music for assignments

15+ Free Classroom Music Activities and Lesson Plans for the Classroom

Here are more than 15 amazing resources for teaching classroom music, suitable for use by specialist and non-specialist teachers. We keep adding to these all the time, so check back here often!

Poison Rhythm Game

This is a fun aural clapping game for just about any age group. The teacher claps a series of patterns, and the students echo. Then the teacher claps the “poison rhythm” which the students have learned in advance. If they clap, they’re out! Its loads of fun and educational at the same time.

Musical Pizza

A music composition lesson plan where students will create their own rhythms. They will use the concept of word association. Pizza ingredients put together terrific rhythm patterns!

Musical Tic-Tac-Toe

This is a flexible idea which is usable in many different grade levels. The concept is simple. The teacher writes a tic-tac-toe board on the screen. Then a students needs. to “earn” the right to place a O or X on the board. They do this by identifying whatever musical symbol or concept the class is working on!

A complete lesson plan for a bucket drumming class

A full step-by-step lesson plan for teaching a music class their first bucket drumming performance piece called “Funky Buckets”

The Importance of Aural Training

While most teachers know of echo clapping to be a standard “attention grabber”, music teachers can extend this simple habit into an amazingly effective way of getting students to listen better while teaching the aural/ listening component to any music curriculum.

Grade One Composing Lesson

A composition lesson with simple questions and answers suitable for early grades.

Homework and Hotdogs Rhythm Activity

A fantastic little rhythm piece which is great fun for percussion instruments.

Classroom music resources using tuned percussion

Moving from Singing into Playing

Learn how students can quickly move from singing a song through to learning some simple tuned percussion parts in grade two in a few easy steps.

Fun Action Song for Grade One

Learn this wonderful fun action song called “Kye Kye Kule” to inspire grade one students to sing and play their first classroom instruments.

Grade Three Tuned Percussion Lesson

A fun way to introduce xylophones, glockenspiels and how to play simple repetitive patterns called ostinati.

Classroom music worksheets

Treasure Island Music Theory Quizzes

These Treasure island quiz games will get your students to test their music theory knowledge while they find clues to answer the trivia treasure question at the end.

Emergency Pack Worksheets

This Fun Music ebook provides crosswords and find-a-word puzzles to leave in the classroom for a substitute lesson or a quick five minute filler.

Listening activities for the classroom

Musical Who Am I?

A fun beginning idea for grade three students to get into learning about some early rock and roll artists.

Stravinsky Listening activity

A fun music appreciation activity for junior high school students learning about some amazing music from Igor Stravinksy.

Grade Four Listening Lesson

A music listening and appreciation lesson based on “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. It’s a lesson designed to teach more than just the music.

Classroom music resources using boomwhackers

Mystery Boomwhacker Game

A fun listening game for Boomwhacker tubes, suitable for grades Kindergarten to Grade 4

A Video Lesson for Boomwhackers

If you’ve ever wanted to teach or play Boomwhackers, but don’t know where to start,  this video is an online play-along resource.

Boomwhacker Piece for Primary or Elementary

In a few minutes, your young students will be having fun playing this fun warm up tune called “Elephants Walk, Monkeys Run” on Boomwhackers.

Technology and software resource

Using the GarageBand Beat Sequencer

We show you how to get students started in Garageband on iPads then move onto using the beats Sequencer tool within a few easy steps in this blog video post . 

Lesson Plan for GarageBand Manual Drums

A complete lesson for GarageBand using iPads where students learn to create their own drum pattern using a function of the GarageBand software called the “manual drums”.  

Ukulele resources

Ukulele Playing Exercises

if you’ve ever wanted to get your students started with playing melody and chord patterns on their ukuleles, you can do it in minutes with these three fun beginning activities!

Equipment you will need

Many of these activities will need little or no equipment. Some may need a classroom whiteboard or display screen. You will also need a sound system, such as a high quality Bluetooth speaker so all of the instruments can be clearly heard.

Looking for more?

Checkout our four outstanding music teaching ideas for more inspiration!

More classroom music resources: 

If you’re serious about teaching the K-6 Music Curriculum to its full potential and learn more about how all these smaller teaching ideas build into a full music curriculum, you might want to join one of our signature  programs called the Fun Music Curriculum . It’s all laid out step by step and you don’t even have to do any extra preparation to get it started with your classes. You can learn more by watching this video:

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About the author: funmusicco.

11 Comments

Great resources here for utilizing music in an educational setting.

Yeah I’m a teacher and this has been really helpful

I’m a teacher and this has made things easier

Hey, I have considered purchasing the software program DubTurbo Beatmaker and was hoping anybody could give me an actual genuine review of the application. Almost all of the online resources that supply experiences are in fact affiliate marketers endorsing the software program so I doubt that the product reviews are trustworthy. Thank you in advance for just about any insight any individual can provide.

Hi Giselle,

DubTurbo Beatmaker is not a software program we are familiar with, so can’t really provide much of an insight. We will have a look and see if we can do an independent review. I agree that most of the ‘reviews’ one finds for most software programs are in fact affiliate links, so can’t be considered ‘independent’ at all

[…] http://funmusicco.com/music-lesson-plans/15-free-music-activities-and-lesson-plans-for-the-classroom … […]

accidentally stumbled on this great thing..m a music teacher from india..i will start using this..thank u..any other great sites available please do suggest..

Any help you can provide will be appreciated! New Music Teacher here.

i, would you be kind to email me some musical lesson for gr 9 to 12. am new in teaching music.

Hi Ben, I suggest you begin by checking out our resource archive of lessons – https://funmusicco.com/resource-archive/ to see if any of these ideas might suit your students.

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The Best Music for Students While Writing an Essay

For several students, essay writing is a frustrating and burdensome task more so if they are tense, under a lot of stress, or struggling to complete an important essay that is due in a short while. So, the majority always look for ways through which they can focus and tap into their creative juices. Well, one of the things which move people all over the world is music. Listening to music while managing your academic assignments can help boost your creative thinking hence your writing skills. So, if you are wondering which the best music for focus is, consider the tips below.

Why music is useful in writing

As aforementioned, the benefit of listening to music while writing is that it helps enhance your creative thinking. You are able to come up with as many ideas as possible which you can include in your essay or use to write a perfect paper. Furthermore, writers from Edujungles.com tell that music is very useful in essay writing besides boosting your creativity. 

Listening to music can also help increase your focus thereby enabling you to concentrate on your assignments and work to deliver it on time. Additionally, it helps to motivate you to manage your assignment despite the challenges that come along with it. 

Choosing a genre

There are various genres of essays on music that you can listen to while managing your academic writing assignments. And according to research and other studies, it has been discovered music without lyrics is the most convenient and effective in enabling you to maintain focus while writing. Music with lyrics can distract you in that instead of concentrating on your assignment you may find it easy to sing along. Hence, this will make you focus on the lyrics rather than your task during the creative process.   

White noise

White noise is vital in writing in that it breaks the boredom of silence which consumes many writers and weighs them down. Birds singing or crickets chirping while you work on your assignment can help you finish it on time and have some to spare for socializing or watching a movie. It is effective in helping you complete your assignments on time in that it puts an end to the dreariness of quietness which in an ironic manner can be a huge distraction.

A lot of writers choose music based on the mood of what they are writing

Some assignments are too complex to handle while others are easy. And, selecting the appropriate writing music on the basis of your mood can come in handy. If you are working on a difficult task, you cannot listen to rock music as it will distract you with ease. But a little classical music can help you come up with the points for your essay. So, choosing the music to listen to depending on the mood of your writing can help boost your focus.

More recommendations from the community

You can also find the ideal songs to listen to by getting recommendations from the community. While many people may recommend folk music, some writers may object because they find it hard to write when the lyrics are playing. So, they would prefer a list of classical or jazz music. 

Try instrumentals, like jazz or classical

Instrumentals such as jazz or classical music are one of the good songs to listen to when managing your academic writing tasks. Such songs help create a picture of what you want to write about in your mind. All your focus will be on your assignment and it will be easy for you to work on it without any distractions coming your way. Additionally, these songs help motivate and inspire you to produce a perfect article as they enable you to develop passion and interest in what you are working on. 

Electronic music

For some writers, classical or jazz music is not the ideal song for them. They prefer electronic music as they find it to put them in the right mood for a significant part of what they are writing. Electronic music has different styles that you can listen to. Additionally, it is lyrical. But, most of the songs distort or edit the vocals thereby making it hard for you to develop an attachment to the words. Furthermore, it is the ideal music to listen to when working on your task in a coffee shop, school cafeteria, or dorm room. 

Music in a foreign language

This is also one of the best music to listen to while writing. It will not be easy for any distractions to come your way such as singing along because you do not comprehend the foreign language. So, choose any music style you prefer – if it is pop or folk and listen to it. 

In conclusion, music is beneficial in various ways. Not only does it help to increase focus but also motivate and inspire people. Additionally, it helps boost productivity. As a student, listening to music can help you manage your academic writing assignments despite the challenges they come along with. And above, you can find the best music to listen to while writing.

Essential Benefits of Listening to Music While Studying

Music Parks Rock!

A New Student Guide to Music Lessons

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What Are the Best Music Genres to Study?

Javiera vega.

• Student Wellness , Writing Tips

Study Consultant at Gradehacker

Updated March, 2023

If you like learning with YouTube, we have this blog as a video for you!

Music or no music while studying? That is the question!

This is a controversy that many students find themselves in once they start to prepare for assignments that requires memorization, so we are here to clear things up!

At Gradehacker, we have years of experience helping students with their college assignments and improving their academic performance , making us the non-traditional adult student #1 resource. 

Some people say that music only has some sort of placebo effect and doesn’t influence your study performance, while others say that the effects of music help you with all cognitive tasks.

In this article, we introduce you to the power of music when studying! Does it really work? Let’s find out!

Studying With Music: Does it Improve Your Memory Capacities?

We have previously pointed out the best hacks you to improve your memory , but what is our opinion about if music really improves your memory? 

Well, let us share what we found!

We have researched this question extensively and concluded that it could benefit you! This is what multiple reports have to say:

• According to Northcentral University, music changes brain function by improving mood, blood pressure, and heart rate, helping you focus
• According to Water Bear Learning, music helps to enhance learning, creates a positive environment, improves memory capacities, and helps to solidify concepts
• In the news reports by Talker and Fox 29, students who listen to music while studying proved to get higher grades

However, you must choose from different kinds of music, a tune that keeps you on track and awake.

Some of our clients say that while classical music is advertised as the holy grail of study music, others say that the only effect they get from this genre is to fall asleep. 

We had people saying heavy metal is great for waking up in the morning but not precisely for remembering concepts.

We dare to say that the best music genres to study depends on your personal tastes. Still, if you want to try and see if music actually improves your attention span, we made a list of genres that will help you achieve that!

Classical Music

Is it good for concentration.

Instrumental music is probably the most trusted suggestion for music listeners when choosing what to put in the background while studying. 

The Mozart Effect trend seems like it’s stuck in many people’s lives, and now it seems that gentle music is a go-to solution for everything.

Studies from the National Library of Medicine have demonstrated that classical music has a positive impact on increasing dopamine by an 83%. 

Why is dopamine important? 

Well, because it is that little neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy and good. When the body releases it, you will feel satisfied with yourself and confident you are doing a good job.

However, here is the thing. 

Some people fall asleep when they listen to classical music, and not necessarily because they find it boring ( well, maybe there’s some of that, but we are not here to judge .)

We actually found the reason for those claims, and it’s because one of the effects of background music is that the dopamine rush can be taken as a sign of taking a break, making you relax.

If you are not nervous, your mind and body feel like it’s time to take a break, and you will feel sleepy.

We recommend giving classical music a chance, trying to find a connection between music like this in different moments, and seeing the effects!

In case you want to try, here are some Spotify Playlists:

• Calming Classical
• Classical Essentials
• Classical Focus

Heavy Metal:

Can you study with loud music.

Moving on from instrumentals, we are now bringing music with lyrics, and our music choice is heavy metal!  

Not convinced? Yeah, we figured since this genre has some bad reputation and not necessarily because of its lyrics.

Many people think that because of the loud noise will be a distraction. Still, science has a different opinion!

According to the lifestyle website Village Pipol , heavy metal music combats depression and boosts cognitive function, productivity, and focus.

Simultaneously, if, as a listener, you are feeling frustrated or angry for any reason, listening to heavy metal will help you release your negativity and make you end up in a positive mood.

In this case, it is possible to say that heavy metal works great for concentration when you are working on demanding tasks.

But we must clarify that it will work as long as it’s your favorite music.  

If it is not your thing, we wouldn’t recommend trying it when you want to keep concepts in your head.

However, when you have a moment during your study time, try and listen to some songs. They are pretty good!

If you want to give it a try, here are some Spotify playlists to check:

• Metal Essentials
• Heavy Metal
• 90 Metal Classics

LoFi Hip-Hop

The genre that will keep the noise away.

We bet you have seen these videos on your YouTube suggested videos. They are easy to recognize. The Lofi Hip-Hop beats to study are the trend now, and there’s an explanation for that.

Based on the report made by Best Colleges , LoFi music improves studying through increased motivation levels, brain activity, reduced anxiety levels, and enhanced focus.

Lofi Hip-Hop is a type of music genre that makes you forget about annoying background noises.

Its positive effect is not about the music but more about making you forget about the world for a second and not having the chance to get distracted by it.

Like any instrumental music, it has the negative effect of relaxing you to the point you feel like going to sleep or keep reading. This is why we think it is better to try it when you are not in a time crunch.

If it is not for you, you might be in front of a new resource to fall asleep sooner! But if you want to give it a try when you are studying, here are some Spotify playlists:

• Chill LoFi Study Beats

Electronic Music

Is it as good as they say.

In movies, when someone tries to “hack” a computer, you will probably hear some electronic music in the background, making the moment more fast-paced and exciting. This choice of soundtrack is not an accident.

Electronic music is often associated with machines and software, and at the same time, they are commonly associated with positive emotions, efficiency, and speed.

Based on the report made by Rave You Magazine , this genre will help you focus and boosts your overall cognitive performance.  

And according to the specialized music website Birdynamnan , studies have shown an apparent similarity between electronic rhythms and brain waves.

So, when you put on your headphones your favorite songs, you are pushing your brain to work, as Daft Punk would say, harder, better, faster, and stronger.

It’s important to note that electronic music might not be your best option when you have difficulty recalling new information since you need to be calm and relaxed.  

However, this genre is perfect for keeping you motivated when you are in a rush or need a boost.

Here are some Spotify Playlists that can help you in those moments:

• Electronic Music Mix
• Mix Dance/Electronic
• Electronic Concentration

Can You Study With it?

Pop songs often contain tunes with lyrics that are simple and relatable choruses that are easy to sing along with. This makes it well-suited for studying.

Based on the report made by Total Entertainment , listening to pop music as you study will help relax the brain and focus on the creative side of things . This is because the catchy melodies help distract the mind from any potential stress or anxiety related to studying.

It can also provide a sense of pleasure and motivation that can help keep you focused on your studies for longer periods. 

So if you want to start implementing pop music in your study sessions, here are some Spotify playlists: 

• Soft Pop Hits

Music Genres to Improve Your Study Time

So, the question remains: should you listen to music while studying? 

The answer depends on two factors: first, the type of music you like, and second, what type of study you are doing.

Heavy metal and electronic music might be the best option if you want to stay awake and alert, but when you want to take things slower, classical music and Lofi are excellent alternatives.

After reading the reports, we can agree that the influence of background music can be powerful, so we hope your study session goes smoothly and you get the best grade possible!

Still looking for new ways to improve your study productivity? At Gradehacker, we can help you with your college classes and academic assistance if you need a hand to finish your program degree faster .

You can also check these related articles to find out how to retain content more efficiently:

6 Ways to Create an Ideal Study Environment

Best Ways to Study as an Auditory Learner

Best Ways to Study as a Tactile Learner

Best Ways to Study as a Visual Learner

Javiera Vega is a Study Consultant and Content Creator for Gradehacker. She has a degree in Education and Literature and is currently working on getting a master’s degree in Linguistics. Even though words, languages, and books are her thing, science and psychology were her hidden passion for many years. Luckily, Gradehacker has allowed her to use all that knowledge by helping many clients with everything they need. Javiera considers herself a proud nerd who likes to learn and read about everything she can find. From movies and comics to microbiology and genetics, every topic is interesting for her. Her curiosity has no limits. Find her on LinkedIn

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Nine Teaching Ideas for Using Music to Inspire Student Writing

By Natalie Proulx

• May 10, 2018

Some of the greatest written works of our time have been inspired by music. Walt Whitman conceived of and wrote “Leaves of Grass” while listening to opera . Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, Ntozake Shange and Ralph Ellison were all moved by spirituals, jazz and blues . And Lin-Manuel Miranda’s rap musical “Hamilton” was born of his love of hip-hop . These writers understood what many educational researchers know — that music opens up pathways to creative thinking, sharpens our ability to listen and helps us weave together disparate ideas .

In this teaching resource, we suggest nine exercises to use music to inspire student writing — from creating annotated playlists and critical reviews to music-inspired poetry and personal narratives. Each idea pulls from Times reporting, Opinion pieces and multimedia on music to give students a place to start. The activities are categorized according to three genres: creative and narrative writing; informative and explanatory writing; and persuasive and argumentative writing.

How do you use music in your classroom? Let us know in the comments.

Creative and Narrative Writing

Exercise #1: Write a story or poem inspired by music.

One way you might let your students be inspired by music is to have them describe in words what they hear, a method Jean-Michel Basquiat employed in his poetry and paintings.

In “ Bowie, Bach and Bebop: How Music Powered Basquiat ,” Ekow Eshun writes:

In 1979, at 19, the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat moved into an abandoned apartment on East 12th Street in Manhattan with his girlfriend at the time, Alexis Adler. The home, a sixth-floor walk-up, was run-down and sparsely furnished. Basquiat, broke and unable to afford canvases, painted with abandon on the walls and floor, even on Ms. Adler’s clothes. The one item that remained undisturbed was Ms. Adler’s stereo, which had pride of place on a shelf scavenged from the street. “The main thing for us was having big speakers and a blasting stereo. That was the only furniture I purchased myself,” said Ms. Adler, who still lives in the apartment. When Basquiat was around, she recalled, “music was playing all the time.” On Thursday, the exhibition “Basquiat: Boom for Real” opened at the Barbican Center in London. The show focuses on the artist’s relationship to music, text, film and television. But it is jazz — the musical style that made up the bulk of Basquiat’s huge record collection — that looms largest as a source of personal inspiration to him and as a subject matter.

Invite your students to read the article and then listen to the Times-curated Spotify playlist “ The eclectic taste of Jean-Michel Basquiat ” as they view his art and read his poetry . Discuss what they notice about the musical influence in Basquiat’s work. How do the content, colors, textures and shapes in his paintings resemble the sounds they hear? How are these reflected in the words, phrases, mood and rhythm of his poems?

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7 Fun Music Games and Activities for High School Students

Incorporating music in the classroom is essential for high school students. Students in this age group have other subjects to learn like Math, Science, and English. Music education helps them to shift their thoughts to something different and fun and gives them an opportunity to recharge their minds.

There is no denying that music can have numerous benefits for students. To begin with, music acts as a stress reliever for students. It inculcates time management and multitasking abilities in students to prepare them for adulthood . It also enhances their attention span and fine motor skills and encourages students to work as a team.

Besides teaching students how to play a musical instrument and sing for group musical performances, as a music teacher, you can incorporate music-related games and activities to bring variation to the teaching process. 

Entertaining Music Games for High School Students

1. what’s the rhythm.

Rhythm is a repetitive pattern of sound or movement. You can conduct this game in your music class to encourage hands-on learning of this concept. Here’s what you need to do –

• Divide the class into equal groups and ask them to stand in a line.
• Call the students who are last in the line and secretly show them a rhythm in the form of a notation.
• Let the student tap the shoulders of the person standing in front of them to play the rhythm.
• The student in the front must understand the rhythm and repeat the same process with the person ahead of them. 
• When the rhythm reaches the first student in the row, they must run to the board and write the notes. 
• The team which guesses the correct rhythm wins the game. 

2. Music Trivia

You will have to do some work ahead of time to conduct this game in class. First, prepare a list of music-related questions along with their answers. Then, divide the students into groups of five and shoot them with trivia questions. You can set a timer to make this game more competitive. 

If you wish, you can categorize questions based on music symbols, famous singers, famous music composers, etc. When all the questions are over, declare the team that gives the most correct answers as the music trivia winner.

Given below are a few questions to give you an idea of how you can frame your trivia questions – 

• How many members does One Direction have? Name them.
• Phil Collins is a part of which band?
• How are songs arranged in today’s times?
• Where do you find a hook in a pop song?
• What is a basic major triad?
• Name the lead singer of the rock band “Pearl Jam.”
• What do you mean by a Time Signature?
• Which major key signature is known to have three sharps?

3. Guess the Music Style 

As it is impossible to cover all musical styles in the music class, you can use this game to introduce different music styles to your students. But first, you need to do a little preparation. Here’s how to get started – 

• Make a list of songs belonging to different music styles and record their excerpts.
• Ask the students to prepare a numbered list in their notebooks.
• Now begin playing the excerpts one at a time.
• Let the students listen to the song , identify its music style, and note it down in their list.
• When you are done playing all the excerpts, discuss the answers. 
• The student with the most right answers is declared the winner.

3. Fun Music Pictionary

Pictionary is a challenging game for kids and adults alike. You can give a musical twist to this game so that kids can have some fun while guessing the answers. All you need to do is prepare some paper chits and draw musical symbols like half note, eighth note, sixteenth note, etc., on them.

Let the students form two teams and ask one person from each team to come forward and pull out a chit. The student must then draw the symbol on the whiteboard and give an opportunity to his team members to identify the symbol. For each right answer add one point to the score. The team with higher score earns a reward. 

Must-Try Activities for High School Students

1. create a percussion band.

This fun and engaging activity teach students how music can be created by using everyday objects. Let your students bring their choice of an object, something which could be played as a drum. It could be anything, like books, bowls, cans, boards, etc. 

The students must then use these items to play percussion sounds. Once the students develop a rhythm, add lyrics or chants to complete the music piece. Record the performance and watch it with the students to discuss how things can be done in other ways to improve their gig. 

2. Compose a Song

Composing a song may feel intimidating at first, but with the right tools, high schoolers can come up with beautiful songs of their own. Start by explaining the ABA form and Rondo form of songs to your students. Once they select which form of a song they would like to compose, they can work on composing their music with the ideas they have in their mind. 

For students who require a little help in kick-starting their music composition, you can go ahead and introduce them to music creation software like Chrome Song Maker , GarageBand , and Paint Music Composer to assist them in the process. 

When all the students are ready with their songs, you can have a musical session where each of them showcases their musical creations.

3. Research Your Favorite Musician 

High school students are old enough to conduct research , so you can use this activity to enhance their knowledge about their favorite musicians and composers. Students will have to choose one musician they wish to conduct research on and present their findings in the form of a presentation. They must also present a music piece composed by their favorite musician. Students can either sing a song or play any of his works on a musical instrument.

If you are comfortable, you can allow the students to use their creativity to decide how they want to present their research. It could be in the form of a visually appealing video or a power-point presentation. It will also help the students if they know what information they are supposed to cover about the musician. They could find answers to the following questions – 

• How was your favorite musician’s early life? 
• What is his background?
• Who influenced your musician to take up a musical career?
• What are your musician’s significant works?
• Which music styles does your composer like to explore?
• Did they take any special training to excel in the music field? 
• Did your musician receive an award for any of their work?

4. Learn a Musical Instrument

Schools often have a piano and some other musical instruments in the music room. Allow students to decide which instrument they would like to try their hands on. They don’t have to be an expert musician to do this activity.

Provide them with online resources where they can learn the basics of playing an instrument and let them practice at school. After a few days of practice, have a session for students to showcase what they have learnt in front of their classmates. 

Final Words

Musical training for high school students is as important as other subjects. It helps activate their creativity and expands their minds beyond regular school subjects. Therefore, music teachers must take on this responsibility to make the most of the time they get with the students.

Using various games and activities to improve the musical quotient in high school students is a great way to influence their minds positively. Their increased focus and ability to retain and memorize information can significantly change their capability to learn new things. In addition, it will also help in improving their physical and mental well-being which will reflect in all aspects of their life.

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

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Music Theory and Music Appreciation: Free Learning Materials and Resources

Here are a wide variety of free learning and teaching materials for Music Theory and Music Appreciation for middle school, high school, and college students.

Quick Links to Music Learning Resources in this Article:

Music theory and music appreciation learning materials, online music theory and appreciation learning resources, out-of-print music theory and music textbooks.

While music theory and music appreciation are both concerned with understanding music, we can approach them from different angles. Here’s a breakdown of the similarities and differences between music theory and music appreciation:

• How is music constructed?
• What techniques do musicians use?
• How does music evoke emotions and meaning?
• Analytical skills : Both involve critical listening and analysis, breaking down music into its component parts (melody, harmony, rhythm, etc.) and examining how they interact.
• Broadening musical horizons : Both can lead to a deeper appreciation for a wider range of music, regardless of genre or period. By understanding the language of music, you can see connections and patterns across different styles.

But in terms of purpose, approach, and prior knowledge, there are distinctions between music theory and music appreciation:

• Music Theory : Focuses on the mechanics and rules of music, providing a framework for composing, performing, and analyzing music.
• Music Appreciation : Emphasizes the emotional and aesthetic experience of music, exploring the cultural context, history, and impact of music.
• Music Theory : More technical and academic, involving terminology, notation, and exercises.
• Music Appreciation : More subjective and open-ended, encouraging individual interpretation and personal discovery.
• Music Theory : Often requires some musical background or training.
• Music Appreciation : Open to anyone with a love for music, regardless of musical experience.

In a nutshell, music theory is like learning the grammar and syntax of language, while music appreciation is like delving into the beauty and meaning of literature. Both are valuable tools for enriching your musical experience, but they offer different perspectives.

Ultimately, the ideal approach is to combine both aspects. By understanding the structure of music (music theory) and appreciating its emotional power (music appreciation) , you can unlock a deeper and more meaningful connection to the music you love. Whether you’re a casual listener or an aspiring musician, both music theory and music appreciation offer distinct benefits that can enrich your life in surprising ways. Here’s why they’re both important:

Learning music theory opens the door to the language of music and, when mastered, offers a deeper understanding of its construction. It empowers musicians to communicate effectively, read sheet music confidently, and improvise with greater freedom. It also unlocks the door to composing original music and fuels creativity, allowing for experimentation with different styles and the invention of a unique musical language. This new knowledge adds a whole new layer of enjoyment to listening.

Learning to appreciate music will show you that it isn’t just entertainment; it’s a portal to deeper engagement, cultural understanding, and personal enrichment. By actively listening, you’ll uncover hidden details, appreciate artistry, and gain insight into different worlds. Music is more than just a catchy tune; it can help you express yourself, hone your critical thinking skills, and find comfort in its embrace.

For more free music learning materials, please see our main Musc page . Note: All downloadable files below are in pdf format.

• Introduction to Music Appreciation (MUSI200)
• Music Appreciation (high school-college)
• Music Appreciation for the Non-Music Major Textbook
• Music Appreciation Textbook 1
• Music Appreciation Textbook 2
• Music Appreciation Textbook 3
• 6-4 Second Inversion Chords
• A Practical Approach To Understanding Music Theory
• Augmented Sixth Chords
• Beginning Guitar textbook
• Blank Staff Paper Sheet Music
• Fundamentals, Function, and Form in Tonal Western Art Music
• Introduction to Music Theory Textbook
• Key Signatures
• Major and Minor Scales
• Modes and Other Scales
• Music in Terms of Science Textbook
• Music in World Cultures
• Music Terminology
• Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People – Fundamentals
• Music Theory for the 21st–Century Classroom : Students learn about motive, fragment, phrase, and subphrase, as well as types of melodic alteration. PDF downloads: Textbook , Practice Exercises , and Homework .
• Music Theory Practice Paper Grade 1 with Answers
• Music Theory Practice Paper Grade 2 with Answers
• Music Theory Practice Paper Grade 3 with Answers
• Music Theory Practice Paper Grade 4 with Answers
• Music Theory Practice Paper Grade 5 with Answers
• Music Theory Textbook 1
• Music Theory Textbook 2.zip (unzip and select index.html file)
• Neapolitan Chord
• Neo-Riemannian Theory of Chords
• Non-Functional Harmony
• Non-Serial Atonality Music
• Open Music Theory Course : a complete traditional music theory sequence covering fundamentals, diatonic harmony, chromatic harmony, form, 20th-century techniques. PDF textbook is here .
• Part Writing Problems
• Part Writing Rules
• Primary Grade Music Theory Book
• Resonances – Engaging Music in its Cultural Context (high school-college)
• Secondary Dominants
• Seventh Chords
• Steps to Music Theory: Fundamentals
• The Basic Elements of Music
• Tone Technique
• Types of Musical Analysis
• Understanding Basic Music Theory Textbook
• Understanding Music: Past and Present (high school-college)
• Music Appreciation Online Course : a one-semester course that will introduce students to the creating, enjoying, and listening to music as they learn about creating melody, harmony, and rhythm. 
• MUSC 1300 Music: Its Language, History, and Culture : an online course in Music Appreciation at Brooklyn College, CUNY.
• Music 105 Course: Music Appreciation , from Spokane Community College: Students further enhance their appreciation for music as a creative tool of the imagination, as entertainment, and as a window into who we are as social beings.
• Historical Music Appreciatio n , from CollegeSidekick
• Music Appreciation with Theory , from CollegeSidekick
• Fundamentals of Music Theory Videos , by the Reid School of Music, University of. Edinburgh.
• Music Theory Fundamentals Videos , by Michael New
• Music Theory Minute Videos
• Tonal Centre : an interactive site for music composers and theorists which explains and demonstrates some of the key concepts of tonality, including  chords ,  scales ,  cadences , and  modulation .
• EDU 109 – Music for the Young Child – Textbook : work through music and the processes that underlie music learning, outlining methods to understand the role of music in children’s lives through play, games, creativity, and music. ( PDF chapters here )
• Music Theory Exercises to Practice , from Tonesavvy.com.
• Online Music Theory Textbook (also available as zip file)
• Fundamentals of Music Theory Course at Coursera : to enroll for free, select “Full Course, No Certificate” after registering and selecting the blue button labeled “Enroll for free”.
• Music 101 Course , from Lumenlearning
• World Music from the Musician’s Point of View : a library of video demonstrations and explanations by musicians from various global traditions.
• Music in Global America , from Brooklyn College: Learn about the transnational interaction between contemporary U.S. music styles and urban musics around the world.
• Music Theory Manual : online lessons and exercises in various topics of music theory, incorporating both classical music theory and jazz theory.
• Free Music Theory Tutorials , from teoria.com
• Free Music Theory and Ear Training Exercises , from teoria.com
• Music Theory Reference , from teoria.com
• Introduction To Musical Composition, MIT OpenCourse : a progressive series of composition projects, students investigate the sonic organization of musical works and performances, focusing on fundamental questions of unity and variety.
• Harmony And Counterpoint I, MIT OpenCourse : study the classical music of Europe during the eighteenth century. Topics include diatonic harmony, simple counterpoint in two parts, and tones of figuration.
• Harmony And Counterpoint II, MIT OpenCourse : explore the harmonic, melodic, and formal practices of western music, principally the “classical” idiom of central Europe, ca. 1750–1825.
• Musical Analysis, MIT OpenCourse : students study rhythm and form, harmony, line, and motivic relationships at local and large-scale levels of musical structure.
• Free, printable, customizable staff paper
• Tools and games for experimenting with music, sound, and virtual instruments
• Free music notation software
• Roland TR-808 synthesizer simulator
• Free Sheet Music for Everyone : 2,124 pieces of music—free to download, modify, print, copy, distribute, perform, and record.
• The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection : over 30,000 pieces of American popular music, PDFs of sheet music can be downloaded.
• Free Music Archive : offers free downloads under Creative Commons and other licenses.” All songs are available for free downloads.
• Musopen : provides recordings, sheet music, and textbooks to the public for free, without copyright restrictions.
• A Short Course in Music, Book 1, Frederic Herbert Ripley (1898)
• A Popular History of the Art of Music by WSB Mathews
• Bartletts Music Reader, a Complete Music Course for Schools (1903)
• Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing by Enrico Caruso and Luisa Tetrazzini
• Fifth Music Reader, James Matthew McLaughlin (1906)
• Fourth Music Reader, Julius Eichberg (1880)
• Gantvoorts School Music Reader (1907)
• Great Singers on the Art of Singing by James Francis Cooke
• How to Listen to Music, 7th ed. by Henry Edward Krehbiel
• Lessons in Music Form by Percy Goetschius
• Music – An Art and a Language by Walter Raymond Spalding
• Music as a Language: Lectures to Music Students by Ethel Home
• Music Notation and Terminology by Karl Wilson Gehrkens
• Music Reader, Number 1, Frederic Herbert Ripley (1895)
• Music Talks with Children (1898)
• Natural Course in Music, The Music Primer, Frederic Herbert Ripley (1895)
• New High School Music Reader, Julius Eichberg (1888)
• Second Music Reader, a Course of Exercises in Vocal Music and Sight-Singing (1882)
• Song Reader, a Graded Course in School Music (1910)
• The Coming of the Prince of Peace, a nativity play of ancient Christmas carols (1920)
• The Educational Music Course, Teachers Edition for Elementary Grades (1904)
• The Manual of Music (1898)
• The New First Music Reader, Preparatory to Sight Singing, Luther Mason (1886)
• The New Public School Music Course, Third Reader (1909)
• The New Third Music Reader, Showing Harmonic Relationships, Luther Mason (1894)
• The Normal Music Course, a Series of Exercises, Studies (1895)
• The Normal Music Course, First Reader (1895)
• The Normal Music Course, Third Reader, John Tufts (1887)
• The Standard Music Reader For Schools, a Progressive Series of Lessons (1889)
• The Story of Music and Musicians for Young Readers (1886)

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• 7 Time-Filler Activities for Elementary Music Students

This is a guest post by one of our teacher-authors, Katherine Miller.

2020 has taught educators to be ready for anything! Now that we are starting to get back into our spaces and making music with students again, we understand the value of the limited time we have with them and have learned not to take it for granted. 

Although the expression “time filler” can sometimes have a negative connotation, we know these extra moments of unplanned time occur frequently within the reality of our in-person school schedules. For example, transition times, changes in your regular schedule, or just extra time created by your lesson pacing are all times when a well-placed time filler is needed. The challenge is to make this time useful by having some go-to activities ready to continue student learning even if they weren’t originally on the lesson plan.

Here are seven different activities that I use in my classroom to keep students engaged and learning every minute.

1. Silent Soldier

Although it is not a musical game, it is certainly a hit with my students and reinforces the expectations of traveling in our building. As students line up, the teacher keeps an eye out for students who are following the expectations (lined up behind the person in front of them, eyes forward, voice off/quiet, hands to themselves just like a soldier). 

The teacher taps one student on their shoulder to recognize that they are ready to go. This student leaves their line spot to acknowledge another student who is also ready before returning back to their spot and so on. You can continue to play this game until their classroom teacher has arrived and they are ready to transition back with them. 

2. Symbaloo

If you are not familiar with this site, you are missing out! Symbaloo is a website that allows you to organize a collection of videos and web links. So, if you find yourself with a few moments to spare in your lesson, you can quickly sign in to your account and have a variety of time filler activities in one place. 

Here are some webmix ideas I use in my music class: 

• treble clef practice
• listening examples
• school appropriate Just Dance videos
• cardio drumming routines 

3. Poison Pattern

Poison pattern is another one of my students’ favorite games and it is great to play again and again with any additional time you have because it does not require any additional resources.  

To play poison, the teacher introduces a pattern, which becomes the “poison” pattern, meaning students CANNOT clap and say it. I usually do this by writing it down, showing it to students from a flashcard, or saying it to them. 

Once students know what the poison pattern is, the teacher claps a variety of rhythms and students echo them. The game continues, the teacher clapping and students copying until they hear the poison pattern. At that point, if anyone repeats the pattern they have to sit down. 

This could also be played with melodic symbols and has so many variations! You could only clap the rhythms, or clap and say them, or play them on a non-pitched instrument, and so on. Really, any games that students love are always a great way to keep them engaged from bell to bell.

4. Exit Tickets

Exit Tickets are another great option for using any extra time that you find in your day.  This provides students with a chance to review the learning objectives from class and it provides the teacher with some instant feedback about what students have retained from the lesson. 

I like to use Google forms as I can have exit tickets templates that are ready to go that can fit a variety of purposes for students to access quickly. Want to learn more about Google Forms in Music Education? Click here to watch a recent Midnight Music webinar on Google Forms.

5. Online Lesson Websites

If you are looking for quick and easy extensions to a variety of music learning objectives, you need to check out these two online resources: Little Kids Rock and Music Workshop.

Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit that is dedicated to kids unlocking their inner music maker.  Along with a variety of other resources for educators, there is a part of the website dedicated to lessons plans for kids on guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, vocals, songwriting, tech, horns, and ukulele. The lesson plans have a series of videos that build upon one another to explore different skills that might not be on your curriculum maps but students love to experiment with.

Music Workshop is a FREE website that creates and provides inspirational, high-quality, and culturally responsive music history and appreciation lessons on a wide variety of musical subjects in grades K-8. Each lesson includes videos, activities, and question guides to using in your classroom at any time.  Access to all of the materials on this website does require that you apply. You can find out more information by clicking here .

SQUILT, or “super quiet, uninterrupted listening time” is a great way to prepare students to settle their bodies and minds before leaving the music room. This mindful activity could focus students on attentively listening for elements of music or just to provide an opportunity for them to appreciate a variety of music that they may not hear in other places. 

7. Creative Movement

You can also use your extra time to provide students more chances to move to music, rather than quietly listen to it. This type of listening can still focus on the elements of music but allows students to express themselves creatively through movement. Looking for some ideas for creative movements? For other ideas, check out the article, “ Six Alternatives to Freeze Dance ” from the Melodious Intent blog.

What do you do to keep students learning during every moment they are with you? We would love to hear your ideas! 

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About Katherine Miller

Katherine (Katie) Miller holds a Bachelor of Music in Education degree from Otterbein University (Westerville, OH) and a Masters of Educational Leadership from Antioch McGregor Midwest (Yellow Springs, OH). She has 15 years of professional musical experience as a music educator and performer.

She is currently employed by the School District of Waukesha in Waukesha, WI, where she teaches K-5 General Music and serves as a district model tech classroom. She was recognized in 2018 as a WPT Education Innovator by Wisconsin Public Television Education team. Twitter:  K8TMiller

Looking for  More  Resources for Music Teachers?

Hello! I’m Katie Argyle – an Australian music technology trainer and consultant with a passion for helping music teachers through my business  Midnight Music .

I’m a qualified teacher but no, I don’t currently teach in a school. I help teachers through my online professional development space – the  Midnight Music Community  – where there are tutorial videos, courses, links and downloadable resources.

I like to focus on  easy  ways to incorporate technology into  what you are already doing in your music curriculum  through a range of creative projects. I also run live workshops and have presented at countless conferences and other music education events.

If you want simple, effective ideas for using technology in music education, I would LOVE to help you inside the  Midnight Music Community .

Learn more and take a sneak peek inside

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This is the Privacy Policy for the Midnight Music website located at www.midnightmusic.com (“Site”).

The Site is operated by Midnight Music Pty Ltd ABN 87 619 652 603 (“Midnight Music” or “Company” or “we” or “us”).

Midnight Music understands the importance of protecting your personal information and undertakes to adhere to this privacy policy at all times to ensure your personal information is effectively safeguarded.

Information you provide to us

The Site provides various places for users to provide information. We collect information that users provide by filling out forms on the Site, communicating with us via contact forms, responding to surveys, search queries on our search feature, providing comments or other feedback, providing information when ordering a product or service via the Site, and other circumstances where collecting personal information is reasonable and permitted by the Laws of the State of Victoria, Australia.

We use information you provide to us to deliver the requested product and/or service, to improve our overall performance, and to provide you with offers, promotions, and information.

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As you navigate through the Site, we may use automatic data collection technologies including Google Analytics to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns. This will generally include information about your location, your traffic pattern through our Site, and any communications between your computer and our Site. Among other things, we will collect data about the type of computer you use, your Internet connection, your IP address, your operating system, and your browser type.

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Music Activities For Middle School: Mind Maps, Task Cards, Crafts, Games, Video Lessons, And Resources

March 20, 2024 //  by  Eileen Zajac

Middle school music can be quite the class! Middle schoolers are going through a lot of change and for some of them, confidence in the singing department just isn’t it. Finding games and activities that everyone in your middle school class will feel comfortable playing can be challenging.

Thankfully, the veteran music teachers at Teaching Expertise have put together a list of 25 unique and overall, very engaging activities for your middle school music classroom.

So if you’ve been tirelessly searching for activities, we can ensure you’ll find something if not multiple things on this list to bring into your classroom.

1. Music Mind Map

Mind maps are a great way for students to show everything they know about a topic or subject. Using Mind Maps throughout the year or as an informal assessment will help to develop your music students’ understanding.

Learn More: Pinterest

2. Music Creator Task Cards

These task cards can be used in any music classroom. It’s a popular music activity in the middle school music classroom. In the early days of the school year be sure to have a demonstration in a class of exactly to use these task cards. That way, students can be independent throughout the year.

Learn More: That Music Teacher (Instagram)

3. Learn Clef Notation

If your middle schoolers love card games, then this is the perfect way to teach the Clef Note. Sometimes difficult concepts can be rigorous to teach, but not through a fun game like this. Download the game for more detailed instructions!

Learn More: Musical Interactions (Instagram)

4. Music is Art

Taking time to create art in the music classroom may hold more benefits for children than we’re aware of. Having students create their own music charts around the classroom will not only get them to practice the shapes of different notes but will also make the classroom more inviting overall.

Learn More: Colorfully Playing the Piano (Instagram)

5. Music Dice

Bring some dice games into your music education! As a middle school music teacher, it can often be challenging to find engaging aspects of music. Thankfully, these music dice will be a great way to practice 3-8 notes.

Learn More: Rivian Creative (Instagram)

6. Let Them Play!

If your school doesn’t necessarily have a large selection of musical instruments, that’s okay! Work with students to come up with some creative ideas to improvise different musical instruments. See what sounds they can come up with and what notes they can actually follow.

Learn More: Bourne Ms. Music (Instagram)

7. Music Twister

Music twister probably works best in small groups. Incorporate this game into some of your music lessons. Students will love getting all twisted up and you’ll love that they know exactly where to play their hands and feet!

Learn More: Baroque Music Teacher (Instagram)

8. Rhythm Dice

Have students make rhythm patterns using these dice. The dice are simple enough to make – just purchase a bag of blank dice, like these , and draw different notes on them. Have students roll the dice and make a rhythm! These can be used in small groups or with the entire class.

9. Close Listening

Help your students boost their musical skills by boosting their listening skills. You can create different close listening graphic organizers for various genres of music. Integrate them into your classroom for performance or for a performance found on Youtube! Your students will love it.

Learn More: Cathy’s Choir Class (Instagram)

10. Music Books

Even your oldest students will appreciate listening to a story. Whether you’re in a digital classroom or a real classroom these books are a great intro to building a strong and positive classroom environment.

Learn More: 23 Music Books for Kids to Get Them Rocking to the Beat!

11. Musical Artist Research

As funny as middle schools may be, researching is an important part of the overall education for children. Bringing it into the music classroom has many advantages for children. One of them simply being, understanding the history of music.

Learn More: Singing Along with Mrs. P. (Instagram)

12. Musician of the Month

Introducing your pupils to different musicians throughout history is an important part of middle school music education. With this in mind, why not dedicate a wall solely to this? Hang a few ready-made posters or rope your pupils in by having them craft their own!

Learn More: PinIMG

13. Creative Classroom

Bringing all of your student’s creative sides out might just be one of the most rewarding feelings. Give your students a project they’ll be excited about, like coloring and decorating these music notes!

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

14. Melody Match

Help your students show their knowledge with this melody match activity. Students will love that they can show off everything they’ve learned throughout the unit. This will also help you to know and understand exactly where students are in their knowledge.

Learn More: St. Benedict Preparatory School

15. Rumble Ball

Rumble ball is one of those cool music activities that students will be constantly asking to play. Although in the video, Rumble Ball is played with certain instruments, it can easily be modified to fit the equipment that you have in your middle school music classroom.

Learn More: World Drum Club

16. Pass the Beat

This game is definitely challenging, but in a way that students will love. If your students enjoy battle music activities this might be a good one for transitions or if there’s a bit of time left at the end of class.

Learn More: Joel Copeland

17. Rhythm Cups

Middle schoolers went absolutely crazy for the “cup song” a few years back, who am I kidding, they’re still obsessed with that rhythm. Spice up your music classroom by giving different groups, different rhythm cups to learn! These rhythms are pretty easy to learn and even easier to perform.

Learn More: Music Room UK

18. One Hit Wonders Lesson

Teaching your students about One Hit Wonders is so much fun! Have students create their own One Hit Wonder books. This project will include research and bring out your student’s creative side!

Learn More: The Fun Music Company

19. Rhythm 4 Corners

Four corners is a game that all grade levels look forward to playing. Your older students will have found different ways to be more and more stealthy throughout the game. Making it that much more challenging.

Learn More: Becca’s Music Room

20. Draw to Music

Play some music and have your students comprehend what they’re hearing into a beautiful drawing. Switch the music to intensely different songs to get a lot of variety in the artwork. It will be beneficial to students to listen and be able to comprehend what they hear in a drawing. It will also be super interesting and exciting to compare student interpretations.

Learn More: Kerri Bevis

21. Music Discussion

If you have a music classroom that doesn’t have many materials, creating lessons can be invigorating at times. In this case, it’s important to just get your kiddos to chat about music. Use these cards to initiate musically revolved conversations.

Learn More: Word Wall

22. Music Elements

Help your students with understanding their music elements with this fun and engaging online game. Students can complete this independently, in small groups, as homework, or as a whole class.

23. Extra Beat Take a Seat

This game is so much fun! It’s especially fun for middle school classrooms that are tricky to get engaged in. Have students follow along with the video and have fun! Make it challenging or make it a competition within the classroom.

24. Music Class Escape Room

Escape rooms have seriously become more and more exciting for students. Bring an escape room into your classroom for a fun music game that will both aid students in their understanding of different musical terms and also help them to be a little more engaged.

Learn More: Midnight Music

25. Music Note Yahtzee

This is where those white dice  will come in handy yet again! Make your dice with different music notes on them. Have students roll the dice and play an all-time favorite class game – Yahtzee. This game is both easy to learn and even easier to play, perfect for the middle school classroom.

Learn More: Mrs. B Music Room

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Music assignments

Resource type.

Poetry Music Activities - Song Lyrics Assignments and Presentations Bundle

Music Assignment Homework or Distance Learning Grades 5 - 8

Inference Activity - Making Inferences in Song Lyrics Music Reading Assignments

Figurative Language in Song Lyrics Assignment - Music Poetry Activity

Poetry Song Lyrics Assignment - Music Poetry Final Project Soundtrack Of My Life

Poetry Song Analysis Assignments - Analyzing Music Song Lyrics as Poetry

Rock Music Design Project | Music Assessment | Middle School Music Assignment

Meaning In Music - Intro Lesson & Poster Assignment for Middle School

Music Rhythm Composition Project | Music Assignment

Faith & Music Assignment

Valentine's Day Figurative Language in Love Songs - Music Lyrics Assignments

Music of Social Justice Movements & Protest Music | Unit Map & Assignments

Current Events in Music Student Assignment | NO PREP PRINTABLE Sub. Plans

Music Classroom Assignment : Composer/ Music Partner Project

180 Bell Work Assignments for the Music Classroom

Music Appreciation / Analysis Listening Repertoire Assignment

Growth Mindset Assignments - Analyzing Growth Mindset in Music Song Lyrics

Middle School Music Bell Ringers and Alternative Assignments

Music Alternative Assignments - Digital Music Resources

Weird Al Experience Music Assignment

Listening Log: Student Digital Music Journal/Interactive Google Slide Assignment

Middle School General Music Substitute Plans | PBS's Sound Field Assignments

Active Listening Assignments for High School General Music - Growing Bundle

Ancient Music Appreciation | Digital Resource | Full Unit | Lecture, Assignments

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