Technology in the Classroom

Bluetooth!

Getting a bluetooth adapter is one of the first things you should do for your classroom. Instead of running over to start and stop songs on my computer, I got a bluetooth adapter that syncs to my phone wirelessly. Now all of my music is in itunes (or Google Play if your android) and I can start and stop music next to my kids. Transitions are key to elementary students that this really helped transitions to be faster and more efficent!

Here is a link to the adapter I use in my classroom but there are many options out there!

Chromebook websites/apps

Chrome Music Lab has many different ways your students can create music. Whether you are using "Rhythm" to create ostinato/ talk about time signatures, creating a melody with "melody maker" or showing high and low to Kingergarten with the Spectrograph their are endless ways your students could learn with these tools.

Another early composition website Incredibox. Basically students get to create pre recorded beats, rhythms and sounds to create music. I usually will have students make a song and then rap rhythms over the top of the music we created. It's fun way to spice up sight reading!

For composing songs for your older grades I use soundation. While it does have a little bit of a learning curve, students can make and play back their own songs. I have had students create their own beats, make their own background music for a clip, or write a song to a particular movie/video game genre. Many student have gone home after I have shown them this and come back with their own songs they created. They were very proud of themselves! The main program is free and students can create their own profile by logging in with their google ID.