Less than $5 4th Grade Music Activities

Low-Prep! Ready to unlock the transformative power of classical music? This Black History Month, make classical music listening breaks a classroom staple! Students will benefit from a deeper connection to the arts while exploring iconic classical music composers throughout history.

Featured Music: Clarinet Sonata

Composer: Zenobia Powell Perry

Listening Time: Approximately 3-4 minutes

What should I know about Zenobia Powell Perry?

Zenobia Powell Perry not only composed soulful symphonies and operas like "Tawawa House," but also shattered barriers for Black composers and women in the classical world. Rooted in her Oklahoma upbringing and traditions, her music incorporated spirituals, jazz, and folk influences into a tapestry of accessible, melodic works. A prolific educator and civil rights activist, Perry championed diversity in the concert hall and on the podium, inspiring generations of musicians with her vibrant compositions, unwavering voice, and unyielding commitment to inclusion.

What are Music Breaks?

Forget tedious prep – all you need is this musical treasure trove featuring SIX dynamic activities inspired by a captivating piece of classical music. No grading, no pressure, just pure exploration! These bite-sized activities are like time-traveling portals transporting students to the heart of Black musical history.

How do I use these listening activities?

Want to boost students' active listening skills without draining your prep time? These print-and-play classical music activities are ready to go! Just find the music on YouTube or your favorite streaming services, choose and print your preferred differentiated listening sheets, and cue the music! There are no wrong answers so students select the elements that are most meaningful to them.

Where do I find the music?

Each piece gets checked for availability on YouTube, Spotify, and other popular music sources.

What types of differentiated listening activities are included?

• Listening Sheet - There are no wrong answers! Students can note how they feel and what they imagine while listening to a selected piece of music. Choose from musical instruments, nature scenes, colors, and more.
• Weather & Feelings - Weather is a recurring theme in classical music. Does a musical piece remind the listener of a snowy day or a cheerful sunny afternoon? Students can select the weather symbols that come to mind. Is the music happy or sad? A set of emotional characters allows your group to pick the feelings that best relate to a piece of music.
• Listen & Color a Carnival - Students can color a carnival while listening to the selected music! Which carnival rides and activities would best fit a piece of music? Does the tempo feel like a roller coaster or a peaceful swing ride in the sky? Choose a tasty treat from the snack bar, then stop at the prize booth before finishing. There are no wrong answers!
• Emoji Checkbox Listening - This listening sheet style is all about checkboxes! Students note how they feel and what they imagine while listening to a selected piece of music. Choose from the musical instruments, nature scenes, colors, and more! Time, nature, settings, instruments, and colors are also listed. Students color in the emojis that best describe their listening experience in the emoji grid. The 'Inspiration Box' can be used for inspired drawing, journaling, notes, poetry, etc.
• Star Rating Guides - in black & white and color (two pages)
• Emoji Rating Guides - in black & white and color (two pages)
• Word Composer Challenge - compose a list of new words using letters from the composer's name. Add a timer for an extra challenge!
• Drawing/Writing Page - a freestyle approach to listening! Students can draw a scene inspired by the music selection or use the page as a writing space. Great for bulletin boards and displays!

Embark on a 12-month musical journey through time with the Classical Journey Bundle! ♬

Add a touch of mindful music to any season, holiday, or composer unit study. With over 150 categorized classical pieces, the Classical Journey Bundle offers an engaging printable for every occasion. Each month unlocks a curated selection of themed classical music pieces, perfectly paired with a holiday or season!

One of our best sellers: Creating a Musical Instrument in pdf form has now been made for use in the Google Classroom™. You can share this resource with your students through Google Classroom™ or Google Drive™. Students can then type directly on this document and share it back with you.

This is an easy STEAM challenge for music teachers at any grade level. It is also good for regular classroom teachers teaching the Next Generation Science Standards that relate to sound vibrations and communicating with sound energy. There is a challenge sheet which clearly states the challenge; including the materials needed. There is an inspiring YouTube recommended to enhance the learning experience as well as an engineering and design process recording sheet.

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Related Resources

⭐ Plant Adaptations Non-Fiction Texts and Activities for Use with Google Slides™

⭐ Distance Learning: Science at Home Virtual Museums and Activities

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In "Walk it Out, introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C],). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands with some syncopated rhythms

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher). There are a few measures with a clap that's indicated on a top line F

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

(Remember the repeat in the beginning :D)

Have a terrific time with this one :)

Start the year off right with this wonderful lesson about the Japanese holiday, Tanabata! Using the book The Star Festival by Mona Ritchie Hadley, introduce your students to this wonderful holiday while discussing wishes and dreams for the upcoming year. Read the poem and then learn the speech piece. Divide into two groups while chanting and playing the two individual rhythm parts on rhythm instruments of your choice. Great for introducing and/or reviewing triplets. Use for late 2nd-4th grade as an end of year or beginning of the year setting of wishes.

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No Prep! Word search activities offer many benefits for students. They can help students learn new vocabulary, improve spelling skills, and develop problem-solving abilities. These word search activities are great for reviewing musical concepts in a fun and challenging way! Word search activities also make engaging brain breaks and bell-ringers.

"My students enjoy doing something different in Music Class. This is the first time I used a word find. The students were engaged right away. I needed something to use after our Christmas performance. It was perfect and saved me a lot of time." - Bonnie L.

Do you need engaging activities to accompany "The Nutcracker?" Students can search for Nutcracker-themed words in this 15x15 word grid. Eighteen words can be found up, down, or across! Answer key included.

Fifteen Vocabulary Words

• up
• down
• across

Word Search Benefits

• Vocabulary: introduces learners to new words and their meanings, which can help to expand their vocabulary.
• Spelling: teaches the correct spelling of words.
• Visual perception: students scan a grid and identify patterns, which can help to improve their visual perception skills.
• Problem-solving: helps students develop problem-solving skills by challenging them to find words that are hidden in a grid.
• Focus: Word searches can help students focus and concentrate, which can be helpful for other academic tasks.
• Memory: helps improve memory by requiring students to remember the words that they have already found.

TREBLE CLEF FOUR CORNERS!

· To play Four Corners, ensure all students understand the lines and spaces of the staff (bottom line E to top line F).

· Number each side of the room 1, 2, 3, and 4 (or alternatively, color code it green, blue, red, or purple with floor tape)

· They will hear a 9 second timer. Students will have a chance to walk to one of four corners and stay there for the duration of the round.

· On the next slide, the treble clef notation will appear in each corner and you will see a letter name from the Treble Clef Staff

· The students will have to guess which treble clef notation it is by showing it with their fingers (1, 2, 3, or 4)

· The teacher then reveals to the students which treble clef note it was (#1, #2, #3 or #4) and the students who are in that corner are OUT!

· Keep repeating until no kids are left!

Included are 12 examples (you can switch it up each time and do different notation each time), the 9 second timer embedded in the powerpoint file, and instructions

Just print & play! Do you need engaging classical music activities or music sub plans? Each page offers creative ways for students to learn more about the music of this composer! Julia Perry was born on March 25, 1924, in Lexington, Kentucky. She received two Guggenheim Fellowship Awards!

Themes: USA, American composers, Women's History Month, Black History Month

What's Included:

1-page Resource Guide - This guide will get you started quickly! Just print and play.

Listening Sheet Star Rating Guides - A reference sheet illustrates the five-star rating system included in most listening sheets. Each frame has a description, with one being "okay" and 5 stars as "Wow!"

Listening Sheets - There are no wrong answers! Students can note how they feel and what they imagine while listening to a selected piece of music. Choose from the musical instruments, nature scenes, colors, and more. There is a space for drawing and several non-musical elements to consider, such as animals and nature.

Weather and Emotions Listening Sheets

Weather is a recurring theme in classical music. Does a musical piece remind the listener of a snowy day or a cheerful sunny afternoon? Students can select the weather symbols that come to mind. Is the music happy or sad? A set of emotional characters allows your group to pick the feelings that best relate to a piece of music.

2 Biography Pages - Fact sheet (1 or 2 facts are already provided, a box to paste/draw the composer's portrait, and a birthday box to color in and decorate cupcakes! A duplicate blank page is included for students to do their own research.

Composer Research Sheet - Students can use their favorite reference materials to compile a full page of facts about the composer's home country. Some of the research options include capital, continent, population, food, and more.

Composer Rating Activity - There are more options to profile the composer on the rating sheet, including which season and musical style they belong to. This can also be used as a listening sheet or as a bulletin board display.

Word Composer Activity - The classic letter puzzle, students can use all the letters from the composer's full name to create new, shorter words and record their scores. Add a timer for an extra challenge.

Musical Selections (two pages per piece)

1. Prelude for Piano
2. A Short Piece for Orchestra
3. Prelude for Strings
4. Pastoral
5. Stabat Mater
6. Homunculus C.F.
7. Violin Concerto
8. Symphony No. 6

Embark on a 12-month musical journey through time with the Classical Journey Bundle! ♬

Add a touch of mindful music to any season, holiday, or composer unit study. With over 150 categorized classical pieces, the Classical Journey Bundle offers an engaging printable for every occasion. Each month unlocks a curated selection of themed classical music pieces, perfectly paired with a holiday or season!

Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through general music? Involve them in bucket drumming with a throwback to the 1960s with The BEATLES smash hit "Hey Jude"!

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://youtu.be/7qMls5yxP1w

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

Unlock the musical genius of Duke Ellington with this printable word search! Challenge your students to search for Ellington-themed words in this fun, engaging activity, perfect for any music or history lesson. Explore the influence of Duke Ellington in shaping American music and explore his fascinating life story with this exciting word search!

No Prep! Word search activities offer many benefits for students. They can help students learn new vocabulary, improve spelling skills, and develop problem-solving abilities. These word search activities are great for reviewing musical concepts in a fun and challenging way! Word search activities also make engaging brain breaks and bell-ringers.

Students search for Ellington-themed words in this 15x15 word grid. 15 words can be found up, down, or across! Answer key included.

Fifteen Vocabulary Words

• up
• down
• across
• diagonally

Word Search Benefits

• Vocabulary: introduces learners to new words and their meanings, which can help to expand their vocabulary.
• Spelling: teaches the correct spelling of words.
• Visual perception: students scan a grid and identify patterns, which can help to improve their visual perception skills.
• Problem-solving: helps students develop problem-solving skills by challenging them to find words that are hidden in a grid.
• Focus: Word searches can help students focus and concentrate, which can be helpful for other academic tasks.
• Memory: helps improve memory by requiring students to remember the words that they have already found.

Need More Black History Month Resources?

Share stories, create conversations, and spark a deeper appreciation for the arts all month (and all year) long! Explore ALL of the Black History Month composer packs, activities, and digital resources.

Trying to wean the kids off of the letter names but want to do it easily? Start with a warmup! In "Super Simple Recorder Warmups", you'll receive 25 4-beat exercises designed to warmup your kids while working on quarter and half note patterns.

Use the background accompaniment tracks if you wish (ranging from 80bpm to 117bpm) and reinforce the notes of the staff and rhythms throughout before heading into your recorder activity!

Included in this version are the recorder notes, G, A, B, and C

Just print & play! Do you need engaging Nat King Cole activities or music sub plans? Each page offers creative ways for students to learn more about the performances of this jazz pianist and vocalist! Listening sheets list the song title and "Performed By: Nat King Cole."

What's Included:

1-page Resource Guide - This guide will get you started quickly! Just print and play.

Listening Sheet Star Rating Guides - A reference sheet illustrates the five-star rating system included in most listening sheets. Each frame has a description, with one being "okay" and 5 stars as "Wow!"

Listening Sheets - There are no wrong answers! Students can note how they feel and what they imagine while listening to a selected piece of music. Choose from the musical instruments, nature scenes, colors, and more. There is a space for drawing and several non-musical elements to consider, such as animals and nature.

Weather and Emotions Listening Sheets

Weather is a recurring theme in classical music. Does a musical piece remind the listener of a snowy day or a cheerful sunny afternoon? Students can select the weather symbols that come to mind. Is the music happy or sad? A set of emotional characters allows your group to pick the feelings that best relate to a piece of music.

2 Biography Pages - Fact sheet (1 or 2 facts are already provided, a box to paste/draw the musician's portrait, and a birthday box to color in and decorate cupcakes! A duplicate blank page is included for students to do their own research.

Musician Research Sheet - Students can use their favorite reference materials to compile a full page of facts about the composer's home country. Some of the research options include capital, continent, population, food, and more.

Musician Rating Activity - There are more options to profile the composer on the rating sheet, including which season and musical style they belong to. This can also be used as a listening sheet or as a bulletin board display.

Word Composer Activity - The classic letter puzzle, students can use all the letters from the composer's full name to create new, shorter words and record their scores. Add a timer for an extra challenge.

Musical Selections (two pages per piece)

1. Unforgettable
2. When I Fall in Love
3. Mona Lisa
4. L-O-V-E
5. Route 66
6. Autumn Leaves
7. Smile
8. Non Dimenticar

Need More Black History Month Resources?

Share stories, create conversations, and spark a deeper appreciation for the arts all month (and all year) long! Explore ALL of the Black History Month composer packs, activities, and digital resources.

Not ready for instruments but want to involve your students in some body percussion (while still assessing their reading and performing skills?). Try out "Poison Percussion" the ever-popular Poison Pattern game for body percussion!

This takes students through 63 slides and 3 levels of body percussion (clap, snap, stomp, and pat) sight reading.

Students will play a variety of rhythms as the teacher scrolls through the slides. Each slide contains one rhythm they will play and after advancing to the next slide, you can elect to give them a 4 beat or 2 beat prep to read the next rhythm, whichever works for you. The less prep they have, the better because...

There will be one rhythm (the poison rhythm, poison pattern, or OOPS! rhythm as we'll call it) that students DO NOT play! If they do, they're out of the game.

Students learn the rhythm before the round is played. Be careful or you will be ELIMINATED!

You can play this in teams, As vs Bs, however you wish!

There are 5 background grooves that go from 80 bpm to 120 bpm to challenge your kids as they go through the levels. There are 4 beat rhythms with quarter, eighth note pairs, and quarter note rests

Have a great time with this!

Just print & play! Do you need engaging classical music activities? These NEW activity sheets feature a carnival theme! Students can color their own carnival while listening to Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns!

Which carnival rides and activities would best fit a piece of music? Does the tempo feel like a roller coaster or a peaceful swing ride in the sky? Choose a tasty treat from the snack bar, then stop at the prize booth before finishing. There are no wrong answers!

★ Easel Activity ★ Pair an engaging digital listening board with these musical selections! Students use the highlight tool to choose from keyword lists that describe their listening experience. An answer box at the bottom allows students to write a brief description of their thoughts and feelings. Using the pen or any design tool provided, students can decorate a scene or upload an image to the frame! Each board features colorful clipart related to the music. As always, there are no wrong answers. Students can choose any combination of descriptors.

Printable Listening Sheets Include:

1. Introduction and Royal March of the Lion
2. Hens and Roosters
3. Wild Donkeys Swift Animals
4. Tortoises
5. The Elephant
6. Kangaroos
7. Aquarium
8. Characters with Long Ears
9. The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods
10. Aviary
11. Pianists
12. Fossils
13. The Swan
14. Finale

Working on alternating hands and reading down true percussive stickings? Try on "Stick it to the Buckets" with 30 great exercises that will get your upper elementary and lower middle kids reading with ease!

All regular notation is to be played on the middle of the buckets (the head of the drum) and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as side clicks on the bucket (or on the rim, however you choose!)

In this resource, there are multiple levels of rhythms along with percussive background tracks to get your kids grooving (or you can select any song of your choice in common time!)

• Level 1: Quarters and Eighths in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 2: Adding in Quarter Rests in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 3: Adding in X Notation (side clicks) in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 4: Adding in X Notation Eighth Note Pairs in Four Beat Patterns
• Level 5: Eight Beat Patterns in Four Beat Patterns

Just print & play! Do you need engaging classical music activities? Classical Woodland Story listening sheets combine music appreciation with a whimsical outdoor theme! Students compose their epic tale by choosing nature-themed objects and characters inspired by the music.

There’s also a drawing box for students to capture a scene from their imaginations. Discuss and display for further engagement!

Featured Compositions:

1. Morning Mood, Edvard Grieg
2. The Swan, Camille Saint-Saëns
3. Clair de Lune, Claude Debussy
4. The Five Sacred Trees, John Williams
5. Song of the Earth, Gustav Mahler
6. Earth Dances, Harrison Birtwistle
7. Earth and the Great Weather, John Luther Adams
8. 'Raindrop' Prelude, Frédéric Chopin
9. Flight of the Bumblebee, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
10. Oiseaux Exotiques, Olivier Messiaen

What's Included:

Story Guide – an illustrated chart with each character/object

10 Woodland Story Listening Sheets

10 Woodland Story Drawing Pages

A game that will keep your students entertained, engaged, and competitively charged with identifying chord quality, here's One "Minor" Imposter inspired by "Among Us"!

___________________________________

IN ONE MINOR IMPOSTER, YOU WILL LISTEN TO 2, 3, 4 EVEN 5 CREWMATES PLAY MAJOR CHORDS ONE BY ONE. ONE OF THE MAJOR CHORDS IS ACTUALLY NOT THE MAJOR CHORD PERFORMED!

YOUR TASK IS TO DECIDE WHICH CREWMATE IS THE IMPOSTER BY SELECTING THE CREWMATE WHO PLAYED THE MINOR CHORD INSTEAD OF THE MAJOR CHORD

HERE WILL BE ONLY ONE CREWMATE WHO IS THE IMPOSTER

____________________________

In each example is a piano/guitar/harpsichord mix with different background percussion tempos to keep the kids engaged. Each crewmate, lined up on the powerpoint (1, 2, 3, etc) will be representative of the musical example played.

Included in this resource are

• Mp3 examples embedded in each question (15 questions)
• A printout where you can replicate and cut out cards (if you want the students to place on the floor or hold up to show which one was the imposter)
• 3 levels of rhythms with 3 crewmates (2 major crewmates, 1 minor imposter), 4 crewmates (3 major crewmates, 1 minor imposter), and 5 crewmates (4 major crewmates, 1 imposter)

Have a terrific time with this while your kids study chord quality!

The carnival is here! Students explore carnival scenes with top composer George Gershwin! These open SEL activities invite students to color their listening experience while hearing the selected music. Each featured piece of music has a unique carnival scene to color and expressive keywords to choose from.

Learning Objectives

• increased knowledge of popular composers
• familiarity with a variety of musical periods
• ability to recognize, and engage with, popular pieces of music
• social-emotional exploration of feelings and moods within the music
• creative expression by choosing colors related to a musical theme

You'll find five unique carnival scenes for students to explore: bumper car, rollercoaster, bouncy house, popcorn, and a concession stand. Students choose from emojis and fun-themed images to color. There are no wrong answers!

Featured Classical Music

1. Rhapsody in Blue
2. An American in Paris
3. Someone to Watch Over Me
4. Concerto in F
5. Foggy Day

These carnival-themed listening activities are easy to implement - just print and play! The music is readily available on YouTube and your favorite streaming services. No musical training is required making these great for sub plans and summer send-home packets!

Embark on a 12-month musical journey through time with the Classical Journey Bundle! ♬

Add a touch of mindful music to any season, holiday, or composer unit study. With over 150 categorized classical pieces, the Classical Journey Bundle offers an engaging printable for every occasion. Each month unlocks a curated selection of themed classical music pieces, perfectly paired with a holiday or season!

The follow-up to "Rhythm Wind Up and PITCH!"
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This one will get the kids on their edge of their seats!

You will need 1 thing for this particular game:

• A sticky suction cup ball (or maybe a soft squishy ball)

The students will see a melody at the bottom of their screen and memorize the melodic direction or say it back in their head (just make sure the melodic is not sung out loud). They will then hear a musical example of an endless loop of melodic figures separated by 4 beats each in between rhythms. (Teacher will click the speaker icon to play)

Take a listen...

....

....

One of the melodic figures will be the melody that is on the screen. AS SOON AS THEY HEAR THAT MELODY, they throw their suction cup ball at the target. The first kid who gets it correct is the winner (and make sure you advance the slide to make the target turn green) :)

Obviously, we cannot play this as a class because of

1. The amount of suction cup balls tossed at the screen would be insane

2. Team A v Team B would be a bit more competitive and only two balls would be launched at once

If you don't have a whiteboard/projection screen, you can alternatively have the students raise their hand when they hear it and choose the kid who has their hand up the fastest.

Have a great time with this fast paced game!

The carnival is here! Students explore carnival scenes with top composer Duke Ellington! These open SEL activities invite students to color their listening experience while hearing the selected music. Each featured piece of music has a unique carnival scene to color and expressive keywords to choose from.

Learning Objectives

• increased knowledge of popular composers
• familiarity with a variety of musical periods
• ability to recognize, and engage with, popular pieces of music
• social-emotional exploration of feelings and moods within the music
• creative expression by choosing colors related to a musical theme

You'll find five unique carnival scenes for students to explore: bumper car, rollercoaster, bouncy house, popcorn, and a concession stand. Students choose from emojis and fun-themed images to color. There are no wrong answers!

Featured Classical Music

1. Take the 'A' Train
2. In a Sentimental Mood
3. It Don't Mean a Thing
4. C-Jam Blues
5. Harlem

These carnival-themed listening activities are easy to implement - just print and play! The music is readily available on YouTube and your favorite streaming services. No musical training is required making these great for sub plans and summer send-home packets!

Embark on a 12-month musical journey through time with the Classical Journey Bundle! ♬

Add a touch of mindful music to any season, holiday, or composer unit study. With over 150 categorized classical pieces, the Classical Journey Bundle offers an engaging printable for every occasion. Each month unlocks a curated selection of themed classical music pieces, perfectly paired with a holiday or season!

Understanding notation duration and how they fit mathematically into bars of music is one of the fundamental learning goals of upper elementary students!

With Measure Up! Students will see a measure of music… but… it is incomplete! They will then Choose the correct notation from one of the boxes to complete the measure. Students can use the powerpoint in design mode to click and drag it, draw a path for their specific box to the open box, or write it in!

Can also be used for Distance Learning as well!

15 examples with quarter notes and rests, half notes and rests, whole notes and rests, eighth notes and rests, 4 sixteenth notes and 2/4, 3/4, 5/4, 4/4, and a bonus 6/8 example at the end!