Reply To: Music In Our Schools Month

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We have PAWS testing in March as well, so to kick-off this year we are having our triad high school pep band and cheerleaders do our annual PAWS kick-off assembly! The high school band has come to our school on a few different occasions, and students LOVE seeing older kids perform! I always do the same activity at the end of February that only takes ten minutes of class time. I use construction paper to cut out hearts and have 3rd – 6th graders write why they love music. I emphasize that this is not necessarily what they enjoy about music class at school, but why they enjoy music in all aspects of their lives. I am always pleasantly surprised at the sophisticated answers even younger students convey. Students often write about why it makes them feel happy about good things and helps express their feelings about sad things. I display some of them on a bulletin board in the hallway. I think it’s important for students to articulate WHY they enjoy music, to help them realize the importance of the art we teach!