Back to School Music Ideas for the Classroom

Posted September 4th, 2012 by Coast Music Therapy

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It’s that time of the Year Again!

Parents crave it, and some students hate it. Here are some musical listening must-haves to make going back to school enjoyable for you and your children. Whether you’re a parent or teacher, or therapist, keep calm and carry on with these back to school music ideas for the classroom.

First things first, crank up some tunes that will get you in that back to school spirit. We’ve put together a mix of full length songs you can listen to for free in their entirety. Check out what class acts like The Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, and the Jackson 5 schoolhouse wisdom. Oh and by the way, we really got a kick out of the first song in the mix; a throwback to the TV show The Magic School Bus. Anyone remember that show?

Back to School Songs from Coast Music Therapy on 8tracks Radio.

Why reinvent the wheel? Here are some great ways to add music to some activity gems from The Teacher’s Corner.

#1: “Me in a Bag”

Original Activity on The Teachers Corner by: Jan Formisano , a second grade teacher in Falls Church, Virginia.

Activity Summary: This show-and-tell in a bag activity is so simple yet the bag makes things all that more mysterious! Have each student bring some of their favorite items or things that tell others about them in a brown paper sack. Each student has a change to describe the items in their bag.

Song Adaptation: Getting to Know Someone from Tuned in to Learning Volume 1 “Getting to know someone, is an easy thing to do. First you look them in the eyes, then you ask them a question or two!”

Use the ‘Adapt-a-Song’ version of this song, which contains the same fun chorus, but leaves out the original “What’s your favorite animal/food/instrument?” questions.
After each chorus, have the students chant together “What’s that in your bag?”
Pause the song and let several students pull 1 item from their bags and label it.
After several students have had a turn, start the song again singing along as a group with the chorus.
Continue the same format until all students have had a turn.

#2: “Get to Know Your School” Scavenger Hunt

Original Activity on The Teachers Corner by: Eileen

Activity Summary: Create a scavenger hunt to familiarize your students with the items in the classroom or locations in the school.

Song Adaptation: “Going on a Bear Hunt” (click the link for a super cute video version!) Change the words to this popular book to go on your own School Hunt. to this popular book.

We’re going on a school hunt, a school hunt a school hunt
We’re getting to know our school, school, school
I wonder what we’ll find or who we’ll meet? (huh) Let’s See!
(Spoken) Oh look there’s the Library. Quiet in the Library, library library.
Shh shh shh

(come up with other descriptions perhaps your centers, the cafeteria, the playground, the bathroom etc.)