Thanksgiving Ideas for Music Class

I've never been one of THOSE teachers.  You know, the ones that get the whole week of Thanksgiving off.  I'm always there until Wednesday at 1:15.  A couple of years we got Wednesday off completely and one year Monday was a snow day, but...yeah...I'm always teaching until the last minute before Thanksgiving.

Here are a few quick and painless ideas for getting through those three days or whatever time you'll be putting in.

Get your kiddos moving!
Probably my favorite movement activity involves putting on some awesome music and using these Thanksgiving Creative Movement Posters to let students create their own moves.  The kids love it because it is silly and let's them move around.  I love it because it is easy, can last as long as I want and really gets their creative juices flowing.   What you do is start some music (I like "Grandma's Feather Bed" by John Denver this time of year for this activity, but almost anything will work.), show them a card and give them 10-25 seconds to create a move that they think the card describes.  Here are few examples:

What is a pumpkin roll?  What does "shake your tail feather" really mean?  Can you really tap dance in moccasins?  Who knows!  What fun it is to let their creativity express itself through dance!  This set also includes a freeze dance version.  I have several of these sets in my store.  These work really well with the Thanksgiving theme:  Food Fight Creative Movement    Everyday Creative Movement and Partners and Groups Creative Movement.

This is also a fun way to get kids moving.  Disco turkey moves always make me smile!

I also love some coloring options for kids during this short, but crazy week at school.

This Thanksgiving set includes pictures that require students to identify notes.  Actually, there are two levels.  One is for younger students and asks them to just find the note in the picture and color it.  The other version (same pictures) gives the symbol name and the color and students must find the symbol in the picture.  This is better for older students.  I'll put on some music while students work and it is an easy and peaceful lesson.

I'm also a BIG fan of workstations.  In addition to the Candy Corn puzzles, Xylophone Composing Station and iPad Station, I'm adding Music Clip-It.

Students look at a Thanksgiving themed picture and use a clothespin to clip the match.  Students match the number of syllables in the picture to the rhythms. I don't know what makes this so fun, but kids LOVE using clothes pins!

I hope this post gives you a few great ideas for being thankful and having fun in your classroom during the week before Thanksgiving.  I am so thankful for YOU!  

Pin these ideas for later!