5 Must-Have Picture Books for Music Class

on

 Picture books are perfect for Music Class!




Seriously.  

Wee ones love books and it is one of my favorite ways to introduce new topics such as 

  • dynamics
  • tempo
  • Rhythm
  • Composing

They are also fantastic for incorporating Social Justice, equity, social emotional learning, and diverse representation.   


1. Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon 
 is a fantastic book by Patty Lovell & David Catrow, telling a story of a courageous young girl who uses her voice to speak up for a classmate.

It makes for a great lesson on dynamics & social justice!  Find the lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers & the book here.
I love this book!  I love the representation in the names, the melody, the honest portrayal of back to school jitters, the way the mother comforts her child & so much more!

I use this book with a lesson to work on rhythms with differentiated worksheets & activities. Head to Amazon to add it to your music library.

3. Khalida and the most beautiful song - Amanda Moeckel's beautiful book inspires your students to compose the music they hear all around them! 

While it may seem like picture books are only for little learners, composing with sixteenth notes elevates this lesson for upper elementary.


A few more gems you need for your library are:

4.  Julian is a Mermaid is a gender-expansive book that invites imagination and self-love into your music classroom.  

Bonus: Mermaids & parades are great tie-ins to other lessons, & let's not forget Pride Month!

5.  Amanda Gorman & Loren Long. Need I say more?!  

Change Sings is an absolute must-have in your music classroom!  These linked lessons have a K-2 option as well as lessons for 3-5.  

Students can compose their own anthem, engage in SEL discussions, & color by rhythm.  The possibilities are endless.  Go snag the book - your students will appreciate it!


Truly, I love picture books.  I love the way kids sit to listen with eagerness and curiosity.  I love the way music lilts through the pages like lyrics!


Some of my favorite music bloggers have posted about children's literature in music class, too:


Happy reading,
Jaime

Comments

Post a Comment

If you have a Google account (such as Youtube, Gmail, Google Apps, Google+, Blogger), feel free to leave a comment or words of encouragement here! If you don't have a way to sign in, you can still leave a message on the main page under the 'Leave Jaime a Message' title on the right side of the page, below the calendar!