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Immediately following the release of the National Standards for Music Education in 1994, MENC--The National Association for Music Education released Opportunity-to-Learn Standards for Music Instruction as a guide to what schools should provide to help students achieve both the National Standards for Music Education in grades K-12 and the MENC prekindergarten music education standards. MENC recommends that states either adopt these opportunity-to-learn standards or use them as a basis for developing their own. The standards challenge all who are committed to high-quality music instruction to work together to improve the teaching and learning of music in the nation's schools. The writers of the opportunity-to-learn standards were well aware that new technologies have an impact on the ways schools deliver music instruction. Throughout the text of those standards, there are references to computers, software, MIDI equipment, CD-ROMs, and other resources that are important to the world of the music teacher, as well as essential to the world of music outside the classroom. In the years since the publication of the opportunity-to-learn standards, technologies useful for music education (as for all education) have grown more capable, more varied, simpler to use, and certainly more ubiquitous.

The web is an excellent resource for music teachers who need free education materials for the elementary classroom. There are a number of sites that offers articles about music education and teaching strategies, lesson plans, classroom tools, children’s songs, fingerplays, and other helpful materials. Here are 15 sites to explore throughout the school year.

The web is an excellent resource for music teachers who need free education materials for the elementary classroom. There are a number of sites that offers articles about music education and teaching strategies, lesson plans, classroom tools, children’s songs, fingerplays, and other helpful materials. Here are 15 sites to explore throughout the school year

Free Piano Lessons online!- Click here to get 10 free piano lessons. You will need access to YouTube and FlashPlayer to view some of the website. A Simple Synthesizer – Click on the boxes! Play a Virtual Piano!(Must have Java Script installed) Famous Pianist Word Search (Choose “Print” from the File Menu too print a hard copy) Strange and Unusual Pianos Music/Piano Jokes and Funnies Test out some Virtual Drum Machines! 120 Years of Electronic InstrumentsStarts with the Musical Telegraph (1876) of Elisha Gray, who got to the patent office with his telephone patent one hour later than Alexander Graham Bell. Virtual Piano/OscilloscopeAs you play, you’ll see and hear the wave forms! Playing Fraction Pies - Phil Tulga site Music Activities and Classroom Integration (math, science, language arts, homemade instruments) Progressive and excellent site by Phil Tulga. Definitely take a look.

“I’ve read a lot of reviews about ‘Wii Music,’ and I think there’s a lot more depth to this program than people have initially given it credit for,” he says. “Wii Music” doesn’t ask players to match beats, like “Guitar Hero” or “Rock Band.” Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller, players can experiment with more than 60 different virtual instruments ranging from bagpipes to ukulele. They can play mini-games such as "Handbell Harmony" and "Pitch Perfect." And they can jam or improvise as part of an ensemble. That’s the one feature that really hooked Krofchick, who says that younger kids can often be reluctant to improvise musically. “Children spend a lot of their classroom time following specific directions — what to read, what to do — and very little time … actually expressing themselves in the arts,” she says. “Some can be shy to come forward and actually sort of jump in and try something. “But if anything is presented to a child in the form of a game, it’s going to be much more student-friendly or kid-friendly,” she says. “For some reason, there doesn’t seem to be a fear there.”

Computers and KeyboardsWe have all 8 computer and keyboard stations connected together through MIDI interface cables. As of August, 2007 we connected all keyboards to the computers using USB cables, a much more economical way to make the connections. The keyboards are used to enter notes onto the screen in Sibelius when creating compositions. Students also enter notes into the computer in note reading drills in Music Ace and Alfred's Theory Games, along with some use in the Groovy music series by Sibelius. We also use Alfred Midi files on the computer as an accompaniment with the students as they practice on their keyboards. All computers have splitter cables to split the sound between the keyboard, speakers and headphones. This helps me to have the students practice on their own or practice with the entire class. We do not have funding available for a group education controller, but hope to be able to purchase one in the future. The computers are either Windows 98 PC's or Windows XP PC's that I repaired on my own from obsolete computers no longer being used at our school. We have limited Internet access in our room. I post our websites on each stand-alone computer so students may work on the quizzes and other lessons if time is available during class.

My Name is Nekeyma Martin, Music Technology Instructor at Carter G Woodson Elementary School in Jacksonville, FL. What you are about to watch is the end of the year 5th grade music video. This video & song was choreographed, produced, written, and performed by 5th grade students. This is a story of a student failing her classes, yet gets an intervention by dream voyage to help her appreciate her opportunities in education

So, if you are a Kindergarten teacher, or you know someone who is, send them this link to download all 24 of these free apps. You may also want to alert any parents you know that could benefit from this special offer. They normally retail at 99 cents, so today’s grand savings total is almost $24

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