Shake it Up! Spring Activities for Music Class

Hurray for spring! I love to watch the trees and flowers bloom and love the chance to get outside just a little more as the temperature warms.  In the classroom, spring fever seems to creep in and surprise me so I'd like to share a few of my favorite springtime activities to shake it up a little!

Like many teachers, I often shop post-holiday sales for goodies that I can use in my classroom.  Easter time is a great time to pick up colorful plastic eggs in a variety of colors, sizes and styles.  Although they are obviously Easter eggs, I repurpose them for classroom activities all year long.  They are so much fun that the students don't seem to mind.  Here are a few ideas for using shaky eggs:

Shake 'em!

Okay...that was probably a little obvious, huh?  I fill them with dry beans or rice and then seal them.  I have tried glue and super glue without the success that I wanted.  If students squeeze the egg hard enough, it still pops open.  I've found the most success with Scotch tape or washi tape (a pretty, patterned version).  I let students know that the eggs will NOT pop open by themselves and the tape won't come off by itself so if something happens, they will be responsible.  Totally works for me!


This song is SO much fun and works around Easter or just for a song about farm animals.  We use our shaky eggs to show fast/slow, up/down and more.

This number is called Hunting Easter Eggs.  Not only do we sing this song, but we use shaky eggs to keep the steady beat.  Occasionally we will use this song to move sneakily around the room and play musical statues.

Plank Road Publishing also has several other songs that are super for shaking eggs.  Check out:
Shakey, Shakey Egg and Dip an Egg

Centers

Plastic eggs make great puzzles that are quick and easy to complete at workstations in class.  I've used them for several different kinds of centers, but the concept is the same.  Match the top with a bottom (usually not the same color because that would be too easy!).  I actually use these centers for several months and don't worry about if it is near Easter or not.  Here are a few examples of workstations:

Symbol Match - Write the name of the symbol on one half and the symbol on the other.  I use this set with 3rd grade and up.

Instrument Scrambled Eggs (See what I did there? *wink*) -Write the instrument name on one half and the scrambled letters in that name on the other part.  Make it a little more advanced by providing baskets labelled: brass, woodwinds, percussion, strings and let them sort them into their families.

Syllable Sort -notation on one half, syllables on the other.

EGGcellent Math -Musical addition problems on one half and answers on the other.

These centers were pretty easy to make, but if you wanted to make several sets it might be fun to have an older class create sets for you.  They would think it was fun and you would have several sets of the same game to use with small groups. 

Use them like scarves and ribbons.

I think it is so important for kids to have time to explore movement in a fun and safe environment.  I like to give students two egg shakers and then use these ribbon/scarf movement cards.  I show them a card with a shape on it and them imitate it by shaking their eggs and moving.  I use many different songs for this activity but "Bunny Hop" or "Twist and Shout" are especially fun!  Check it out HERE.