Creative Music Resources for Classroom Teachers

The Creative Classroom
Resources to support a creative approach to music in the classroom. Suitable for teachers of Key Stages 1-4 (American K-12)

Age: 5-7

An 'Upstairs, Downstairs' Tune

Upstairs.pdf Teachers' Notes

My Tune.pdf Pupil Sheet

Upstairs.html Teachers' Notes

This is a composing activity for Key Stage 1. It incorporates several of the QCA learning objectives, with particular emphasis on exploring pitch.

Mystery Creatures

What did she see?.html

Creative Percussion Activities

Creative Percussion.htm

Creative Percussion.pdf

Description: A series of creative activities for Key Stages 1 & 2, based on the principle of antiphony (taking turns and contrasting two instruments, or groups of instruments.)

If you found the above resources useful, take a look at our "GridPlay: Creative Explorations" software. Level 1 has a wealth of ideas for creative music-making with children age 3-7. Click here.

Age: 8-11

The Sea

The Sea.pdf Teachers' Notes

The Sea. html Teachers' Notes
"The Sea", a composing project for children
This is a creative project for Key Stage 2, in which children respond, through improvisation, to visual or literary images. The improvisations are recorded and later reviewed and modified to create class compositions.

4-Note Fun

4-note Fun. html

Improvisation for individuals and groups.

Toast For Tea

try this.html

Fun with Windows Sound Recorder

Sound-Recorder.html

Windows Sound Recorder as a creative introduction to computer music for key stages 1 &2

If you found the above resources useful, take a look at our "GridPlay: Creative Explorations" software. Level 2 has a wealth of ideas for creative music-making with children age 8+. Click here.

Age: 12-14+

Voices

Voices.pdf

Voices: Pupil Sheet.pdf

Voices.html

This project explores wordless choruses and simple part singing. The introductory activities build vocal confidence through group improvisation which does not require the matching of pre-determined pitches. The second section practises singing a major triad in parts and vocal improvisation, based on a major scale, as an introduction to the composition of simple rounds. The activities integrate listening, playing and composing skills and there are suggestions for appropriate use of ICT.

Vocal Percussion

Vocal Percussion.pdf

Vocal percussion.html

We can use our voices to make music in many ways besides singing. In practically every culture we can find examples of the vocal apparatus being used as a rhythm instrument. This resource explores some of these ideas.

Drums
Drums KS3.pdf

Drums KS3.html

This is an integrated resource, suitable for Key Stage 3, which combines individual research with creative activities in the classroom. It focuses on the spirit and purposes of drumming, rather than on the performance of specified rhythmic patterns.

4-Note Fun

4-note Fun. html

Improvisation for individuals and groups.

Fun with Windows Sound Recorder

Sound-Recorder.html

Windows Sound Recorder as a creative introduction to computer music for Key Stages 2 & 3

You will find further resources to support creative music in the classroom on 'Kids Pages' and in the 'Classroom' section of our online music store

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