For the past six years, I’ve celebrated Music in Our Schools Month with an activity my students look forward to every spring: Music March Madness. Each year, students in grades 3-5 complete a tournament-style bracket before hearing any of the songs. They make their predictions based only on titles and artists.
Each week in March, I present four songs in groups of two. Classes listen actively and I do not show music videos. I usually let them color or watch a lava lamp screensaver during the listening portion. I have them close their eyes after listening to the first two songs while they vote for which song is their favorite. I want their honest opinions/votes, so that is why they have to close their eyes. After tallying the votes, I tell them which song won for their class. I repeat this with two more songs. At the end of the week, I tally up how many votes each song got from all classes 3-5. The songs with the most votes are the winners. My principal announces the winners each Friday over the intercom and I post the winners outside of my classroom door.
At the end of March, we have a winning song and students have listened to a wide variety of genres, artists, and styles they may not have heard before. The student in each grade with the most correct predictions receives a full size candy bar (of their choice) and certificate.
I love doing this because it exposes my students to unfamiliar music in a low-pressure format, it naturally encourages musical discussion and opinion-sharing, and families often recognize the songs which sparks conversations at home about music. If you are a music teacher who has not led a Music March Madness, start next year! Your kids will love it.
Lena Williams
Summit Elementary School
Boyd County Public Schools
GradesK-5
