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So I’ve had a few requests about how I started making centers for my classroom.  I’ve been working on it  what seems nonstop all summer, so I have a decent amount ready for the classroom, and a few more dozen ideas! Most of the research I did was by plugging ‘music centers’, or ‘music file folders’, ‘music activities’ into Pinterest.  While there is an abundance of other things, if you use the search function, Pinterest can really be useful to find great teacher blogs. All of the centers I’ve been compiling are portable.  Since I am traveling between 4 schools and 2 districts, I want to make sure I can use all of my resources everywhere, even if I have to tweak a little (such as using Orff instruments instead of Boomwhackers). 

First, I’m going to plug a local teacher.  I’ve seen her present at the Michigan Music Conference (think all the music teachers in the state, regardless of area, in one conference center for three days).  Her name is Jennifer Bailey and she teaches about 20 minutes away from me.  She’s awesome, and a great resource.  She has an awesome website, and this great resource for free on teachers pay teachers. 

Next, I bought this set of file folder games from RayLee’s Schoolhouse store on TpT.  It is currently on sale for $7.00 and you get all of these! Each folder comes with a set of cards for students to put in either the solfege, the rhythm or a picture to represent the notes.  

The next place I went was this blog by Katie Traxler.  She has some great ideas and free downloads.  I made the file folders for the instruments from her download, the dynamic sort, the instrument family sort,  the recorder ice cream cones, and the meter match games, but I made the note name word match up game (the one she has posted with mailboxes) with apples and apple bushels (I do live in Michigan…!) There are still a few more ideas I want to make on her blog! I’m currently working on the music term match game.


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 For the percussion memory game she has, I made three versions.  One as a memory game, one as a percussion type match game and one where students will have to match the instrument to it’s name.

Another great resource is ColorInMyPiano.  Not only does her grad work hail from my Alma Mater, (Fire Up Chips!) but she has some nice freebies, good ideas, and some cute lapbooks.  She is geared towards piano, but some is definitely classroom friendly.

I made these flash cards from MakingMusicFun.net into a matching or memory game.  

Then, go here to Ashley Queen’s blog.  She has a bunch of music center ideas that she made for her room.  I used all of these and put them in file folders for easier transport.  The Boomwhacker melody center would be useful for any instrument.  

I printed this Musical Clock as an adding musical values practice center.  This would be fun if you have larger groups. 

I am intending to create a Listening Center where students will have to listen and respond to the piece of the month.  
A couple more ideas here on O For Tuna Orff. 

And here on The Yellow Brick Road (I will definitely be making these!) Also here.  I’ve gotten the flies ready, and she’s got several levels of rhythm.  

There are a few resources I didn’t list because for the life of me, I cannot remember where I got them.  I even check the links I saved, so I’m guessing they may have been freebies on TpT.  I have some pumpkin Rhythm Cards, Ornaments with Key Signatures and a plethora of rhythm cards.  The rhythm cards could be used in several ways, although I will be using them in centers for rhythm practice with instruments. 


I’m also making a Recorder Book with lots of songs listed by the notes they have.  The students will have to work on a song from the specific section I will stipulate.  

I haven’t even started looking through these ideas yet, but they look fabulous! 

I hope this has given you all enough ideas while I continue to compile some more.  Another post will pop up sometime in the future with another dozen or so after I get them finished.  

Melissa

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