1st grade music lesson plans built around folk songs and singing games — la, do, re, quarter note, eighth note, quarter rest, AB form, phrase, repeat sign. Every song demonstrated on video.
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1st grade is its own world
1st graders are at a specific developmental stage — musically, physically, and socially. The songs that work perfectly in Kindergarten don't always land the same way a year later. And the songs you'll teach in 2nd Grade aren't quite right yet.
The Singing Classroom library is tagged precisely by grade level so you can find repertoire that meets 1st graders exactly where they are — with the right musical content, the right game complexity, and the right social dynamics for this age.
What 1st graders learn
Every song in the library is tagged with the concepts it teaches. Here's what 1st grade music focuses on — searchable by any of these criteria inside the library.
Sample repertoire
A sample from the library — 101 of the 158 songs are graded for 1st grade. Every song is demonstrated on video and includes printable sheet music and a classroom poster.
A Do pentatonic circle game with a passing element — one of the most reliably successful 1st grade songs in the library. Clean concept, effective game, genuine musical value.
A circle and movement game where students skip to the phrase. First graders feel musical form through their bodies before they ever name it.
A Spanish-language partner clap game that 1st graders take to immediately. They're chanting it in the hallway by the end of the week.
The circle game that introduces re. Students are so focused on whose name comes next that the new pitch arrives without any resistance.
The classic circle chase game with fa in the melody. A familiar game context makes the new pitch completely natural for 1st graders.
A groups-of-four movement game — 1st graders experience working in small groups for the first time. The physical rocking motion makes the meter completely embodied.
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How it works
Filter by solfège set, rhythmic concept, activity type, or any combination. Find exactly what fits your 1st grade sequence in seconds.
Every song is demonstrated on video, either by Kodály-certified Deborah Skydell Pasternack or by the bunnies animation of the game. See exactly how to teach it before Monday.
Download sheet music, poster, or manipulatives. Everything formatted for classroom use and ready to go.
Know the song, know the game, know the musical objective — lesson planning and documentation for 1st grade takes minutes, not hours.
Questions
Try The Singing Classroom free for 7 days. Browse 1st grade songs by concept, watch any video, download any printable.