart on YouTube

Teachers of general music and popular music will find a wide range of useful virtual lesson plans on this site. There are several classical music listening examples as well. Genres like pop and rock have chord play-alongs or vocal sing-alongs. There is an iOS app as well as an in-browser option, both of which are user-friendly.

Price: 30-day free trial with paid usage to follow ($39/month or $399/year)

Link: WURRLYedu

Lesson Planet provides music educators with a range of dependable, high-quality lesson plans. Those with memberships to this site have access to 2000+ lesson plans created by music educators for music educators. There is a free trial period available before one needs to pay for lessons.

Price: $3-7 per month

Link: Lesson Planet

Lesson Planet provides music educators with a range of dependable, high-quality lesson plans. Those with memberships to this site have access to 2000+ lesson plans created by music educators for music educators. There is a free trial period available before one needs to pay for lessons.

Price: $3-7 per month

Link: Lesson Planet

Lesson Planet provides music educators with a range of dependable, high-quality lesson plans. Those with memberships to this site have access to 2000+ lesson plans created by music educators for music educators. There is a free trial period available before one needs to pay for lessons.

Price: $3-7 per month

Link: Lesson Planet

Alpha 4- Body Percussion is for younger elementary students as a supplementary activity on eighth note rhythms. The video utilizes clapping, snapping, stomping, and other body percussion techniques. The video presents the rhythms as a call and response format.

Price: Free

Link: Alpha 4- Body Percussion

Mrs. Miracle’s Music Room has abundant podcasts and blogs that focus primarily on elementary classroom music. These tools are helpful for elementary music lesson planning and also contain ideas and resources for online learning. Also has the tools to assess creating music, musical knowledge, and musical responses with online learning. The website is free with a subscription.

Price:Free always, supplementary link to teachers pay teachers for additional resources

Link:  Mrs. Miracle’s Music Room

This is perfect for elementary general music teachers. Topics include basic note reading, scales, and harmony as well as famous musicians and instrument families.  Each topic comes with several interactive activities/games and a video lesson. Most of the activities and lessons are free, but the teacher account has access to lesson plans with standards.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: BrainPOP

Lauren Marcinkowski’s “Music at Home Bingo” provides students a non-digital activity to enrich their musical experiences. This PDF includes multiple sheets for different ages of learners as well as multiple days’ worth of lessons. With the included instructions, both teachers and parents would be able to administer this activity.

Price: Always Free

Music at Home Bingo

ETM partners music teachers with schools and parents so that music is part of every students’ life. Their website details how their program works and what resources/services they provide. Their excellent distance learning resources provide parents with many opportunities to aid and participate in their child’s music education from home.

Price: Always Free (donations accepted)

Links: Education Through Music Online

ETM Distance Learning Resources

ETM partners music teachers with schools and parents so that music is part of every students’ life. Their website details how their program works and what resources/services they provide. Their excellent distance learning resources provide parents with many opportunities to aid and participate in their child’s music education from home.

Price: Always Free (donations accepted)

Links: Education Through Music Online

ETM Distance Learning Resources

ETM partners music teachers with schools and parents so that music is part of every students’ life. Their website details how their program works and what resources/services they provide. Their excellent distance learning resources provide parents with many opportunities to aid and participate in their child’s music education from home.

Price: Always Free (donations accepted)

Links: Education Through Music Online

ETM Distance Learning Resources

This website is full of resources for any teacher. With ideas for every topic, there are lesson plans, worksheets, games, and other activities for any age. Most have a small cost, but there are several free resources as well.

Price: Varies

Link: Teachers Pay Teachers

This website is full of resources for any teacher. With ideas for every topic, there are lesson plans, worksheets, games, and other activities for any age. Most have a small cost, but there are several free resources as well.

Price: Varies

Link: Teachers Pay Teachers

This website is full of resources for any teacher. With ideas for every topic, there are lesson plans, worksheets, games, and other activities for any age. Most have a small cost, but there are several free resources as well.

Price: Varies

Link: Teachers Pay Teachers

This group gives music educators a place to share original songs, songs for their classrooms, and songs pertaining to quarantine. Many videos are educational in nature and can act as both resources and inspiration for other teachers. All one needs is a Facebook account to join and view this content!

Price: Always Free

Link: The Singing Space on Facebook

This group gives music educators a place to share original songs, songs for their classrooms, and songs pertaining to quarantine. Many videos are educational in nature and can act as both resources and inspiration for other teachers. All one needs is a Facebook account to join and view this content!

Price: Always Free

Link: The Singing Space on Facebook

Created by Google, Word Synth allows students to experiment with language and music. Users input their own words/phrase to be spoken on pitch. Drag the blocks up or down to change the pitch on any given word. Users can change the tonality and pitch center, the voice used, tempo of playback, and the ratio of singing to speaking during playback. The program also includes a tutorial!

Price: Always Free

Link: Word Synth

Created by Google, Word Synth allows students to experiment with language and music. Users input their own words/phrase to be spoken on pitch. Drag the blocks up or down to change the pitch on any given word. Users can change the tonality and pitch center, the voice used, tempo of playback, and the ratio of singing to speaking during playback. The program also includes a tutorial!

Price: Always Free

Link: Word Synth

Carnegie Hall provides an activity perfect for those who are looking for optional activities for their students to complete. This website turns Benjamin Britten’s “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” into an interactive game for young students.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Listening Game

Carnegie Hall provides an activity perfect for those who are looking for optional activities for their students to complete. This website turns Benjamin Britten’s “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” into an interactive game for young students.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Listening Game

iListenWI provides listening-based lesson plans created and tested by and for music educators. Students can broaden their exposure to a wide array of musical genres and develop higher-level thinking and listening skills. It features a variety of lesson plans that fulfill National Music Standards for Music Education.

Price: $20 per year

Link: iListenWI

Julies Greenroom is a music and performance arts based TV series for Pre-K to early Elementary audience. Hosted by Julie Andrews, the show has a puppet/human cast and guest artists. The cast represents a variety of disciplines from Stomp to ballet. This link goes to the Youtube station that has shorter segments of the longer shows. The full show can be viewed by anyone with a Netflix subscription.

Price: Free with Youtube; Longer shows need Netflix Subscription

Link: Julie’s Greenroom

Choir Baton is an instagram page that offers practical ways to teach choir. Worksheets, assessments and guided videos are also available on her website via the link on Instagram. Monthly mini-courses are offered as well as a podcast discussing choirs virtually.

Price: Free

Link: Choir Baton

Facetime with Composers is for elementary music educators looking for quality online resources for their students. Students can “Facetime” with a number of famous composers throughout history and learn more about their compositional style in an approachable manner. Each lesson focuses on a different composer and is five dollars a lesson. Bundles are also available where one can buy several lessons for cheaper.

Price: Lessons are $5.00 each

Link: Facetime with Composers

Ms. Pincus Elementary School Instagram is for anyone looking for experience with general music in elementary schools. This page is full of small video clips of singing/teaching quick topics, singing through children’s books, teaching fun musical games, singing echo songs, and more. This resource is always free to the public.

Price: Free always

Link:Ms. Pincus Elementary School Instagram

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for dependable, tested resources reviewed by a music educator. This comprehensive post gives insight into how to switch onto online music teaching. There is also an overview of different applications and websites to help supplement online teaching and descriptions of what each offers.

Price: Always Free

Link: “How to Transition to Teaching Lessons Online (Due to COVID-19)”

This Google Sheet is a database of lesson plans and instructional videos for students PK-5th grade, focusing on general music. It ranges from individualized lesson plans per grade to interactive video lessons. This resource is ideal for general music teachers trying to find activities to get their students moving and enjoying music play during a period of online learning.

Price: Always Free

Link: Feierabend Fundamentals Virtual Schooling Resources

This site is designed for music educators who need help using technology! In 12 online courses, teachers can learn how to use programs such as GarageBand, Mixcraft, Sibelius, Audacity and more. There are lesson plans to go along with each course, and the program will help you understand iPads, Chromebooks, Macs, and PCs. There are a few free resources in addition to those included in the subscription.

Cost: $49 per month or $490 per year

Link: Midnight Music

This site is designed for music educators who need help using technology! In 12 online courses, teachers can learn how to use programs such as GarageBand, Mixcraft, Sibelius, Audacity and more. There are lesson plans to go along with each course, and the program will help you understand iPads, Chromebooks, Macs, and PCs. There are a few free resources in addition to those included in the subscription.

Cost: $49 per month or $490 per year

Link: Midnight Music

This site is designed for music educators who need help using technology! In 12 online courses, teachers can learn how to use programs such as GarageBand, Mixcraft, Sibelius, Audacity and more. There are lesson plans to go along with each course, and the program will help you understand iPads, Chromebooks, Macs, and PCs. There are a few free resources in addition to those included in the subscription.

Cost: $49 per month or $490 per year

Link: Midnight Music

Students looking to learn acoustic or electric guitar, bass, and/or ukulele should know about this website! This website has over 2.5k online video lessons (and counting!) taught by professional musicians in addition to many different songs they can learn. These lessons are customizable so students can play for as long as they’d like. Students can also track their progress as well as the skills they learn. This site is more appropriate for secondary-age students but could have applications for upper elementary as well.

Price: Free during COVID19

Link: Fender Play

Students looking to learn acoustic or electric guitar, bass, and/or ukulele should know about this website! This website has over 2.5k online video lessons (and counting!) taught by professional musicians in addition to many different songs they can learn. These lessons are customizable so students can play for as long as they’d like. Students can also track their progress as well as the skills they learn. This site is more appropriate for secondary-age students but could have applications for upper elementary as well.

Price: Free during COVID19

Link: Fender Play

This program teaches general music skills as well as guitar, ukulele, bass, and piano through popular music. The free teacher membership includes a selection of pop and rock music that students can play along with. The interactive play-along mode shows the hand positions and chords in real time while following along on the score. For teachers, there is a collection of lesson plan ideas to use with the program. In addition to the website, Solfeg.io can be used with the app, which is available on all mobile platforms.

Price: Free

Link: Solfeg.io

This program teaches general music skills as well as guitar, ukulele, bass, and piano through popular music. The free teacher membership includes a selection of pop and rock music that students can play along with. The interactive play-along mode shows the hand positions and chords in real time while following along on the score. For teachers, there is a collection of lesson plan ideas to use with the program. In addition to the website, Solfeg.io can be used with the app, which is available on all mobile platforms.

Price: Free

Link: Solfeg.io

This video offers a sample elementary-level french horn masterclass. If you want a customized masterclass series for your band students, fill out the request form on this site. As always, MSL helpers are available to fill any need or vision you have for elementary through secondary videos on all instruments.

Price: Free Always

Link: Music Service Learning Sample Masterclass Video 

Ideal for younger students as an introduction to jazz, this resource provides different articles and videos on the style of jazz and famous jazz musicians. Each article presents the information in a style geared for younger students. In the introduction, “What’s Jazz?”, there is a video with audio examples and famous musicians explaining the cultural history and unique musical components of jazz. Biographic videos include relevant recordings of the players being studied.

Price: Always Free

Link: Jazz Artist Biographies for Kids

Ideal for younger students as an introduction to jazz, this resource provides different articles and videos on the style of jazz and famous jazz musicians. Each article presents the information in a style geared for younger students. In the introduction, “What’s Jazz?”, there is a video with audio examples and famous musicians explaining the cultural history and unique musical components of jazz. Biographic videos include relevant recordings of the players being studied.

Price: Always Free

Link: Jazz Artist Biographies for Kids

The Shed is a website with online music classes that contain free audio, video, and PDF resources. Classes are provided in music technology, guitar, band and music theory. The site also has PDF worksheets, lead sheets, quizzes, and videos covering subject including harmony, melody, rhythm, and jazz.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: The Shed

The Shed is a website with online music classes that contain free audio, video, and PDF resources. Classes are provided in music technology, guitar, band and music theory. The site also has PDF worksheets, lead sheets, quizzes, and videos covering subject including harmony, melody, rhythm, and jazz.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: The Shed

This computer application allows students to improvise, learn, and compose music with their computer keyboard. It is perfect for allowing students to compose and share music in a time when many of them are away from friends and peers. Teachers can utilize this for lessons or enrichment. The site includes some lesson plans as well! aQWERTYon allows for export into other audio programs like Soundtrap and Ableton.

Price: Always Free

Link: aQWERTYon

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

This website gives ideas for elementary music and links to other resources. Included in this resource are links to a Facebook page to ask questions, a list of ideas for hands on dances and movement, Chrome music lab, The New Victory Theater in NYC, and YouTube videos of lesson ideas from other teachers.

Price: Free Always

Link: O For Tuna Orff

Nearpod is an instructional platform that merges formative assessment and dynamic media for collaborative learning experiences. Encompassing all K-12 subjects, teachers can either use platform lesson plans or create their own to upload for students. Teachers are able to track students’ progress, hold live sessions, and post additional activities (worksheets, polls, games, quizzes, etc.) for students to complete.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Nearpod

This software and app contains songs, exercises, and lessons to aid students in learning guitar, bass, ukulele, piano, or voice. The follow-along videos allow students to practice at their own tempo and learn at their own pace, gradually adding note/chord reading. For pianists, there is an option to use a virtual keyboard. There is an app as well as downloadable software from the website. Many genres of musical selections are represented, although mostly fall into pop, rock, or country categories.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Yousician

Mr. S Orff Music Educator is an instagram page run by Matthew Stensrud, an elementary school music teacher and certified Orff Schulwerk clinician, with links to his website which provides additional links to other services such as YouTube videos and webinars. Free during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are also links to a patron page where you can pay for lesson plans at any time. On his website you have access to articles and a free subscription to a monthly newsletter with a new lesson plan attached.

Price: Free during Covid-19

Link: Mr. S | Orff Music Educator @mistersorff

Smithsonian Music provides general music teachers an online museum of World Music. Teachers can browse lesson plans, playlists, albums, and more by genre, geography, or artist. They also provide podcasts and playlists online for free. There are also free lesson plans about world music for every grade level with four different levels from k-12, and free interactive games for students. Subscribe to a Smithsonian Folkways Membership and get a discount on Smithsonian merchandise and free downloads each year.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Smithsonian Music 

Smithsonian Music provides general music teachers an online museum of World Music. Teachers can browse lesson plans, playlists, albums, and more by genre, geography, or artist. They also provide podcasts and playlists online for free. There are also free lesson plans about world music for every grade level with four different levels from k-12, and free interactive games for students. Subscribe to a Smithsonian Folkways Membership and get a discount on Smithsonian merchandise and free downloads each year.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Smithsonian Music 

Smithsonian Music provides general music teachers an online museum of World Music. Teachers can browse lesson plans, playlists, albums, and more by genre, geography, or artist. They also provide podcasts and playlists online for free. There are also free lesson plans about world music for every grade level with four different levels from k-12, and free interactive games for students. Subscribe to a Smithsonian Folkways Membership and get a discount on Smithsonian merchandise and free downloads each year.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Smithsonian Music 

This free site is perfect for creating interactive videos in any music class. Choosing from online video sources like YouTube, teachers can add closed captioning, questions, notes, voice overs, and more. Students can view the videos and submit their responses on the website.

Price: Always Free

Link: Edpuzzle

This free site is perfect for creating interactive videos in any music class. Choosing from online video sources like YouTube, teachers can add closed captioning, questions, notes, voice overs, and more. Students can view the videos and submit their responses on the website.

Price: Always Free

Link: Edpuzzle

This free site is perfect for creating interactive videos in any music class. Choosing from online video sources like YouTube, teachers can add closed captioning, questions, notes, voice overs, and more. Students can view the videos and submit their responses on the website.

Price: Always Free

Link: Edpuzzle

The music students of Gettysburg College created this website to offer an easy way to sort through resources. Arranged in 30 categories, students curated and linked each resource.

Price: Free Always

Link: Finding Music Resources

The music students of Gettysburg College created this website to offer an easy way to sort through resources. Arranged in 30 categories, students curated and linked each resource.

Price: Free Always

Link: Finding Music Resources

The music students of Gettysburg College created this website to offer an easy way to sort through resources. Arranged in 30 categories, students curated and linked each resource.

Price: Free Always

Link: Finding Music Resources

This source is perfect for creating music in general music or music technology classes. Features include recording, exporting/importing audio, editing audio, and MIDI input.

Price: Always Free

Link: Audacity

This source is perfect for creating music in general music or music technology classes. Features include recording, exporting/importing audio, editing audio, and MIDI input.

Price: Always Free

Link: Audacity

This source is perfect for creating music in general music or music technology classes. Features include recording, exporting/importing audio, editing audio, and MIDI input.

Price: Always Free

Link: Audacity

Sound Innovations Online by Alfred Music provides an online platform for instrumental students of all ages to access practice resources.  SI lesson books are the virtual companion. Within SI Online, there are play-along tracks, masterclasses, supplemental pages, and extra repertoire for students so they can engage with their practicing at home in different ways. Students can access SI Online by entering a product code from their physical book. This site can be accessed via computer, tablet, and mobile device.

Price: Free through Smart Music during COVID-19

Link: Sound Innovations Online

This an incredibly comprehensive website in music for students grades K-5. Having won many awards, the contents of this site include lesson plans for teachers, games for kids, guides for parents, and books review, among MANY other resources. All lesson plans link National Standards and use a variety of teaching methodologies including Orff, Dalcroze and Kodaly.  The website also provides links to their podcast and radio broadcasts.

Price: Free Always

Link: Classics for Kids

The San Francisco Symphony ‘s kids page is a great source for introducing kids to classical music. This website highly interactive and provides engaging games to teach concepts. Students will learn about important melodies in the orchestral repertoire. Students can also explore other important roles with the orchestra such as conducting and composing.

Free

Link: SFS Kids

Chrome Music Lab offers a variety of musical “experiments” for students to explore. The program is user-friendly and easy to navigate. This lab allows students to explore and discover various elements of music on their own. The activities are colorful, highly engaging, and based on self-discovery for students of all ages.

Free

Link: Chrome Music Lab

Perfect for students to apply their Solfege knowledge, this video is a review of the Kodaly pattern sol la sol mi. The video reviews the hand signs with an image displaying the hand signs. After the review, there is a pattern hill to show the  includes sol, la, and mi pattern. After the review, the video goes into an animation of the song “I Like Ice Cream” that utilizes the reviewed Solfege.

Price: Free Always

Link: Curwin Hand Sign Review

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for additional resources for online learning. This blog post gives ideas for remote learning in 4 categories: virtual teaching, online resources, no-tech resources, and professional learning opportunities. The specific resources are all linked for teachers to discover, or they include explanations as to how to implement them.

Price: Always Free

Link: Organized Chaos

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for additional resources for online learning. This blog post gives ideas for remote learning in 4 categories: virtual teaching, online resources, no-tech resources, and professional learning opportunities. The specific resources are all linked for teachers to discover, or they include explanations as to how to implement them.

Price: Always Free

Link: Organized Chaos

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for additional resources for online learning. This blog post gives ideas for remote learning in 4 categories: virtual teaching, online resources, no-tech resources, and professional learning opportunities. The specific resources are all linked for teachers to discover, or they include explanations as to how to implement them.

Price: Always Free

Link: Organized Chaos

These podcasts are designed for classroom choir directors as well as composers. Chris Munce is a composer and private voice teacher with choral classroom experience and shares his  thoughts about the world of choir, keeping quality of music education at the forefront of his discussions. A recent episode addresses COVID-19 and serves as encouragement for everyone quickly adapting to distance learning. Links to access PDF site licenses of arrangements and compositions are also included.

Price: Always Free

Link: Choralosophy Podcast

The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix channel features tours and behind-the-scenes footage including musical instruments from all cultures, musical theater performance videos, and diverse talks from musical professionals of every background.Teachers can use these videos as listening assignments, on a platform like Edpuzzle, or as basis for discussion. An education playlist is also included in the channel with classroom activities as well as videos that show the science behind the instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: MIMphx on YouTube

The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix channel features tours and behind-the-scenes footage including musical instruments from all cultures, musical theater performance videos, and diverse talks from musical professionals of every background.Teachers can use these videos as listening assignments, on a platform like Edpuzzle, or as basis for discussion. An education playlist is also included in the channel with classroom activities as well as videos that show the science behind the instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: MIMphx on YouTube

The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix channel features tours and behind-the-scenes footage including musical instruments from all cultures, musical theater performance videos, and diverse talks from musical professionals of every background.Teachers can use these videos as listening assignments, on a platform like Edpuzzle, or as basis for discussion. An education playlist is also included in the channel with classroom activities as well as videos that show the science behind the instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: MIMphx on YouTube

Elementary and middle school instrumental teachers can use this guide from NAMM to learn about recruitment. This focuses on instrumental music programs while going into great detail about how to communicate with parents and how to bolster retention rates in programs. Additional materials such as interest questionnaires, grading sheets, and exit surveys are included.

Price: Always Free

Link: A Practical Guide for Recruitment and Retention

This is an ideal resource for those teachers seeking to teach online lessons. This YouTube presentation by Terry B. Ewell addresses the setup of equipment, software configurations, and other helpful hints for successful online lessons for one-on-one music instruction.

Price: Always Free

This is an ideal resource for those teachers seeking to teach online lessons. This YouTube presentation by Terry B. Ewell addresses the setup of equipment, software configurations, and other helpful hints for successful online lessons for one-on-one music instruction.

Price: Always Free

Music Education Resources is a Facebook group for music teachers of all areas and levels. It features lots of informational articles, links to additional teaching resources, and some entertainment to lighten the mood. This group should prove helpful to many music educators due to its wide range of content. A Facebook account is necessary for full access.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Education Resources on Facebook

Music Education Resources is a Facebook group for music teachers of all areas and levels. It features lots of informational articles, links to additional teaching resources, and some entertainment to lighten the mood. This group should prove helpful to many music educators due to its wide range of content. A Facebook account is necessary for full access.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Education Resources on Facebook

Music Education Resources is a Facebook group for music teachers of all areas and levels. It features lots of informational articles, links to additional teaching resources, and some entertainment to lighten the mood. This group should prove helpful to many music educators due to its wide range of content. A Facebook account is necessary for full access.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Education Resources on Facebook

RIAM Teaching and Learning Network has a collection of instrumental and choral lesson videos compiled by professors at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. There are piano lessons for beginners and intermediate players as well as more advanced. There are flute lessons and some choral lessons as well. Younger students may need some guidance navigating the videos, but secondary players could easily follow along on their own.

Price: Always Free

Link: RIAM on YouTube

RIAM Teaching and Learning Network has a collection of instrumental and choral lesson videos compiled by professors at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. There are piano lessons for beginners and intermediate players as well as more advanced. There are flute lessons and some choral lessons as well. Younger students may need some guidance navigating the videos, but secondary players could easily follow along on their own.

Price: Always Free

Link: RIAM on YouTube

Talking Up Music Education is perfect for all music educators as well as for interested secondary students. Each podcast features a guest; Vanessa Carlton speaks about being a singer-songwriter, and Eric Whitacre speaks on being a composer. The host, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, speaks with music advocates, parents, teachers, students, and leaders in business and communities to share what they are doing to support the arts.

Price: Always Free

Link: Talking Up Music Education Podcast

Talking Up Music Education is perfect for all music educators as well as for interested secondary students. Each podcast features a guest; Vanessa Carlton speaks about being a singer-songwriter, and Eric Whitacre speaks on being a composer. The host, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, speaks with music advocates, parents, teachers, students, and leaders in business and communities to share what they are doing to support the arts.

Price: Always Free

Link: Talking Up Music Education Podcast

Talking Up Music Education is perfect for all music educators as well as for interested secondary students. Each podcast features a guest; Vanessa Carlton speaks about being a singer-songwriter, and Eric Whitacre speaks on being a composer. The host, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, speaks with music advocates, parents, teachers, students, and leaders in business and communities to share what they are doing to support the arts.

Price: Always Free

Link: Talking Up Music Education Podcast

These videos are great for beginning players. They do a great job at covering all bases, from how to take your instrument out of the case and assembling, to how to make a good sound, and working on different articulations. The videos express each topic in words and by demonstrating. They move at a great pace for students to follow along and play.

Price: Always Free

Link: FJH Music Playlist

These videos are perfect for all wind instrument players to learn how to clean their instruments at home. They do a great job of explaining the cleaning and maintenance of most wind instruments in a short, but meaningful way. They ensure the instruments won’t get damaged in the process by also stating what to avoid at each step of the cleaning process.

Price: Always Free

Link: YouTube Playlist

“The Shed” Rudiments videos are perfect for percussionists with some experience with rudiments at the elementary or secondary level. They do a great job at efficiently explaining and breaking down each rudiment. They also ensure they start with good technique from the beginning. It starts slow and speeds up throughout the video. This YouTube playlist is perfect for learning new rudiments or reviewing previously taught rudiments.

Free

Link: The Shed – Rudiments

This YouTube playlist provides a comprehensive collection of Pre-K through Elementary resources that would be great for music teachers. These songs and Orff arrangements could help teachers generate content for lesson plans. While not necessarily independent student activities, the songs and games could be incorporated into online teaching. Teachers who regularly use Kodaly and Orff style lessons would be comfortable with these folk-based tunes.

Free

Link: E-Learning Playlist

This YouTube playlist provides a comprehensive collection of Pre-K through Elementary resources that would be great for music teachers. These songs and Orff arrangements could help teachers generate content for lesson plans. While not necessarily independent student activities, the songs and games could be incorporated into online teaching. Teachers who regularly use Kodaly and Orff style lessons would be comfortable with these folk-based tunes.

Free

Link: E-Learning Playlist

Little Kids Rock is a great organization that promotes the inclusion of modern band in the music classroom. Their YouTube channel provides free video lessons on drums, guitar, bass, keyboard and ukulele. There are also some inspiring performance videos and professional development videos for classroom music teachers. The lessons are pop music based and would be helpful for students of any age to practice, learn, and review at home. Navigate through the playlists tab to find the material you need.

Free

Link: Little Kids Rock Channel

Little Kids Rock is a great organization that promotes the inclusion of modern band in the music classroom. Their YouTube channel provides free video lessons on drums, guitar, bass, keyboard and ukulele. There are also some inspiring performance videos and professional development videos for classroom music teachers. The lessons are pop music based and would be helpful for students of any age to practice, learn, and review at home. Navigate through the playlists tab to find the material you need.

Free

Link: Little Kids Rock Channel

This document is perfect for elementary general music, and possibly early middle school. Students will need to have access to different mediums of watching film, and may need to have a way to record themselves. The assignments provided are broad and allow room for the teacher to customize the lessons. This resource provides an outline to help a teacher build their own unit, broken down into three lessons (one project).

Price: Free always

Music in Relation to Other Art Mediums

This document is perfect for elementary general music, and possibly early middle school. Students will need to have access to different mediums of watching film, and may need to have a way to record themselves. The assignments provided are broad and allow room for the teacher to customize the lessons. This resource provides an outline to help a teacher build their own unit, broken down into three lessons (one project).

Price: Free always

Music in Relation to Other Art Mediums

Ideal for elementary students learning syncopation. The PowerPoint gives instruction, practice, and application of syncopated rhythms. The PowerPoint begins with different rhythms and a recording of each rhythm on the slide. Students are instructed to repeat the rhythm and check with the recording. Then students can apply what they’ve learned to the song “Russian Sailor’s Dance.” Perfect as an individual at-home activity.

Price: Free always

Syn-co-pa Distance Learning

Ideal for elementary students learning syncopation. The PowerPoint gives instruction, practice, and application of syncopated rhythms. The PowerPoint begins with different rhythms and a recording of each rhythm on the slide. Students are instructed to repeat the rhythm and check with the recording. Then students can apply what they’ve learned to the song “Russian Sailor’s Dance.” Perfect as an individual at-home activity.

Price: Free always

Syn-co-pa Distance Learning

This blog is perfect for music educators of all grades and areas. The content ranges from articles about supporting one’s students to podcasts with guest professionals about the classroom. Recently, helping the music educator teach from home has come to the forefront of discussion.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Music Educator Blog

This blog is perfect for music educators of all grades and areas. The content ranges from articles about supporting one’s students to podcasts with guest professionals about the classroom. Recently, helping the music educator teach from home has come to the forefront of discussion.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Music Educator Blog

This blog is perfect for music educators of all grades and areas. The content ranges from articles about supporting one’s students to podcasts with guest professionals about the classroom. Recently, helping the music educator teach from home has come to the forefront of discussion.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Music Educator Blog

A constantly updating Google Doc with a myriad of resources for K-12 general music/choir teachers looking for additional resources and lessons for use with online instruction. The Doc features nearly 100 resources for lesson plans, worksheets, and assignments; advice on effective online learning practices; videos and demos; blogs and websites; concerns and questions; and contact information for others in the music education world that can also serve as valuable resources to other educators.

Price: Free always

Link: The Big COVID Survival Choral Doc

This app provides teachers with simple, interactive music theory instruction through available lessons and exercises. This app is perfect for ensemble teachers and theory teachers looking for supplemental materials to assist students with becoming familiar with and practicing music theory concepts, as well as students looking to hone their music theory skills. Lessons and activities help students grasp and reinforce concepts related to music theory.

Price: Always free (2 additional premium iOS apps available for $2.99 and $3.99)

Link: MusicTheory.net

This app provides teachers with simple, interactive music theory instruction through available lessons and exercises. This app is perfect for ensemble teachers and theory teachers looking for supplemental materials to assist students with becoming familiar with and practicing music theory concepts, as well as students looking to hone their music theory skills. Lessons and activities help students grasp and reinforce concepts related to music theory.

Price: Always free (2 additional premium iOS apps available for $2.99 and $3.99)

Link: MusicTheory.net

The New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concerts are perfect for elementary music students, but there is value for secondary students as well. This site offers free NY Phil concerts with activities for students. Each concert listed has videos allowing students to interact with the music; a simple, iconic notation; composition tool; and a curriculum guide for teachers. The lesson plans supplied vary from concert to concert; some are written with grades 3-5 in mind while others are for 3-12.

Price: Always Free

Link: NY Phil Young People’s Concerts Play!

The New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concerts are perfect for elementary music students, but there is value for secondary students as well. This site offers free NY Phil concerts with activities for students. Each concert listed has videos allowing students to interact with the music; a simple, iconic notation; composition tool; and a curriculum guide for teachers. The lesson plans supplied vary from concert to concert; some are written with grades 3-5 in mind while others are for 3-12.

Price: Always Free

Link: NY Phil Young People’s Concerts Play!

The New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concerts are perfect for elementary music students, but there is value for secondary students as well. This site offers free NY Phil concerts with activities for students. Each concert listed has videos allowing students to interact with the music; a simple, iconic notation; composition tool; and a curriculum guide for teachers. The lesson plans supplied vary from concert to concert; some are written with grades 3-5 in mind while others are for 3-12.

Price: Always Free

Link: NY Phil Young People’s Concerts Play!

Perfect for middle or high school choirs, this resource is a list of out-of-class activities to use in lieu of class meetings. Each student can make a copy of the document and submit one activity a day to their instructor. In addition to the included list, there are also “create your own” activity spots. All activities involve free and easily accessible websites that accommodate various levels of experience.

Price: Free Always

Link: Choir Choice Board

Good for listening assignments or daily inspiration, the US Army Field Band offers free live concerts over their YouTube channel at 1 PM ET every day. Performers include the Concert Band, Soldiers’ Chorus, Jazz Ambassadors, and Six-String Soldiers. The channel also contains several videos on the history and fundamentals of various instruments performed by members of the military band. The channel also includes a playlist on instrument repair.

Free

Link: US Army Field Band YouTube Channel

This lesson packet is suitable for nearly any music student or music class. The resource is a list of three projects: a poster describing a composer (including a list of relevant works), a review of a movie musical, and a write-your-own mini-musical. This document is an attainable option for online instruction, because it gives students the power of choice in interacting with and analyzing music. Some modification might be necessary depending on the age group of students completing these projects.

Price: Free always

Chor(ona Vir)us Plan

Teach from the Stage is an Instagram page for instrumental/vocal/general music teachers at the Pre-K or Elementary levels of teaching. Her posts include a variety of resources and lesson ideas. There is also an attached resource site in the bio section that links to creative games and activities for young students to do do at home.

Free

Link: Teach from the stage

This video is perfect for teachers struggling to teach through a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded after.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

Teach from the Stage is an Instagram page for instrumental/vocal/general music teachers at the Pre-K or Elementary levels of teaching. Her posts include a variety of resources and lesson ideas. There is also an attached resource site in the bio section that links to creative games and activities for young students to do do at home.

Free

Link: Teach from the stage

This video is perfect for teachers struggling to teach through a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded after.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

This article is perfect for choir teachers who want to create virtual choirs but don’t have the video editing skills or software. This blog gives three user-friendly examples on how to create a virtual choir video. The author discusses the use of the Acapella App within a classroom setting and some issues that might occur when using it, as well as providing additional resources for teaching secondary choir.

Price: Free always (Some apps/software may come with subscriptions)

Link: Dear Music Teachers: Please Stop Asking How To Create A Virtual Choir Video

This is an ideal resource for string players looking to take or give online lessons. This program allows you to schedule and participate in lessons online or use professional tools for in-person lessons, as well as capture notes and record assignments. You may also record and revisit all lessons at any time.

Price: Free during COVID-19 (normally $12/month for students and $45/month for institutions)

Link: String Masters

This is an ideal resource for keyboard or piano teachers looking for online learning resources. This app is designed for building successful sight-reading skills on piano, including different exercises to build skills without the presence of a teacher. The provided lessons and supplemental books work on memory, speed, accuracy, tempo, and continuity.

Price: Free always (Four supplemental books for $14.99 each)

Link: Read Ahead App

This resource is ideal for secondary and post-secondary educators looking for music history-related online resources. This source includes great resources for every era of music history directly from the American Musicological Society Pedagogy Group. Resources include assignments, activities, handouts, syllabi, digital music reserves, blogs, and online journals, among others.

Price: Free Always

Link: Teaching Music History

This resource is ideal for educators who want help to be more culturally inclusive. An educator can get access to resources such as support in lesson planning, downloadable content, live Q&A sessions, and a monthly Newslette. The Patreon includes four different levels with varying degrees of resources.

Price: Monthly membership fee of $1, $5, $10, or $20

Link: Culturally Responsive Resources for Music Educators

This resource is ideal for educators who want help to be more culturally inclusive. An educator can get access to resources such as support in lesson planning, downloadable content, live Q&A sessions, and a monthly Newslette. The Patreon includes four different levels with varying degrees of resources.

Price: Monthly membership fee of $1, $5, $10, or $20

Link: Culturally Responsive Resources for Music Educators

This YouTube playlist contains 86 popular songs that can all be played using only 4 chords. All videos display the chord diagrams during the song for students to follow along. This would be a perfect at-home practice resource for ukulele players of all ages.

Free

Link: Playlist

This Google Sheets provides descriptions of apps perfect for enriching your virtual music education and choral classroom. It includes well-known resources such as Zoom and Audacity, as well as hidden gems such as Join the Virtual Choir. The sheet also includes video links to educational “things to watch” and “assessment ideas” prompts pertaining to music education.

Price: Free always

Link: Distance Learning for Choir-intine

This is a detailed Google Doc describing the steps to participate in/create a virtual choir performance of “Sisi Ni Moja.” Links to rehearsal tracks for parts and conducting tracks are linked in the Doc. Video recording equipment will be needed. The process can be adapted to choir pieces other than “Sisi Ni Moja,” including music that your choir is currently working on!

Price: Always Free

Link: Virtual Choir HyperDoc for Nixa Intermediate Choir

Paint Composer presents the student with a grand staff and several characters/icons with their own unique sounds. Students can move them around the staff and adjust pitch, note value, time signature, key signature, and tempo. You can save your composition as a URL or Mp3 to share with others. Students will enjoy experimenting with various elements of music while creating their own compositions to share.

Free

Link: Paint Composer

Vic Firth’s rudiment page provides the fundamentals for percussionists of all levels. This resource includes information on standard rudiments, playing techniques, video lessons, drum set play along tracks, and more.

Free

Link: Vic Firth Website

This website provides a list of 52 instruments students can make at home. The instruments vary in complexity and necessary materials, so students will have plenty of options using items they already have at home. Most instruments work best for elementary students, but older musicians may enjoy some of the more advanced options.

Free

Link: 52 Homemade Instruments

This website provides a list of 52 instruments students can make at home. The instruments vary in complexity and necessary materials, so students will have plenty of options using items they already have at home. Most instruments work best for elementary students, but older musicians may enjoy some of the more advanced options.

Free

Link: 52 Homemade Instruments

Jess Johnson’s Instagram Page, @musicandmotivate, shares creative and engaging ideas for the music classroom. This page offers instructional videos, lessons, activities, and interactive music making ideas. All one needs is an Instagram account for ease of access!

Price: Always Free

Link: @musicandmotivate on Instagram

All music teachers can find something of value in the “Music Educators Creating Online Learning” Facebook group. It contains resources for instrumental, choral, jazz, private instruction, general music, and more! This group is a “teachers-help-teachers” setting where anyone can post about a resource or ask a question to get advice. All one needs to access this is a Facebook account!

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Educators Creating Online Learning on Facebook

All music teachers can find something of value in the “Music Educators Creating Online Learning” Facebook group. It contains resources for instrumental, choral, jazz, private instruction, general music, and more! This group is a “teachers-help-teachers” setting where anyone can post about a resource or ask a question to get advice. All one needs to access this is a Facebook account!

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Educators Creating Online Learning on Facebook

All music teachers can find something of value in the “Music Educators Creating Online Learning” Facebook group. It contains resources for instrumental, choral, jazz, private instruction, general music, and more! This group is a “teachers-help-teachers” setting where anyone can post about a resource or ask a question to get advice. All one needs to access this is a Facebook account!

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Educators Creating Online Learning on Facebook

The “I’m a Choir Director” Facebook group serves as a professional learning network for choral directors to share ideas, ask questions, give encouragement, and talk about the field. The group features discussions and conversations surrounding lesson plans and choral resources. This group is always free with a Facebook account.

Price: Always Free

Link: I’m a Choir Director on Facebook

Czarina’s Little Upbeat Music Class focuses on elementary general music that connects real world events and the classroom. Teachers use lessons by showing videos of influential men and women in the community and reminding students that they are part of a community. Student then reflect and create music based on what they learned. Through Czarina’s link in her bio, teachers can donate funds to receive additional materials.

Price: Free always with additional paid resources available

Link: Czarina’s Little Upbeat Music Class on Instagram

This playlist is ideal for young elementary students starting to learn the recorder. The playlist begins with a book, “Lazlo Learns Recorder,” that demonstrates how to play the recorder. Following this, the playlist includes videos with backing tracks that show the note name and fingering in time with the song. This playlist adheres to the Recorder Karate curriculum.

Price: Always Free

Link: Beginning Recorder on YouTube

This YouTube playlist is an excellent resource for students to learn and/or review different aspects of sight-singing technique. Each video, ranging from 3-8 minutes, covers different concepts including dictation, meter, key signatures, rhythmic practice, etc. as well as simple tunes, folk songs, and more. Lessons range from beginner through intermediate difficulty.

Price: Always Free

Link: A Year of Sight Singing YouTube playlist

This YouTube playlist is an excellent resource for students to learn and/or review different aspects of sight-singing technique. Each video, ranging from 3-8 minutes, covers different concepts including dictation, meter, key signatures, rhythmic practice, etc. as well as simple tunes, folk songs, and more. Lessons range from beginner through intermediate difficulty.

Price: Always Free

Link: A Year of Sight Singing YouTube playlist

The Choral Clarity Facebook Group is ideal for choral directors of all levels. The mission of the group is to expand on ideas, refresh thinking, and to seek clarity on the choices directors make. This group serves as a forum for discussion and contains opinions on choral-related videos, questions, ideas, and resources.

Price: Always Free

Link: Choral Clarity on Facebook

This is a game board using the same concept as Chutes and Ladders. Each square has a rhythm pattern using “ta,” “titi,” and “ta rest.” The appropriate audience would be Grades 1-4.

Price: Always Free

Link: Rhythm Board Game

“Music with Ms. Pincus” is an Instagram account that shows videos on different lesson topics for elementary general music.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music with Ms. Pincus

Run by blogger/author/mentor/podcaster Jessica Peresta, this site is a one-stop shop for elementary music teachers. Teachers can access free content through the domestic musician blog as well as a subscription service called “Harmony”. Teachers enrolled in the harmony program receive one-on-one support from Jessica, lesson plans, professional development, and support groups to find success in their careers as music educators.

Price: Free Always (blog) and Paid Subscription (membership)

Link: The Domestic Musician

Known for her work as a mentor, blogger, podcaster, and music educator, Jessica Peresta uses her Instagram platform to share ideas and tips for music educators. Music educators from all levels can benefit from her work but especially elementary music teachers! Jessica shares a behind-the-scenes look as a music educator mentor. Additionally, she provides regular words of encouragement and feedback to practicing teachers.

Price: Free Always

Link: Jessica Peresta’s Instagram Account

This podcast is great for Elementary Music Teachers looking for advice and wisdom. Seasoned music educator, Jessica Peresta, shares experience from years of teaching and mentoring music teachers. Topics such as burnout, planning, teaching at a new school, and teaching during COVID-19 are all covered. You will love Jessica’s down-to-earth style and conversational feel.

Price: Free Always

Link: The Elementary Music Teachers Podcast

This is an ideal resource for teachers looking to bring their Kodály instruction to online learning. This YouTube channel features insight into examples of activities and can be an inspiration for teachers to design their own lessons and activities for use in the online learning environment.

Price: Always Free

Link: Kodály Today on YouTube

This is an ideal resource for teachers looking to bring their Kodály instruction to online learning. This YouTube channel features insight into examples of activities and can be an inspiration for teachers to design their own lessons and activities for use in the online learning environment.

Price: Always Free

Link: Kodály Today on YouTube

Teachers interested in the Kodály philosophy will find much of use here! This group encourages the sharing of ideas, asking questions, and communication with others through helpful tips and resources for all grade levels shared daily. This group is always free with a Facebook account.

Price: Always Free

Link: Kodály Educators Facebook Group

Teachers interested in the Kodály philosophy will find much of use here! This group encourages the sharing of ideas, asking questions, and communication with others through helpful tips and resources for all grade levels shared daily. This group is always free with a Facebook account.

Price: Always Free

Link: Kodály Educators Facebook Group

This resource is ideal for elementary and secondary instrumental teachers but would require some modification for use in online/distance instruction. One can use this board game-like spinner to randomly select an option to play a passage a certain way (staccato, quietly, loudly, and more). There is lots of room to modify this for different musical selections and instructional situations.

Price: Always Free

Link: Wheel Decide | The Playing Challenge

Designed for the elementary/secondary general music classroom, this lesson plan incorporates information about blues musicians in a social media format. This is a barebones idea that the teacher would modify in order to maximize usefulness in the classroom. Likewise, the first slide encourages users to expand or modify the project as they see fit. This is a fun way for students to research and present historical information about musicians! Author: Danielle Larrick

Price: Always Free

Link: Blues-Artist-Instagram-Project on F-Flat Books

Click on this link to access this presentation as a Google Slideshow to save and edit to meet your needs!

This resource is ideal for general music educators looking for help on how to transition their instruction to online learning. This video “workshop” is free to sign-up for (must provide name and email), and the instructor talks through a PowerPoint presentation about transitioning one’s music classroom to an online medium.

Price: Free always

Link: 4 Simple Steps to Taking Your Music Class Online

This resource is ideal for general music educators looking for help on how to transition their instruction to online learning. This video “workshop” is free to sign-up for (must provide name and email), and the instructor talks through a PowerPoint presentation about transitioning one’s music classroom to an online medium.

Price: Free always

Link: 4 Simple Steps to Taking Your Music Class Online

This introduction to composition is perfect for theory classes, online band and orchestra, and secondary general music! Clear directions on how to compose a basic melody for different instruments are provided. Students need access to notation software and the knowledge to create at least 2 levels of harmony to complete this assignment. This is already formatted for an online class setting. A grading rubric is provided, and teachers would be able to modify this flexible lesson for inclusion in a larger unit. Author: Sarah Gulish

Cost: FREE during COVID-19

Link: COMP-1_-Melody-Recall

Click here to access a google drive file. You must “Make a Copy” first and then you can edit. 

This resource is ideal for elementary and secondary instrumental teachers but would require some modification for use in online/distance instruction. One can use this board game-like spinner to randomly select an option to play a passage a certain way (staccato, quietly, loudly, and more). There is lots of room to modify this for different musical selections and instructional situations.

Price: Always Free

Link: Wheel Decide | The Playing Challenge

Flipgrid is an easy-to-use app and website perfect for providing a digital platform for classroom video based discussions. Teachers can create a “grid,” which is accessible to students through their school emails, student ID, or a link, and then create discussions that students can reply to with a video recording. It provides a resource for students to share videos of themselves playing an instrument or singing.

Price: Free always

Link: Flipgrid – Empower Every Voice

Flipgrid is an easy-to-use app and website perfect for providing a digital platform for classroom video based discussions. Teachers can create a “grid,” which is accessible to students through their school emails, student ID, or a link, and then create discussions that students can reply to with a video recording. It provides a resource for students to share videos of themselves playing an instrument or singing.

Price: Free always

Link: Flipgrid – Empower Every Voice

This is an ideal resource for keyboard or piano teachers looking for online learning resources. Students can use this to build successful sight-reading skills on piano without the presence of a teacher. Lessons and books work on memory, speed, accuracy, tempo, and continuity.

Price: Free always (Four supplemental books for $14.99 each)

Link: Read Ahead App

This video tutorial is perfect for secondary students to work on their intonation and air usage. Students will need a device to play the YouTube video, their major instrument, and a device to use as a drone. The video is only 8 minutes long, but students can practice something like this for an extended period of time, or add it to their daily warm-up routine. Intonation drills are something that build upon many different focus areas, especially for brass players!

Price: Free always

Link: Target Note Intonation Drill

Using a Spotify playlist of KidzBop songs, this Bingo for Kids activity is a great way to involve the whole family in music listening or to be used in the classroom on a regular basis! Kids use a bingo sheet to identify songs and the first one to get a bingo wins. This is a great tool for at-home music listening.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: BINGOFORKIDSDOWNLOADNEW

F-flat author, Meghan Cabral, has offered a ton of flipped classroom materials for band directors looking to engage their students in remote learning. This bundle of materials includes PDF assignments with links to pre-created YouTube videos and TED talks that engage students in active listening and active music making. This is great for elementary and secondary instrumental classrooms.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Click on any of the links below to access the accompanying PDF:

Whole-vs.-Half-Steps

Major-Scales-creation

Enharmonic-Lesson

Flipped-Learning-Resources

TED-talks-sub-plans-a-different-way-to-visualize

ted-talk-on-music-as-a-language

ted-talk-on-how-playing-instrument-benefits-brain

ted-talk-on-earworms

constructive-constraints-TED-ed-sub-plan

This quick lesson plan provides tools for helping your students create remixes on Soundtrap. Teachers can either download this as a PDF or use via Google Drive to copy and edit. This lesson plan is a great way to explore software such as Soundtrap without an in-depth project. Author: Danielle Larrick

Price: Free always

Link: Remix-Challenge

Click here for a link to a Google Slideshow that you can copy and edit!

This resource is perfect for K-8 general music teachers for lessons about non-traditional instruments. Students only require access to the provided YouTube videos and PDF worksheet of accompanying questions. Teachers can easily tailor this lesson for inclusion in a larger unit.

Price: Free always

Link: What in the World?? Unusual Musical Instruments

This resource is ideal for elementary general music educators who wish to give their students activities to do at home. The Drive includes calendars that give a different activity for each day. There are different calendars for each grade. While this does only include April, educators can re-purpose the activities for any day/month. Activities include having students dancing, singing, making an instrument, or reading. Other resources include worksheets involving rhythm and recorder.

Price: Always Free

Link: E-Learning Google Drive

Music at Home Worksheets are ideal for elementary students who want to continue their study of general music, these worksheets include scales, dynamics, composition, etc. Only scale activities come with assessments, however, teachers can re-purpose any activity as an assessment or lesson plan. The activities include having students play games, listen to music, respond, interview, and draw. One needs a Teachers Pay Teachers account to download the activities, but it is free.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music at Home Worksheets

This resource is ideal for students who need to keep track of their practice. The document has columns that allow the students to write down what they practice and how long. The document also has a column that allows an open-ended response asking the specifics of what they practiced. The student can also write down any questions they have. The educator can elect to include in a link to have their students submit their practice sessions.

Price: Always Free

Link: Practice Log

Be sure to make a COPY before editing this Google Doc.

This informational article details how to design and structure an online music class. It has numerous ideas for assignments, assessments, and the overall layout of online learning. Teachers faced with moving to online instruction will find much of value here.

Price: Always Free

Link: Teaching Music Online

This informational article details how to design and structure an online music class. It has numerous ideas for assignments, assessments, and the overall layout of online learning. Teachers faced with moving to online instruction will find much of value here.

Price: Always Free

Link: Teaching Music Online

This informational article details how to design and structure an online music class. It has numerous ideas for assignments, assessments, and the overall layout of online learning. Teachers faced with moving to online instruction will find much of value here.

Price: Always Free

Link: Teaching Music Online

SmartMusic is a software that allows students to record and submit themselves making music, which can be used for assessments. Teachers can upload parts and full scores that students can use to submit a recording of themselves performing their part. This user-friendly program can be downloaded onto a computer or utilized as an online website, but requires that students have the appropriate materials for recording from a remote location.

Price: Free during COVID-19. Normal cost is $40-$80/teacher/year depending on package

Link: SmartMusic

SmartMusic is a software that allows students to record and submit themselves making music, which can be used for assessments. Teachers can upload parts and full scores that students can use to submit a recording of themselves performing their part. This user-friendly program can be downloaded onto a computer or utilized as an online website, but requires that students have the appropriate materials for recording from a remote location.

Price: Free during COVID-19. Normal cost is $40-$80/teacher/year depending on package

Link: SmartMusic

Perfect for choir teachers looking for ways to stay connected with their ensembles during this time, this blog post provides suggestions on how to best utilize video platforms (Zoom, Google Hangouts) for running choir rehearsals. It addresses warm-ups, sectionals, guest speakers and most importantly, maintaining social connections with each other during this time. 

Price: Always Free

Link: Keeping You Choir Going During Lockdown

MusicFirst Classroom is the only comprehensive learning management system (LMS) for K-12 music education. It combines learning management software with engaging content and powerful integrated software to help educators monitor student progress, make lesson plans, and create assignments.

Price: Cost Varies (You must request a quote), 50% off through April 30

Link: MusicFirst

MusicFirst Classroom is the only comprehensive learning management system (LMS) for K-12 music education. It combines learning management software with engaging content and powerful integrated software to help educators monitor student progress, make lesson plans, and create assignments.

Price: Cost Varies (You must request a quote), 50% off through April 30

Link: MusicFirst

Victoria Boler’s General Music is a social media account where elementary teachers can get ideas for lesson plans along with tutorials on how to teach an array of different musical lessons. The Instagram account also gives access to many other pages to gather ideas as well.

Price: Always Free

Link: Victoria Boler’s General Music

MusicFirst Classroom is the only comprehensive learning management system (LMS) for K-12 music education. It combines learning management software with engaging content and powerful integrated software to help educators monitor student progress, make lesson plans, and create assignments.

Price: Cost Varies (You must request a quote), 50% off through April 30

Link: MusicFirst

Ideal for pre-kindergarten through third grade music class, this lesson plan teaches concepts such as rhythm or meter through the use of dance. Abigail Kramer designed this lesson using the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Her lesson plan includes standards, procedures, and assessment.

Price: Free Always

Link: Dance Lesson Plan

These lesson plan units and resources are ideal for educators planning lessons for third through sixth grade music. Created by Carole Corman, these lessons cover topics such as physics of music, music appreciation, music technology, music theory, and performance. The units also include assessments, worksheets, and additional resources. These lesson plan units are ideal for in-class activities, but are also adaptable to be done at a distance.

Price: Free Always

Link: Elementary General Music Lesson Plans

This resource focuses on Gahu African Drumming and Dance as well as grooves from a variety of different cultures. This is an interactive website where students can create their own drum beats using the instruments from the culture. Students will read about the culture and instrument and then use an audio mixer to control the different instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: Gahu African Drumming

This is a very detailed lesson plan for use in any general music classroom, containing materials and possible adaptations for different grade levels. This may be somewhat challenging or uncomfortable for students who aren’t used to talking about themselves in writing, but it is a great way to bridge music and ELA. This lesson only covers one day of activities, but it could be expanded by providing more listening examples, exploring an entire genre of music, or comparing different genres. Author: Lauren Marcinkowski

COST: Free during COVID-19

Link: FREE-mandala-resource-music-and-Ela-lesson-plans

This take-home packet is ideally suited for lower elementary general music classes. Rather than all activities (four total) fitting into one unit, it gives a wide variety, focusing on giving students the chance to interact with music. Students will compose melodically and rhythmically, sing, and practice basic mallet technique. An interesting highlight is that the composition exercises ask the student to use items around the house as their note heads or to represent rhythms. Author: Music with Mrs. Dunc

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: TakeHomePacketFREE

This website is perfect for elementary students to review a variety musical topics while playing games. The games are split into grades 1-2 and 3-5.

Price: Free Always

Link: Kelly Riley’s Online Classroom

Ukulele Play Along videos are perfect for any student at any age wanting to learn to play the ukulele. There are hundreds of songs on YouTube that can be accessed through links on the document. The document provides the key and chords used in every song, so players can decide which songs would be most appropriate for their level.

Price: Free Always

Link: Ukulele Videos

This lesson would work well as an individual or at home activity for elementary students. One puzzle involves matching instruments to their names. The other involves matching musical symbols to their definitions. This is a simple cut and paste activity with answer keys provided.

Price: Always Free

Link: Instrument Puzzle

The Jam Zone is great for students of all ages to find songs and jam! The Jam Zone has a large list of popular songs where you can select your rock band instrument and view it as regularly noted OR the little kid rock notation. They are right next to each other so students can view both at the same time. A lot of the lessons can transition into each other and end with performances to show off what you have learned.

Price: Free with paid upgrades available

Link: LKR Jam Zone

This musical bingo activity is great for elementary and early secondary general music students. The game card includes 16 different activities that students can do on their own time and submit to their teacher or online classroom. Students would require access to a computer or tablet in order to access websites and videos featured in the activities.

Price: Free Always

Link: Music Bingo

This website is great for K-12 general music teachers who want to allow their students to create their own beat patterns. The list features 6 websites and apps that allow students to quickly produce beat/rap patterns on their own. Students require a computer or a tablet to access all of the resources. The program flexibility allows for student choice and creativity in their execution of this project.

Price: Always Free

Link: How to Make a Funky Beat in 30 Seconds

This resource is ideal for elementary music educators who are looking for an online learning resource for their students that is fun and culturally informative. It is an interactive app that allows for the user to travel around the world and learn about different instruments and cultures. There are quizzes along the way that test one’s knowledge of both music and geography/culture.

Price: $5

Link: Jazzy World

This resource is ideal for elementary students learning syncopation. The PowerPoint details instruction, practice, and application of syncopated rhythms. The PowerPoint begins with different rhythms and a recording of each rhythm on the slide. Students are instructed to repeat the rhythm and then compare with the recording. Students can apply what they’ve learned to the song “Russian Sailor’s Dance,” making for an excellent individual at-home activity.

Price: Free always

Link: Syn-co-pa Distance Learning

This document is perfect for elementary general music, and possibly early middle school. Students will need to have access to different mediums of watching film, and may need to have a way to record themselves. The assignments provided are broad and allow room for the teacher to customize the lessons. This resource provides an outline to help a teacher build their own unit, broken down into three lessons (one project).

Price: Free always

Link: Music in Relation to Other Art Mediums

This resource is ideal for general music educators looking for help on how to transition their instruction to online learning. This video “workshop” is free to sign-up for (must provide name and email), and the instructor talks through a PowerPoint presentation about transitioning one’s music classroom to an online medium.

Price: Free always

Link: 4 Simple Steps to Taking Your Music Class Online

Students who may be practicing on their own for the first time can utilize this Google Doc, which gives tips and techniques on how to practice effectively. The tips include having supplies nearby, starting with a warm-up, have a goal, etc. This list can also serve to help those who are already advanced to improve their practice sessions. The Doc is open to edit and be added to.

Price: Free always

Link: Strategies for Effective Practice Time

Flipgrid is an easy-to-use app and website perfect for providing a digital platform for classroom video based discussions. Teachers can create a “grid,” which is accessible to students through their school emails, student ID, or a link, and then create discussions that students can reply to with a video recording. It provides a resource for students to share videos of themselves playing an instrument or singing.

Price: Free always

Link: Flipgrid – Empower Every Voice

Teachers can use this resource as a Soundtrap-based lesson plan database. Soundtrap is a website designed for incorporating electronic music and recording projects into the classroom. This resource provides an extensive amount of lesson plans for all grades, focusing on general music and satisfying National Core Arts Standards. Each lesson plan provides details such as objectives, level, explanation of procedure, and learning goals.

Price: Free during COVID-19 (Soundtrap subscription normally $249/year for 50 users)

Link: Lesson Plans To Inspire Your Classroom Activities

Perfect for early elementary or middle school general music, this lesson plan involves starting with a rhythm repeating activity and follows a link from another website to a GroovePizza preset. This can function as a self-contained lesson unless the teacher wants to do more with the GroovePizza app, and having students get to the website would be fairly simple. In-person aspects of this plan would require modification for distance learning, but this is a good use of the online app.

Price: Always Free

Link: mustech.net-Mid-Week-Lesson-Groove-Pizza-with-We-Will-Rock-You

This resource packet is ideal for individual ukulele practice with parent, teacher, or peer guidance. The packet provides different lessons on how to play the ukulele (i.e. notes/tuning, strumming patters, chords, chord progressions, etc.), and assumes limited prior knowledge in music theory and the ukulele. Students go through the packet individually, but are prompted to have another individual initial along the way to assure progress.

Price: Always Free

Link: Ukulele Beginner Resource Packet

This lesson plan is ideal for young learners to analyze music. The lesson takes an analytical look at two tunes from Disney’s “The Lion King.” The lesson takes apart the tunes and breaks down analysis of different topics such as high and low voices, male versus female voices, and other musical elements. Some adaptations may be needed if virtual learning is taking place via pre-recorded videos.

Price: Free Always

Link: Does Music Tell a Story?

This resources is a composition project ideal for middle- to upper-level elementary grades. Students compose and assign rhythms to different colors of the rainbow, which they then rearrange into four-bar phrases. Students can then perform their rainbow rhythm compositions, and submit an audio/video recording (and the accompanying worksheet) for a performance assessment. The project encourages students to “get some fresh air and exercise by going for a walk outside,” which helps promote their well-being.

Price: Always Free

Link: Rainbow Rhythm Composition Project

This resource is ideal for educators who want help to be more culturally inclusive. An educator can get access to resources such as support in lesson planning, downloadable content, live Q&A sessions, and a monthly newsletter. The Patreon website for subscriptions includes four different levels with varying degrees of resources.

Price: Monthly membership fee of $1, $5, $10, or $20

Link: Culturally Responsive Resources for Music Educators

This video is perfect for teachers looking to learn more about teaching to a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded for viewing after the fact.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

This resource is perfect for K-8 general music lessons about non-traditional instruments. Students only require access to provided YouTube videos featuring unusual instruments and a provided PDF worksheet of accompanying questions. This resource is easily accessible and modifiable if the teacher wants to make it part of a larger unit.

Price: Free always

Link: What in the World?? Unusual Musical Instruments

This resource is great for both general music & music tech classrooms of all ages. This is a self-contained lesson and only requires speaking in rhythm. Teachers might use it early in the year as an “icebreaker” activity. The project allows for the use of applications/softwares to create a rhythmic accompaniment. The rapping portion allows some creativity, but also provides structure in creating rhythms.

Price: Free always

Link: “Rap My Name” Lesson Plan

Anne Mileski’s Instagram page provides a colorful and informational format from which one can explore useful resources. Ranging in activities all geared for younger general music classes, she provides links to a variety of lessons and resources that are free during COVID-19.

Price: Free during COVID-19 (Instagram account needed)

Link: Anne Mileski on Instagram

Music with Mrs. Duncanson is an Instagram account where she provides links to take-home packets, recorder lessons, lesson plans, and more. She is a K-5 music teacher whose lessons are primarily based in Orff practices.

Price: Free with some paid resources (Instagram account needed)

Link: Mrs. Duncanson on Instagram

Mrs. Stouffer’s resources are great for teachers tasked with providing enrichment through distance learning. The compilation of links is also available on a “student friendly page” that can be shared with students. She includes websites with games and activities, resources for instrumental music students, videos to move for younger and older students, YouTube videos and channels about music, and a collection of tools for teachers.

Price: Free always with some paid resources

Link: Mrs. Stouffer’s Music Room

“Decolonizing The Music Room” is a collection of podcasts, repertoire, research, articles, and books with a focus on non-Western music history and multicultural inclusion. Some resources are for educators exclusively, describing philosophies and methods of musical decolonization. Other resources are great for use by upper middle school to collegiate students (after being vetted by teacher) for reflection/discussion on diversity in music.

Price: Always Free

Link: Decolonizing the Music Room

This Google Sheet is perfect for elementary teachers seeking a fun creative way to incorporate lessons into a “workout” or goal-oriented learning process. This sheet includes different lesson plans and activities for students to do at home while also having some sort of structure made by teachers. The activities range from playlists, acting, moving, or lesson plans themselves that teachers can do either via Zoom or with videos sent to students with levels of different workouts assigned to each.

Price: Always Free

Link: Feierabend Fundamentals Virtual Schooling Resources

SmartMusic is a software that allows students to record and submit themselves making music, which can be used for assessments. Teachers can upload parts and full scores that students can use to submit a recording of themselves performing their part. This user-friendly program can be downloaded onto a computer or utilized as an online website, but requires that students have the appropriate materials for recording from a remote location.

Price: Free during COVID-19. Normal cost is $40-$80/teacher/year depending on package

Link: SmartMusic

This app provides teachers with simple, interactive music theory instruction through available lessons and exercises. This app is perfect for ensemble teachers and theory teachers looking for supplemental materials to assist students with becoming familiar with and practicing music theory concepts, as well as students looking to hone their music theory skills. Lessons and activities help students grasp and reinforce concepts related to music theory.

Price: Always free (2 additional premium iOS apps available for $2.99 and $3.99)

Link: MusicTheory.net

Be a Recorder Star allows students to start/continue recorder via independent learning. This interactive online version includes assignments, online books and recorder (choice of colors). There is a free 30-day trial during COVID-19, and afterwards is $7.95 for 13 months/student.

Price: Free 30-Day Trial, $7.95 for 13 months PER student

Link: Be A Recorder Star

Students who may be practicing on their own for the first time can utilize this Google Doc, which gives tips and techniques on how to practice effectively. The tips include having supplies nearby, starting with a warm-up, have a goal, etc. This list can also serve to help those who are already advanced to improve their practice sessions. The Doc is open to edit and be added to.

Price: Free always

Link: Strategies for Effective Practice Time

This resource is ideal for students who need to keep track of their practice. The document has columns that allow the students to write down what they practice and how long. The document also has a column that allows an open-ended response asking the specifics of what they practiced. The student can also write down any questions they have. The educator can elect to include in a link to have their students submit their practice sessions.

Price: Always Free

Link: Practice Log

Be sure to make a COPY before editing this Google Doc.