QR Codes in the Elementary Music Class

QR Codes in the Elementary Music Class

Nothing about this past week was normal, but amazing experiences happened in the middle of the chaos as we used QR codes in the elementary music class.

Spirit Week!

Have you seen that funny MAD TV clip about Bon Qui Qui at the King Burger?   This week, I felt like every class was a complicated order!! It was Homecoming Spirit Week, so our students who normally wear school uniforms, came dressed in their favorite PJ’s, Neon clothes- head to toe, the tackiest outfit they could put together, and/ or something from Throwback day. We ended with a crazy RED and BLUE Friday Pep Rally and finally sent them home!! What a difference it makes in the behavior of our students without uniforms!!

Broken Air-Conditioner!

On top of Spirit Week festivities, the air-conditioner broke in my music room. By the end of the day, it was over 80degrees in my music room so we opened all the windows and doors and did the best we could! As Bon Qui Qui says, “Dang! Anything else?”

Originally,  part of the lesson I had planned involved the children scanning a QR code linked to a MadLips Beethoven introduction. They were to also scan a QR code linked to the 3rd Movement of Symphony No. 5.

Rookies!!

We are a new 1:1 iPad school, and this was my music students’ first experience using i-nigma to scan QR codes. Once they tried it, they were captivated by it hook, line and sinker!!! I must confess that I lost their focus and, like horses escaped from the barn,  they took off scanning all the QR codes for the Music Memory pieces we are memorizing this year. It was crazy fun. The children couldn’t stay in the room because it was so hot, so they would scan a code on the bulletin board and go outside to listen to the funny MADLip introduction and the musical work.

Candy Store!  

It truly was like they were let loose in a candy store with all the money they could spend. They couldn’t listen to the pieces fast enough. I taught them how to make a folder to store all the musical bookmarks. They loved the Beethoven piece, Chopin’s Minute Waltz, Duke Ellington, Vivaldi’s Spring, The Anvil Chorus, Rondo All Turka, etc.  When they left, they were walking away listening to their favorite “Classical” piece! How cool! It was magical and every boy and girl was engaged.

What do you like about iPads in Music Class?

The following clip is a collection of interviews done during the last class. It was especially hot in my music room and the kids were especially I-can’t-help-it kind of crazy! Their excitement was too special to keep to myself! Enjoy!

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Cherie Herring

Music/Technology Integration at Hammond School
I teach elementary music, am passionate about integrating technology into my teaching, am obsessed with my SMARTBoard and iPad, and enjoy creating lessons and sharing ideas. I love technology almost as much as I love cheesecake, and with more energy and ideas than I know what to do with, I can't wait for the sun to come up each morning! I'm wife to Prince Charming and mom to three incredible girls who keep me balanced. . . sort of!

Latest posts by Cherie Herring (see all)

7 thoughts on “QR Codes in the Elementary Music Class”

  1. You have my ALL TIME favorite blog to visit for ideas! Every post is jam packed with fun activities and ways to engage students! I’m especially fond of the iPad uses in the music room as my district is also a 1:1 iPad district. It’s fun to see how someone else uses them 🙂

  2. Thank you! I’m so excited to get to school every day! Just today, we were able to get approval for more apps: ShowMe, storybook, explain everything, and pic collage. I can’t wait to use “story book” to create recorder karate projects and Explain everything for student-created tutorials. The QR codes and Recorder Karate has been over the top incredible. I have kids working at home on their iPads and after just 4weeks, 11 of50 are already on 2nd degree Black belt. The iPad makes such a huge difference and the QRCode is magical. I’d love to share ideas back and forth… It’s all so new! If something works we just have to share it out loud! Thanks for the comment! ~ Cherie

  3. Could you send the qr codes that you used for this activity? I teach in the computer lab, but we are integrating music and technology once a week and I thought this would be a great starter activity. Thanks in advance!!

  4. Could you send the qr codes that you used for this activity? I teach in the computer lab, but we are integrating music and technology once a week and I thought this would be a great starter activity. Thanks in advance!! wadkinsr@usd290.org

  5. Bekah, I just updated the QR codes and they are available for download from my latest blog post. I hope you can use them in your computer lab. They would be a great start to a research project! – Cherie

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