If you live North of the Equator, you might be nearing the end of your school year. Personally, my year is still “warming up”. I have just started Term 2 for 2017. But, my colleagues in the USA are starting to think about how they can end the year on a positive note, and keep those students engaged and learning right up until the end.
If I understand it correctly, most students are completing State Tests. My students in Years 7 and 9, will complete the Australian testing – NAPLAN in two weeks’ time. So, no matter where you live, students probably are using their brain power before they come to your class! So the last thing they want to do is more “work” that is “too hard”, or “boring”. Does this sound familiar???
After years of teaching, I know that this is not a time to be completing anything too hard, or anything that requires huge amounts of effort from your students. But, what do you do with them? As a professional, we want our students to be learning something meaningful. To combat these problems, I use a few products that I created especially for this time of year.
My first resource, is one of my best-selling products – Music and the Movies. This is a complete unit of work that features the Super Six comprehension strategies, along with lots of engaging lessons and information too. I love teaching this unit! What I love about it is that while students learn about how music is used in the movies they watch, it gives you a genuine reason to watch a movie in class!!!! My all-time favourite to use with this unit is The Sandlot, but my next favourite is another great standard – Shrek. Both movies use music in ways that match nicely with what students learn in the unit. This unit means that you have happy engaged kids, you can relax a bit while you enjoy the movie too, and your administrators and supervisors will be happy as you can justify why you are watching a movie in class! It is a win-win for everyone – you gotta love that!
My second collection of resources that are great for this time of year are the Instrument or Musician Studies. There are two different instrument study resources – Instruments of the Orchestra or World Instruments. When I have used these resources in my own classes, what I have done is print out a few copies of each instrument and then place them in a folder for ease of use later. Then in class, I let my students choose what instrument they want to research and study. This way they are happy, they go and research on the internet about their chosen instrument. Once they have finished their research they then colour in the instrument. My students have loved using these resources, they like the independence, the choice and that usually, I let them work in pairs with a friend to complete the research.
If you are after something similar, but a little different, try the Musician Studies. I have five different ones to choose from, or you might want to purchase the Bundle and save yourself time and money. Included in the bundle are Baroque and Classical Musicians, Jazz Musicians, Pioneers of Rock, Kings and Queens of Rock and Pop, and lastly, Black History Month Musicians. So, no matter what topic you may have been studying in class, there is something to suit your needs. Again, I have several copies of these printed and in a folder. When I need to use them, I let the students choose who they would like to study. They buddy up and share the research, then colour in their chosen musician. These studies look great displayed in your room, and your students will love seeing their work up on the wall.
Another set of resources that are perfect for this time of year is the Junior Music Assignment Bundle. There are four of my Music assignments included in the bundle – African Ensemble Assignment, Make an Instrument Assignment, Rhythm and Rap Assignment and my all-time favourite – Rock Music Design Project. All the resources that you need are included in these assignments. All you have to do is print, explain, and then let your students have a go! Two of the assignments are group work tasks, the others are more of a solo effort, but could be group work if you wanted.
Lastly, if you want your students to learn and have fun at the same time, try the Games Bundle. Included in this bundle are all the games that I have available in my store. The games are a great way to check for understanding, or revision before class tests. There are five games in the bundle – Music Symbol Bingo, Instrument Bingo, Treble Clef Bingo, Rhythm Tic Tac Toe and my freebie Corners. I play these games with all my classes when they just need a little “down time”, and this is even for my Year 12 class!
I hope that this collection of resources and products can help ease the stress of the end of year and testing craziness. Be sure to do yourself and your students a favour and go and grab some classroom ready resources that are sure to keep everyone happy. You can go to my store here and check out what is on offer.
Don’t forget, if you haven’t signed up to be a Jooya Teaching Resources Team Member yet, click the link above. When you become a Team Member you will receive emails with stacks of tips, tricks, sale details and heaps of FREEBIES that you will not find anywhere else! You have nothing to lose by becoming a team member, so go on, do yourself a favour.
Until next time
Happy Teaching
Julia from Jooya