🎶 Make Your First Day of Choir Fun and Stress-Free! 🎶
It took me several years to perfect the formula for the first day of choir. When I first started teaching, I overwhelmed my students with too much information. Some students wouldn’t even be present on the first day due to altered schedules or absences, and new students would often join choir on the second or third day, making it necessary to repeat everything. It was stressful! 😫
So, I decided to focus on having fun with the students while providing just enough information about classroom procedures to get through the day. This approach worked wonders. 🌟
Here are some recommendations for a less stressful start to the first day of choir:
Before school starts:
📋 Print the most current copy of your class roster, knowing that new students may arrive unexpectedly.
📑 Sort the roster by last name, enlarge the font so that there are only two names per page, then print and cut in half for name tags.
📝 Make extra copies of any handouts you plan to distribute.
🔠 Place name tags in alphabetical order by last name in rows in your choir room. This helps students find their seats quickly and alleviates first-day anxiety. You can meet students at the door and instruct them to find their name tag. This makes for a quick start to class and an easy way to take attendance.
📚 If possible, place any handouts on the seats under the name tags. This saves time during class. Don’t forget to have a couple of extra seats set up for late-registering students.
Things I avoid on the first day:
❌ Passing out or assigning choir folders or sheet music, as rosters often change in the first few days of school.
❌ Assigning students to a seating chart by voice part, since voices can change over the summer.
❌ Distributing the Choir Handbook, as students are already inundated with rules and permission slips.
What I focus on for the first day:
Necessary classroom procedures, singing, and fun! 🎤🎶
My go-to lesson plan for the first day of choir:
🪑 Students sit in their assigned seats.
👋 Brief welcome from the teacher.
🎵 Students stand and sing a quick and easy song by rote.
🎤 Explanation of vocal ranges, followed by vocalizing together as a class in high and low ranges.
✍️ Students fill out a quick “Getting to Know You” form, noting their preferred vocal part and any other relevant information I might need to know.
🎲 Play an icebreaker game like “Choir Bingo” to get students out of their seats and interacting.
📚 Review the most important classroom procedures, such as entering and leaving the room, and what to expect the next day. If time allows, play a Choir Classroom Procedure review game. My review game includes a beach ball for added fun.
This plan packs a lot into the first day, but it’s essential to deliver necessary information quickly and in a fun way. After all, sitting in a classroom all day after two months at home can be tough! (For the teacher, too!)😅
The good news is, I have everything you need for a successful (and less stressful) first day of choir! I’ve done the work for you! 🎉
Activities for the First Day(s) of Choir Include:
📋 A Lesson Plan for the first day of Choir.
📝 Miscellaneous Suggestions for the first week of Choir.
🎲 Choir Bingo - Icebreaker game with 5 different cards to get students moving and interacting with each other.
✍️ “Getting to Know You” Form - Quickly gather information about students’ voice types and vocal goals, with three different form choices to fit your needs (including a bonus “Doodle Page” for the backside of the form).
🎶 A list of 20 Quick and Easy Songs to teach your choir in one class period.
🎯 Choir Room Procedure Review Game - Establish classroom management and create a fun choir environment with these 2 games, usable year-round for review.
Let’s make the first day of choir enjoyable and stress-free together! 😊
Happy Singing! 🎤
