Uke Can Do It!
Refreshed and Better Than Ever!
About ten years ago, I set a summer goal to learn to play the ukulele. Thanks to Cynthia Lin and her YouTube channel, I found a new instrument that I adored. Even with only a few chords under my belt, I knew that I wanted to incorporate this instrument into my elementary music classes. My school was generous and allowed me to take the risk and pilot a small ukulele program.
Fast forward about seven years to the very different summer of 2020, where I found myself bracing to start school remotely, having to plan to somehow teach music (and active music making, at that) to elementary students over Zoom.
Since singing together on Zoom was a no-go thanks to the delays, I had to get creative. In a fortuitous twist of fate, since no curriculum I found was hitting the sweet spot with my students, I had already started writing my own digital, ukulele curriculum. Again, I went to my school with a proposal to send ukuleles to our students and was given the green light.
I’ll spare you the logistics of putting together the packages with tuners and colored sticker dots for finger placement, and the distribution during the height of the pandemic. And I’ll save the stories of the unforeseen challenges of teaching with a reversed image and trying to explain rights and lefts to kids that were still learning rights and lefts.
Joanna Teaches Music, my TPT store, and my “Uke Can Do It” Google Slides curriculum are some of the unpredictable bright spots that came out of the pandemic. In 2022, I added my uke curriculum to my TPT store.
Never happy to settle, I have continued to use and tweak this curriculum and I’m so excited to share that I just gave it a refresh! I am currently using it with my third and fourth graders and can proudly and confidently say: it’s really awesome.
So, what's new?
Revised Introduction: I updated which points in the history and background of the ukulele that I felt were important to highlight. They’ll learn about the origins of the instrument, how it got its name, about its ebbs and flows in popularity over time, famous players, and different types of ukuleles–they’ll be hooked from the start.
Visual Refresh: The curriculum now boasts fresh new colors and graphics, giving it a modern and appealing look that your students will love.
New Content: There are some additional pages that include solfege melodies for songs that students may be less familiar with, making it easier to introduce those tunes in a simple, memorable way.
Celebrate Success: At the end of the guide, you’ll find a special congratulations slide to celebrate your students’ progress, boosting their confidence as they complete this first, major step on their ukulele journey.
So, what's the same?
All the things that made it stand out from the beginning.
Detailed visuals: My favorite is my clever trick to remember the order of the strings–let’s just say: gone are days of “My Dog Has Fleas”
Holding and positioning: Tried and true tips and phrases to use to cue your students, along with a variety of ways to strum
Chord charts: A clear, methodical break down how to read a chord chart, as well as introduction of chords in a logical and progressive way that elementary students understand (single finger on C, then slide over to C7, up to Am, add a finger for F, and “down one, add one” for G7).
Songs: Simple, childhood songs to practice, all of which can be extended and leveled up by the introduction of varying strumming patterns
I never imagined that a summer goal of learning the ukulele would lead to such a rewarding and creative journey. From piloting a small program to navigating the challenges of remote teaching, the ukulele has become an integral part of my music curriculum and my students' musical experience.
I'm so proud of how "Uke Can Do It" has evolved, and I can’t wait to see it continue to inspire more young musicians.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with me – let’s keep strumming and making music together!
Have a great week,
Joanna