The Best Back-To-School Resources for Music Class

Sometimes I feel like finding back-to-school resources for music class is impossible. There are indeed many back-to-school resources available, but many of them fail to meet the standards I set for my music classes at the beginning of the year. Icebreakers and surveys might be a great way for me to get to know my students, but what’s the takeaway?

While searching the same topic, I may also encounter a set of back-to-school music worksheets that assume my students already understand note reading or advanced rhythms. Those kinds of resources don’t meet my standards for either. Why would I assume my students know or recall anything on the first day? The last thing I want to do is stress them out on day one.

If you share the struggle of finding practical back-to-school resources for music class that work, I’d like you to keep reading. In this post, I’ll share back-to-school resources for music class that are engaging and comprehensive. Please also be aware that these music class resources are best suited for upper elementary grades (3+) during the back-to-school season.

Back-to-School Games for Music Class

Gamified learning is always an instant win in my classroom, and there’s no reason why students shouldn’t game on the first day of music. It’s low-pressure fun that helps students prepare for a musical year ahead.

Back-to-School Musical Chairs

I like to say that this resource adds the “music” back to musical chairs. How is it different? In a nutshell, it’s a classic game of musical chairs with questions aligned with the National Core Arts Standards woven in. It’s one of those sneaky games that’s actually a pre-assessment in disguise. The challenge questions within this back-to-school resource align with many of the National Core Arts Standards for grades 4-6. So, while your students are scrambling for seats, you’ll be scrambling to document the valuable insight you’ve gained about your students’ musical abilities on day one.

If you want more information, you can head to my post: Back-to-School Game for Music Class: Musical Chairs, or check out this preview of the questions included inside.

Ready to purchase? Click the link below to add this game to your music teaching toolkit!

How Well Do You Know Your Music Teacher? Game On!

Do you know what’s never a waste of time? Building trust with your students. If this is your first year in the school or district, this is a must! Especially with older students who need that extra layer of trust to care about the content you’re teaching.

It might seem trivial for your music class to know your favorite dance move or song, but they’ll be so impressed when they find out just how many musical instruments you can play. Or maybe they connect with you just a little deeper when they find out you like K Pop as much as they do.

Want to try it with your students? Click the link below to purchase this Google Slides resource!

Back-to-School Resources that Support Cross-Curricular Learning

Next is a back-to-school resource that serves double-duty in the music room. These Song Choice Boards serve as music class icebreakers while sneaking in ELA, SEL, and even a little social studies! If cross-curricular learning is a priority this year, this will help kick things off!

When students use these Back-to-School Song Choice Boards, they’ll “find a song” to match simple prompts across five themes:

Tells a Story
Makes You Feel
Music Around the World
Characterization
Teaching and Learning

You can run this activity with the whole class, or in smaller groups. The resource works across a wide range of grade levels. As students discuss and collaborate to complete their boards, they’ll also be experiencing music on a deeper level while building community connections in the music room.

Free Back-to-School Resources for Music Class

Tight budget this year? I feel you! I actually have some awesome back-to-school resources in the Chamber of Freebies, including:

If you haven’t heard of the Chamber of Freebies, it’s my growing collection of free teaching resources for music teachers! By joining, you’ll gain access to the resources above, along with 15+ other music ed freebies!

The Best Back-to-School Bundle for Music Class!

Want to bundle the best of everything? You can get 20% off Back-to-School Musical Chairs, Song Choice Boards, and the How Well Do You Know Your Music Teacher? games by purchasing the Back-to-School Music Bundle for Grades 4-6! This resource can be used during the first weeks and months of the school year!

Final Thoughts

Starting a new school year right can be challenging, but the right resources make all the difference. Games, choice boards, and ready-to-use activities help students feel comfortable while giving you a clear sense of where they are, musically. I hope the ideas shared in this post give you a strong start and make those first weeks of school both fun and productive. Happy teaching!