Un Culturally Responsive Music Lesson Template

I created this template to assist in the planning of culturally responsive music lessons.  It includes various checklists and reflexive questions that can help educators make the best choices to serve the needs of their students, and space to write notes after the lesson for future reference.  It also includes a list of strategies that address different learners, including Spanish speakers.  Click here or on any of the images below to download the PDF.

 

 

  

 

____________________________________________________

Did you try this lesson planning tool?  Let us know how it went!

 

Alice Bag in the Music Room: unas ideas para integrar el punk en la music class

Alice Bag is pioneer punk rocker from Los Angeles and she is bilingual.  Her music in English and Spanish exemplify artistic freedom, music as activism and fearlessness.  In my opinion, all students should be taught about punk and Alice, especially during music time!

 

About Alice

●  Alice Bag is a punk rock pioneer who first performed in 1977 as the lead vocalist of her band The Bags which she co-founded.

●  Her iconic autobiography, Violence Girl was published in 2011 in English and its Spanish translation in 2025.

●  She was born in East Los Angeles and is the daughter of Mexican immigrants.

●  Since 2016 she has released three solo albums featuring songs she wrote in English and Spanish.

●  Alice Bag’s songs tackle heavy subjects including racism, sexism, ageism, and domestic violence.

●  She is an outspoken activist that supports women’s and marginalized people’s empowerment in music.

 

Below are my suggestions for teaching your students about Alice Bag.  Please intro all these activities by showing a picture of Alice and sharing a few facts such as the ones listed above.  Be sure to stop to ask students to define terms including "punk rocker" and "activist."  These activities are written in sequential order but can still be done individually.

Grades K-2:

 

1.   Objective: Students will be able to identify and respond to changes in tempo and recognize form in musical performances using movement.

a.   Teacher will demonstrate using scarf to move along to music that is fast then slow and stopping when there is a pause using the studio recording “77” (1:30-2:15) and will ask students to keep the beat they feel by patting on their laps.

b.   Teacher will review behavior expectations, mainly to move safely and stay in their “bubble”

c.    Teacher will distribute scarves, providing a choice between two colors

d.   Students will move along to the recording and respond to the changes in form and beat using the scarves

e.   Teacher will ask students to share any moves they came up with during the first (faster) part of the song and or during the slower later part.

  

Read more »

Un Music Lesson Plan for Special Education TK-1st Grade (Moderate-Severe / Non-verbal)

 

 

If you are a music teacher new to Special Education, or need ideas for your lessons you've come to the right place.  The lesson plan below contains activities my youngest SpEd students have participated in and enjoyed.  These activities do not require extensive musical training.

TK-1st Grade Special Education Music Lesson Plan - 30 minutes

Materials:

1. Soft Rug
2. Gathering Drum (pictured above)
3. Ukulele, guitar, or autoharp (song recordings can be used instead if needed)
4. Projector, device with internet access, 
5. Bluetooth speaker  
6. Small instrument for each student such as a tambourine or scarf 
7. Small stuffed animals 
8. Classroom expectation posters (preferably laminated separately with magnets so you can have them on the white board and grab one to reinforce instructions when needed, i.e. "hands to ourselves") 

 

 Set up:

• Students should sit on the rug around the gathering drum and may play as soon as they do so.  You can also encourage them to feel the soft rug.
• Be mindful of what is within students' reach if they leave the circle.  For example, I cover my piano with its soft case and place stacked chairs around a large floor xylophone.
• Be mindful of how all the senses in your classroom can affect students: loudness of instruments, smell, brightness of lights, and even temperature. 
• If students are not wearing name tags, use either a roster or ask the teacher/paraprofessionals for their names to write them on the board. 

Gathering Drum 

Some students will likely start patting on the drum, other may try to lift it, and others may try to sit or stand on top of it.  It's important to let go of expectations that students will follow all instructions just by telling them to stop.  Instead, do not show any signs of disapproval, demonstrate how to tap on the drum using fingertips and gently ask them if they can do that too.  If you notice a student playing a pattern, acknowledge it non-verbally by echoing it back to them!

Class Greeting 

A class greeting with an instrument helps establish music time.  Sing "Time for music" with a doorbell "ding-dong" (sol-mi, sol mi) melody with the instrument, then again a capella (with no background music) while tapping on the drum. Encourage students to echo that rhythm on the gathering drum.

Hello Song  

Have students tap along for a "Hello" song of your choice.  My suggestion is: "We've Been Waiting for You" which can be sung a capella and include everyone's name.

Interactive Song 

 

Engage students with a song they probably know: if you are able to find out a song from their regular repertoire that you can lead, great!  If not, try “If You’re Happy and You Know It."  For this song, I include clap your hands, stomp your feet, and nod your head.  If you cannot play this on an instrument, don't worry!  Your voice is enough and you can always play a recording instead.  This can get the students up /moving and and enjoying the familiar group song.

Song with an Instrument 

Put away the gathering drum and offer students a small instrument (such as a tambourine) or scarf for the next activity.  You can transition this with another song that is appropriate for the season / cultural connections.  Since we are in December, I used "Feliz Navidad" and simply played/sang the song while encouraging students to follow the steady beat with those instruments.  Amazingly, my most rambunctious student relaxed into their paraprofessional's arms when I started the song. 😊

Listen and Move  

Students will be invited to stand and hold on to their instrument for "Listen and Move" by Greg and Steve.  Don't worry if some students don't participate fully and focus on positive reinforcement when they demonstrate a skill such as responding to a changing tempo, however that may be.  Some students will leave the instrument behind as they move and this is when you can begin collecting them.

Music Movie Time

 

Ask students to return to the rug to watch a cartoon about music and collect any remaining instruments.  I've been showing my students short segments (1-4 minutes) of "The Four Seasons" by Boston Baroque and offering them small stuffed animals to move along to the music.

 

 

Goodbye Song 

 

You can sing "Music Time is Over" in the same ding-dong (sol mi) melody you used at the beginning of class or another goodbye song of your choice.   Invite students to "say bye bye" (wave / hug) their stuffed animal before they are collected.

 

Here is an example of a "goodbye" song:

  

During the goodbye song, you can distribute hand sanitizer to students and other teachers present.  Finally, encourage the class to give themselves an applause for doing so well in Music Class.

____________________________________________________

Did you try some or all of this lesson plan?  Let us know how it went!

Un lesson plan para preschool music class

Clase de música para preescolar  

 

I've been fortunate to have been able to learn a lot about leading a music class for preschoolers in the last year or so and I'm excited to share a lesson plan that you can try today as a substitute or with your regular preschool group.

 

Things to keep in mind:

• Always be mindful of basic needs- if kids are hungry, sleepy, tired, sick, etc.  they may not be compelled to participate if your lesson involves a lot of controlled participation or needs their attention for longer than a couple of minutes.

 

 

• Even if you're a musician, you're not there to teach music per se- you are there to guide music exploration and model social skills through play and community interaction 

 

• Be flexible and attentive to student / parent choices and preferences, and find ways to prompt and encourage their creativity and imagination

 

30-minute Preschool Music Class Lesson Plan

1.  Set up a table with instruments or separate them into various spaces around the room as space permits, and invite students/parents to choose one instrument and join you in the circle.  This can be sitting on the floor if there is carpet or it can be a semi circle using chairs. 
   
   
    
2. Sing and play your hello song with an instrument of your choice, and encourage everyone to play along.  This can be as simple as a made up song using the tune of "Are You Sleeping" for example.
3. Invite students to come up one by one (or line up) to take turns playing your instrument (i.e., a guitar or ukulele) while you sing the hello song using their name.   
4. Share a short story related to the main song you will be showing them.  For this lesson plan, I share "Jump, Frog Jump" which is also available in audio form, and both the physical copy and the audio copy are available for free through my local library.  This one is five minutes long, very repetitive to keep kids' attention, and prompts them to answer with the title of the book every few seconds. 
   
   
   
5. Switch to a melodic instrument if possible to teach the main song.  I used a glockenspiel to teach "Jump Little Frog" which is the English Language version of a Malaysian/Indonesian song called "Lompat Si Katak Lompat."  I sing it in English and Spanish and use a stuffed frog animal to "jump" during the pause. The video below is a longer version of the song that demonstrates the main melody. 
   
   
6. Invite students to play their instrument whenever the frog jumps.  Demonstrate this first with an instrument.
7. Invite students to turn into the frogs and jump themselves when the song calls for it.
8. Repeat the song once or twice depending on how participation is going.  Some students will become interested after they see others trying it and enjoying it so don't be afraid to repeat a couple more times.
9. Distribute colorful scarves and demonstrate moving to a slow tempo or a fast/faster tempo.  Play 20-40 seconds of 3-5 songs to get them moving and dancing to the steady beat.  Some may prefer to play along with instruments or want to borrow your frog plushie instead. 
   
   
   
10. Play "The Colors Are Gliding" to get students to slow down and practice folding the scarf before putting it away/ returning it to you. 
    
    
11. Finish the lesson with a goodbye song of your choice. If you don't have one, you can make one up using a familiar tune or the same tune of your hello song.

 

Read more »

Una Kids' Musically-Themed Picture Books Virtual Library

Ms. Cosquilla's Virtual Music Library is a collection of read aloud videos of picture books I have used in elementary music lesson plans, a few of which can be found in this blog.

Finding the Music is read by me!  This page will be updated throughout the school year so please feel free to share suggestions or feedback if you check it out or use it in class with your students!

Don't forget -- you can also stream my music for free on FREEGAL courtesy of your local public libary. 

How Spanish Helps Kids Learn Music

Using español to Enhance Elementary Music Lessons

One way that I support the self-empowerment of my Spanish-speaking students is by highlighting the many ways their knowledge of this language is an advantage.  Having been in the situation where I am teaching recent arrivals (no English), Dual Immersion classes (all Spanish, many non-native speakers), and 2nd+ generation Latine students that have not been encouraged to dominate Spanish, I feel very fortunate to be able to share these beautiful moments of connection during our music lessons.  Here is an example of some musical terms that are useful to know when teaching these groups.  

I would add agudo (high pitched) and grave (low pitch) to this list

 

Using a world map, I always make sure to point out that Spanish speakers such as myself can probably learn "cousin" languages such as Portuguese, French and Italian, and that we have many words in common with Tagalog.  This helps inspire students' curiosity about history, language and geography. I enjoy sharing this map that shows Spanish speaking countries because it always inspires students to share and helps them feel seen and valued.

Here are some of the musical terms that are extra fun to teach because I incorporate Spanish (even when my class is a regular class): 

• Accelerando - Acelerando 
• Allegro - Alegre
• Andante - Andar
• Crescendo  - Creciendo 
• Forte - Fuerte 
• Fortíssimo - Fuertísimo 
• Largo - Same
• Lento - Same
• Tempo - Tiempo  

Of course, the very presence of musical activities that involve language arts in any way (reading, writing, speaking) supports students' language acquisition in both languages.  

 

Putting up a Spanish language alphabet or displaying a collection of books that includes titles in Spanish are two ways to inspire your students to fall in love with language arts and general knowledge as they fall in love with music. 

 

Read more »

Una "Hello Song" Multicultural

  "Jambo"

A fun adaptation of a beloved song by Ella Jenkins

Cover Art by David García

 

YouTube | Bandcamp | Apple Music | Amazon music | Pandora | Spotify

 

"Jambo" is the Swahili word for "Hello", and Ella Jenkins created a wonderful echo song to introduce children to this word and others.  Playing the original recording for your students is a fun musical learning experience because Ella teaches the listeners about the words and guides them in following the song.  

 

Many wonderful music teachers have adapted this song to include other languages and to assign different students the "caller" role.  I have personally had tremendous success with this song, and it's always a great choice for a school/community performance.  Below is a five-minute video lesson of myself teaching this song for P.S. Arts.

 

 

Miss Cosquilla's audio recording of "Jambo" includes the five languages (Swahili, Spanish*, Japanese, French, and English) taught in this video and can help your students learn and practice the song, have an opportunity for leadership as a caller, and reinforce respect for and curiosity about different languages and cultures.   

 

 

*This recording updates the word amigos to the more inclusive amigues.

 

"Jambo" Lesson Plan Ideas

Here are a variety of great ways to use with "Jambo" in your lessons:

• History / Social Science: 
• use a a supplementary tool for lessons with world geography components
• include in lessons about language and history (see picture books below)
• use to inspire a comparative research project about greetings around the world

• Multi-Cultural School Events: Share a class performance of this song and assign groups to create flags representing the different languages included in the song

• English Language Arts: use as an introduction to a related piece of literature such as Jambo Means Hello or Jambo, Watoto.

 

 

Read more »