Have you ever tried holding station activities (aka music centers) with your students? Station activities are when you split your students into small groups and have them rotate in a series of learning stations. They are a terrific way to keep students engaged while they are learning and reviewing musical concepts.
10 music learning station (or center) activities to get you started…
Instrument Exploration
Set up stations with various musical instruments. Allow students to try playing different instruments, learning about their sounds and characteristics. Or keep things on the quieter end by having students learn about instruments through an instrument poke card or instrument family puzzle.
Rhythm and Percussion Station
Provide percussion instruments like drums, tambourines, and shakers. Create rhythmic patterns for students to follow or encourage them to create their own. For an easy rhythm activity, students can participate in clap backs. While one student in the group is the leader, the others follow and then fill out the clap back worksheet.
Listening Station
Create a station with headphones where students can listen to different genres of music, explore different cultures’ musical styles, or analyze specific pieces for elements like tempo, dynamics, and instrumentation. Grab a free S.Q.U.I.L.T. (Super Quiet Uninterrupted Listening Time) worksheet here.
Songwriting Station
Provide paper, pens, and perhaps a keyboard or other instrument like bells. Even an instrument app on the iPad can work! Encourage students to write their own lyrics or compose simple melodies. Turn it into a game like the Spin a Rhythm composition game.
One of the reasons I love this game so much is it makes composing not so scary for students.
If you teach in a group class format, it can be a collaborative experience. And if you teach in a private format, it can be an individual experience. Either way, students enjoy the process.
I like to separate this activity into 3 weeks…
Week 1- we play the game as intended, just notating the treble clef.
Week 2- We start exploring left-hand chords to go along with our melody. If students aren’t ready for chords, I have them just use the root. I usually just have them stick to the I, IV and V chords at this point. (You’re more advanced students can do more)
Week 3– We make any final edits to the piece. If you want, they can even take their written notation and move it into something like Noteflight and then print it out.
If you are looking for something like this with a Halloween theme, check out Witches Brew!
Sound Exploration Station
Encourage students to explore and experiment with different sounds and musical elements. Chrome Music Lab is a perfect tool for this! Just set it up on an iPad, so they can explore.
Music Theory Puzzle Station
Create puzzles or games that teach music theory concepts such as note names, rhythms, or key signatures. Students can solve these puzzles to reinforce their understanding. For extra fun, turn it into a race! Check out all these music puzzle options!
DIY Instrument Station
Gather materials for students to create their own simple instruments, like shakers, drums, or string instruments, using everyday items. Check out this blog post for how to make your own drum.
Musical Storytelling Station
Combine music and storytelling by having students create short narratives inspired by specific pieces of music. They can then share their stories with the class.
I love the Creative Story Compositions which combine storytelling and composition. Comic Strip Compositions can also be a fun addition to a station, combining elements of story telling, script writing, storyboard drawing and composition. You can separate each element into a different station and then bring everyone back for the final composition project.
Karaoke Station
Set up a karaoke station with a variety of songs. This can be a fun way for students to sing along, practice pronunciation, and build confidence.
Composer Biography Station
Create stations with information about different composers. Students can learn about the lives and works of various musicians, expanding their knowledge of music history. Go back in time with the composer time capsules, which include clip cards too! The composer time capsules alone can provide several station activities!
Keep it Simple
Remember to tailor these activities to the age and skill level of your students, and feel free to adapt them. You don’t need 10 music stations all at once! (Please don’t, that’s way too many) Just choose a few for students to rotate through. Keep in mind the time you have for each station.
It might be nice to pull everyone back together for the last station. A brain break activity of some kind might be fun or something quiet like a coloring activity to bring the energy back down before they leave.
Ever wonder WHEN a great time to do some music station activities might be? You might be surprised! Read next blog post here. Teach private lessons? I’ll have some ideas for you too!
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