Music class lesson plans can be heavy on music theory and math. But just as important (and sometimes harder to teach) are the artistic elements of music. Teaching soundscapes and other abstract concepts expands students’ definition of music. See the soundscape teaching resources below to get your students listening for music everywhere.
One of my favourite books, Nighttime Symphony, was written by world renowned hip hop producer and artist, Timbaland. Nighttime Symphony is a captivating story about a little boy who experiences the sounds of the city night as he gets ready for bed. This book is a great resource for music educators who are teaching soundscapes. It shows how to be active listeners to the world around us. Get your own copy of Nighttime Symphony HERE (Amazon Affiliate Link).
My friend Gina from @musicpluscoffee and I have partnered to create a community-driven platform called Music Room Reads. Our new Instagram page @musicroomreads is a spot for music teachers to come together and share music book recommendations and resources, like Nighttime Symphony. If you’re a music teacher who is interested in being featured on our page, let us know HERE.
Here are some soundscape teaching activities and resources that go well with Nighttime Symphony.
In this video, Timbaland has teamed up with the artist, Verbalase, to accompany this rhythmic lullaby with an incredible piece of music.
Take your students on a sound walk. Encourage them to be silent so that they can take in all the sounds around them. Walk through the hallways, the playground, or in a nearby park. Then, have them reflect on what they heard with @musicpluscoffee’s no-prep, printable sound walk worksheet. Lastly, have them discuss and compare their notes.
We tend to associate certain sounds with specific places or moments. In a subtle way, sounds make up the soundtrack of our lives! Have your students pause and reflect on the sounds that they hear both at school or at home.
For more music teaching ideas and activities like this, make sure you are following me @teachfromthestage and @musicroomreads on Instagram! Happy Reading!
My name is Alessandra and I am a Kindergarten-Grade 8 Teacher of the Arts, specializing in music and dance education. Based in Toronto, Canada, I teach 800+ students a week and am a huge advocate for the arts. I graduated with a Bachelors of Music Therapy & Masters of Education, and I am passionate about fostering a quality music education program for every learner.
