Digital Musicking

Hookpad is a DAW program that shows the creator what chord they are using. This program could be used in conjunction with music theory courses to allow students real application of the material learned.

A free software that allows the user to make a groove up to four parts. Once the groove is made it can be shared on the web or the midi can be downloaded and used in other programs.

Beth's Music Notes is another great blog to follow that includes tons of songs and most free if you join. I like to follow her blog to find new songs to bring to the classroom.

This blog incorporates a multitude of songs and lessons to go with different every day musical concepts. There are lessons and posts regarding rhythmic concepts, melodic concepts, Orff arrangements, and recorder songs. Songs on the website are organized into different categories so they are easy to look through and extra resources are linked to help with sub plans, lesson plans, assessments, and even behavior.

A blog, shop, and resource for music teaching. Primarily offers songs, resources, and games in the Kodaly methodology. Posts and songs are searchable by date, grade, and other criteria. Songs and resources are available for purchase.

This website contains a ton of songs for the elementary classroom, but you must pay a subscription. The website is very easy to maneuver and allows you to search songs by specific topics and/or musical concepts you are covering.

Pinterest is a phenomenal place to get new ideas or games for music education. I generally search pinterest now before I look at google for new ways to teach music concepts. Pinterest is also where I have came across music teacher blogs that I follow. This site is also great for non music education things such as decorating your house and more.

Freddie the Frog has great resources if for K-3 students, especially if you have to books to teach with. The site offers games, theory practice and coloring pages that goes along with the book series.

This website is a great resource to brush up on how sound waves move and can be easily left for older students to read through. The site also offers ways to create music instruments and has discussion questions available.

This blog discusses the most effective ways to implement technology into the music classroom, while addressing the concerns and misconceptions surrounding a 21st century curriculum.

This podcast is hosted by the NAMM Foundation. It deals with a wide variety of topics in the music industry, many of which can be applied to the classroom and shared with students.

This is an important perspective as parents begin to worry about their adolescent's academic courses (for good reason), but many are still trying to find ways to keep their kids engaged in music.

This is a very interesting article on teaching middle school general music. I have a class of 35. it is very hard to keep them engaged. I will also look into the book.

This is an interesting article on the effectiveness of music therapy. It points also points out how cost effective music therapy is compared to drug trials.

This is a very interesting website. I wouldn't let my classes "roam free" during class but as a teacher resource, relevant songs could be brought up and discussed as a class. Students could submit a song request and the teacher could preview ahead of time the appropriateness of discussing it's history.

This is a page from the previous Songfact website. It talks about how a current artist sampled part of this piece. It is a good relevant general music discussion to illuminate how today's artists are influenced by what students might perceive as outdated and irrelevant artists to today's music.

This is a good perspective on why it's important to teach music to children at a very young age. The speaker feels it is also necessary to have children trained by a professional teacher.

This is a Ted Talk which deals with the value of music education, specifically highlighting the important connection between creativity (imagination) and music. Richard Gill, a music educator, delivers the talk, and includes some keyboard demonstration.

Here is another interesting talk by a current international bass player and how to teach music first before an instrument.

This is a wonderful article on motivating middle school students and keeping them invested.

This is an ear training game using a "matching card" format. It looks simple and almost boring, however, once a person starts playing the game it becomes very interesting, This is well suited for middle school as it does not appear to "babyish".

Note pair is an online music game designed to help children read music notes easily and quickly. This game helps children learn to read music notes step by step, at their own pace. A child listens to a note, and tries to match it to a similar note. This ear training computer game lets you learn music notes and their pitches. Students and pupils who play a musical instrument as a child have a better verbal memory than those with no music training. Aural listening skills enhance brain development and students who listen more to music are calm, critical thinkers, and confident. Introducing such a game as a lesson starter even for classes that are not learning music fosters concentration and interest of the learners. Their brain becomes alert and ready to take in any information.

This is a nice colorful ear training game for melody recognition and sight reading. I think it would work well in middle school. I feel it might be a bit advanced for elementary.

This YouTube playlists features high quality videos discussing the fundamentals of each instrument, including tone production, articulation and other advanced techniques with demonstrations by professional musicians.