Effortless Choir Sub Plans: Making the Most of YouTube's Musical Goldmine🤧🎶

Imagine waking up at 5:30 am, struck by the dreaded stomach flu.🤒 (Well, maybe you don't want to picture it, but bear with me.) The urgent need for a choir sub plan has arrived and time is of the essence. Fear not! I've got your back.

Keep these three fantastic, FREE YouTube-based ideas handy for those unexpected moments when you need sub plans ASAP.

1- YouTube warm up videos 🎵

During the challenging times of spring 2020, I stumbled upon a treasure trove of fun vocalization videos on YouTube. These gems are not only entertaining but also perfect for keeping your students engaged in singing. Best of all, any substitute (fingers crossed) should be able to press play on a video, making it a hassle-free option.

10 Minute Daily VOCAL WORKOUT! Vocal Exercise (Cheryl Porter) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XHXezdnL0A&t=1s

5 Fun Vocal Warmups (SOLFEGE Sing-Along) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT8x2bdOtD8

5 MINUTE VOCAL WARM UP (Jacobs Vocal Academy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCLyAmXtpfY&t=48s

Choral Warm up #1: Full Vocal Warm up (Roger Hale) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnJW-8a26OA

2- Sing Along with Your Choir Pieces 🎤

While this idea requires a bit of preparation, the resources are usually readily available on YouTube. If your choir piece is published by Hal Leonard, chances are high that you can find a performance with music provided on YouTube. For instance, if your choir is working on "Nine Hundred Miles" by Greg Gilpin, you can find a performance with music here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXW2SLTY2wk

In the event that your specific song isn't available with sheet music, opt for a quality recording where students can follow along. If you have choir officers, perhaps they could help lead the choir or lead those in their section of the choir.

3- Body Percussion Games 🎶

I love body percussion videos because they encourage active participation from everyone in the classroom and my students love them because they inject a dose of fun into the learning experience.