Everything You Need for Your First Month of Elementary Music (…and then some!)
September is an important month, and the first few weeks set the tone for your entire school year. It’s all about building relationships, creating routines, establishing expectations, and helping students become confident music-makers from the very first class.
But you don’t have to start from scratch!
With a Creative Music Room membership, you can plan your entire first month of elementary music in one afternoon, and what’s even better is that nearly everything inside CMR is intentionally tech-free, giving your students more opportunities to sing, move, create, laugh, collaborate, and connect.
Limited Time Offer: 6-Month All-Access Membership!
Complete your lesson plans with
Unlimited Downloads for only $49.95!
One payment. No recurring subscription.
(Offer ends September 20, 2026)
What to Focus on During the First Month of Elementary Music
- Learning every student’s name
- Building classroom routines
- Creating a safe musical community
- Teaching expectations through games. (We call them Music Community Promises!)
- Active music-making every lesson
- Cooperative learning and partner activities
- Singing and moving during every class
- Building confidence before performance
Plug-and-Play Welcome Songs
Start every music session with a predictable opening routine. Try out these curated welcome songs that help your students sing, move, and transition into music time. Click on any song to hear an audio sample:
New School Year Song – An energetic welcome that builds community from Day One.
Hello High Low – Get everyone singing while practicing pitch exploration and learning classmates’ names.
First Month Music Lesson Plans
Angela’s Advice: “During the first few weeks, choose activities that get every child participating within the first five minutes. Kids build community by making music together.”
New here? Start with these favorite lesson plans. They give you a feel for the kinds of active, engaging music lessons you’ll find throughout our library.
Here are just a few of our resources to explore:
- When I’m in Music Class – Build classroom routines and community with this interactive opening chant that uses printable picture cards to teach Music Community Promises while reinforcing steady beat, listening, and memory.
- Musical Plates – A fun twist on Musical Chairs that uses rhythm paper plates to help students identify, speak, and clap simple rhythms.
- Meter Detective – Students become “Meter Detectives” as they listen, move, and use body percussion to identify duple and triple meter.
- Rhythm Rush – Get students moving with this rhythm-reading game as they listen carefully, identify the “poisonous” rhythm, and race to a safe corner.
Limited Time Offer: 6-Month All-Access Membership!
Complete your lesson plans with
Unlimited Downloads for only $49.95!
One payment. No recurring subscription.
(Offer ends September 20, 2026)
Building a Connected Music Classroom
Every child should feel like they belong.
Some children walk into music class ready to sing. Others hang back because they think they “can’t do music.” My goal has always been to give every child a chance to participate, experience success, and leave class feeling like they belong.
Active Music Making
Children learn music by doing. You’ll find songs, games, movement, instruments, and partner activities that keep students engaged from beginning to end.
Music Class Runs Better with Setting Expectations & Routines
The first few weeks are when students learn how your music room works. Simple hello songs, movement routines, and familiar lesson structures help children settle in quickly so you can spend more time making music and less time explaining what comes next. Check out my lesson on setting expectations which I call Music Community Promises!
FAQ’s
1. “What if my classes are only 30 minutes? Will these lessons work?”
Yes! Every lesson can be shortened or expanded depending on your schedule.
2. Can I really teach my entire first month with these lessons?
Yes! Your membership includes a monthly curriculum guide with a week-by-week roadmap. It links directly to ready-to-teach lesson plans, welcome songs, movement activities, games, rhythm lessons, and more, making it easy to plan your first month in just one afternoon.
3. What else is included besides the September curriculum?
Much more than one month’s worth of lessons! Your membership gives you unlimited access to hundreds of printable lesson plans, songs, games, movement activities, composer studies, rhythm resources, sub plans, seasonal lessons, and classroom favorites for preschool through elementary music.
4. Can I download and save the resources?
Yes! During your six-month membership, you can download and save as many resources as you like. Once downloaded, they’re yours to keep and use again year after year.
5. Do I have to follow the lesson plans in order?
Not at all. The monthly guide gives you a suggested sequence, but every lesson can also be used on its own. Mix and match activities to fit your schedule, your students, and your teaching style.
(Here’s the…and then some!)
Your 1st Quarter Elementary Music Roadmap
We have created for you a plan for the first quarter (September – November)!
September
Start the year by building relationships, establishing routines, and helping students feel successful from the very first class. You’ll find welcome songs, community-building activities, movement games, and lessons that set the tone for the year.
Go to the September Curriculum Content Guide
October
As your routines become second nature, introduce new musical concepts with Rhythmic Tales, composer studies, steady beat activities, partner games, and movement lessons that keep students engaged.
Go to the October Curriculum Content Guide
November
Keep the momentum going with rhythm activities, ensemble playing, listening lessons, Thanksgiving resources, and musical experiences that build confidence as your students continue to grow.
Go to the November Curriculum Content Guide
Gain instant access to ready-to-teach songs, interactive games, complete lesson plans, Rhythmic Tales, instrument activities, and monthly curriculum roadmaps designed for real classrooms.
Get 6 Months of Unlimited Access to ALL our resources today for only $49.95!
(Offer ends September 20, 2026)
Transform your preschool music classroom with Creative Music Room’s original resources, curated by veteran educator Angela Kelly, fostering a lifelong love of music in students of all ages.
