Classroom Rules

My school's four rules are:

• Be responsible
• Be safe
• Be respectful
• Be kind

Underneath each rule are examples of what this looks like in the elementary band/orchestra classroom with positive language.

Rules

• PDF
• Google doc

Feel free to use or to make a copy of the Google doc to update for your needs!

Beginning of the Year "Changes" Bulletin Board

For this beginning of the year bulletin board, I wanted to highlight changes in music throughout the years and have students start thinking about how they will grow in their learning this year.  I used a different colored background for each category and linked them with black yarn:

• history of the trumpet
• keyboard instruments
• recorded sound
• violin bows 
• me as a beginning violinist in elementary school up until more recent years

 Feel free to use!  And here are the labels along with approximate dates.

"Welcome" Bulletin Board

For the beginning of the school year, I made a welcome back bulletin board with instruments and greetings from all around the world.  With a world map and black yarn, I matched each instrument and greeting to its appropriate country.  Feel free to use!

Here's a list of the different string instruments and countries represented:

• Balalaika, Russia
• Celtic Harp, Ireland
• Charango, Peru
• Electric Guitar, U.S.A.
• Erhu, China
• Goje, Sudan
• Guitarrón, Mexico
• Hardanger Fiddle, Norway
• Koto, Japan
• Molo, Ghana
• Mountain Dulcimer, U.S.A.
• Oud, Iraq
• Pipa, China
• Sitar, India
• Ukelele, Hawaii, U.S.A.
• Violin, Italy

Solfege and Major Scales

Here's a colorful solfege scale, complete with hand signs.  I also made squares of letter names for the different major scales introduced in beginning orchestra (D, G, and C Major) that line up to the solfege.

Using long strips of colored paper as the background, add Velcro stickers to turn these into interactive  teaching tools.  Scramble up the notes of the scale and have students arrange them in the proper order.  Or have students point to notes of their choosing for their classmates to play for a quick way to practice new notes being introduced and to explore composition and improvisation.