Sure Fire Hits
October is one of my favorite months in the music room! By now, routines are in place, students are comfortable, and it's the perfect time to introduce some exciting new activities. This year, I’ve got some fresh resources to share, along with a few tried-and-true hits that my students love. Here’s what’s happening in my classroom this month:
Classroom Favorites
In the Hall of the Mountain King
From rhythm playalongs to Boomwhackers and even a "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" version, this timeless piece is always a favorite. You can find great play along videos on YouTube to use with your class.Pumpkin Bones
Thanks to Quaver, this catchy tune continues to be a hit with my students every October! You can even watch the original without a Quaver subscription on YouTube along with, you guessed it: rhythm play alongs.Skin and Bones
Close the blinds, dim the lights, and sing this spooky classic. I like to add some tremolos and melodic patterns on the boniest instrument in the music room: xylophone! You can easily find the song with a quick search.Pass the Flying Pumpkin Round
A festive twist on games like "Doggie, Doggie" or "Pass the Broom," this song is a favorite in my classroom and kids ask to play it on repeat.
Centers
My students love getting hands-on and working together in centers.
Below are some favorites along with two brand-new ones just added this year!
NEW: Halloween Rhythms (Quarter + Eighth Notes): Sort, Compose, Notate, Match
This versatile set of Halloween-themed rhythm activities is perfect for introducing the concept of quarter and eighth notes. Whether you use it for centers, individual work, or even sub plans, it’s designed to engage students at a variety of levels.
Add a spooky twist to rhythm recognition with these Halloween music math worksheets! Students will practice adding beats for eighth, quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes, all while solving Halloween-themed problems featuring ghosts, jack-o-lanterns, and more.
This one is a TPT bestseller! It involves composing music with candy rhythms. It’s a hands on, print-and-go activity where students practice reading, notating, and performing rhythms (quarter notes/rests, + eighth notes). It also comes with suggestions on how to extend (like having students perform on Orff instruments)!
This rhythm-based scavenger hunt is always a hit and absolutely one of my students’ favorite activities!
Place rhythm cards around the room for students to find.
Students notate the rhythms on recording sheets and can then transfer onto instruments (optional).
It gets everyone up and moving and is great for practicing notation.
Halloween Candy Rhythms Game (Google Slides)
These no-prep, interactive Google Slides matching games let students practice identifying rhythms while matching them to candy names. With two levels of difficulty, this activity works for whole-class play or independent work on individual devices.
Pumpkin Themed Treble & Bass Clef Matching Games
Students will love matching notes on the treble and bass clefs with this pumpkin-themed puzzle game. It’s perfect for centers or individual work and comes in both color and black-and-white versions for easy printing and laminating.
Believe it or not, there are even more Halloween activities in my TPT store! Go check them out and make your October lessons a sure fire hit!
Have a great week,
Joanna