3 Back to School Lesson Ideas for the Elementary Music Classroom

Up the Ladder, Down the Ladder

I have always loved this name game from GamePlan 3rd Grade (pg. 1-2). I just wasn’t the most successful implementing it 😅 until last year! Here is how I sequenced this popular name game for 2nd and 3rd grade.

Rhyme: 

Up the ladder, down the ladder

One by one, the ladder

Up the ladder, down the ladder

One by one!

Day 1:

1. Echo the rhyme line by line
2. Ask the students to listen for which phrases are the same
   1. Say the whole rhyme while showing the phrase number on your fingers
   2. Answer: 1 and 3
3. Follow up with asking are phrases 2 and 4 the same?
   1. Answer: No, they are slightly different
   2. 2-adds the ladder at the end
   3. 4-doesn’t have it, there is a rest
4. Echo say the rhyme and teach the body percussion
   1. Up the ladder – two claps up high
   2. Down the ladder – Two pats on your legs
   3. One by one, (the ladder) – point, point, point
5. Introduce the name element
   1. Tell the students that we are going to us this rhyme to introduce ourselves.
   2. We will have 4 students go at a time
   3. I will model it first and I will just say my name 4 times
   4. When I say, “My name is Mrs. Powell” you say “her name is Mrs. Powell”
   5. Say the rhyme together and then teacher and students repeat the name section with the teacher
6. Pick a student leader to do what the teacher did
7. Pick 4 students and pre-set the order
   1. Practice 4 students saying their name and then class repeats

Day 2:

1. Students make a circle
2. Practice the rhyme with the drum
3. Go through the circle of 4 students introducing themselves and saying the rhyme every 4 people.

Simple Drum Part:

Play the rhythm of the words

• Bold words play the bass tone in the middle
• Regular words play on the rim

Up the ladder, down the ladder

One by one, the ladder

Up the ladder, down the ladder

One by one!

Movement Activities

Simple, steady beat movements with catchy songs can really engage students, especially after a day filled with rules and routines. Songs I’ve successfully used include:

Non-Pitched Percussion Ultimate Elimination Game

With older students, I start the year by reviewing instruments, focusing first on non-pitched percussion.

Definitions:

• Percussion Instrument: An instrument you strike, shake, or scrape.
• Non-Pitched: An instrument that typically makes one sound, without a high or low pitch.

Types of Non-Pitched Percussion:

1. Metal
2. Wood
3. Membrane (Drums)
4. Shake or Scrape

Here is my simple intro presentation you can use!

Game Setup:

1. Posters: Place posters for Metal, Wood, Membrane, and Shake or Scrape in different areas of the room.
2. Instrument Selection: One student faces away from the group with various non-pitched percussion instruments in front of them.
3. Category Choice: The rest of the students have 5 seconds to pick a category and stand by that poster.
4. Instrument Play: The student facing away plays an instrument of their choice.
5. Elimination: Any category that instrument fits into is out, and those students sit back down. For example, if a tambourine is played (which can be classified as Metal and Shaker/Scraper), both groups are out.
6. Next Player: A student from the eliminated group plays the next instrument, and the game continues until one student remains, who is the winner.

These activities not only helped establish a positive and engaging environment but also reinforced musical concepts in a fun and interactive way. I hope you find these ideas as effective as I did!

Feel free to share your own experiences or ask any questions in the comments!

Happy Teaching!