Before we know it, it will be the thing music teachers dread…testing season. Testing season itself isn’t awful on us except the students seem a little more hyped….unless…you have to be quiet too. While this is super not fun nor the ideal situation, we may still have to come up with something to do that isn’t just watch a movie. So here are some quiet ideas for testing season to hopefully get you through.
If they just HAVE to make noise or you can think outside the box…
- Try to partner with the PE teacher for folk dance, or movement games
- Take them outside for a little extra run around and play some of these games that are great for outside.
Quiet-ish
Depending on what you can get away with…
- Dance videos with the volume low
- Statue game – any variation!
- Move its!
- Composition – Let them write compositions by writing a poem about something like their favorite food.
Quieter
- Spend some time working on dynamics but feature all quiet things.
- Worksheets – not always super fun, but put on some quiet working music
- Let them pick a book to read when they are done or bring one from their classroom that they are currently reading.
- Write the room – This is a great time to practice writing those notes correctly and lets them move around a little.
- Rhythm telephone – Sit in a long line and tap a rhythm on one students’ shoulder. They have to pass it down the row.
Basically silence
- Music Library Day – Take some of your favorite read alouds and go to town. If they are older, try a chapter book. There are some listed on www.theultimatemusicedbooklist.com.
- Decompress – put on some calm music, and let the kids lay down, close their eyes, and listen. When they are done let them do a coloring page or a few worksheets on what they heard.
- Bingo Games – Let them do a silent dance instead of yelling “Bingo”
- Music Tech – if they are 1:1 or you have the ability to get them 1:1 or 1:2 with a headphone splitter, let them play some online music games
- Silent percussion – put NOISY percussion like tambourines, ocean drums, and jingle bells in the center of the room and make a few teams (this only works if the group isn’t a screaming competitive type of group), otherwise have them sit in a circle and try to do it individually one at a time. Have students take turns picking up an instrument and try to walk it back to their seat without making a sound. If they make a noise it has to go back.
I hope this helps you get through some of the tougher quiet ideas of testing season!
