Free Online Music Lessons for Elementary Students – Boom Cards to Build Skills
Motivate students and revitalize teaching while building music reading skills with these free online music lessons for elementary students.
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Since the pandemic, our elementary music lesson plans have evolved. Teachers have discovered that digital music activities are a valuable tool for our elementary music classrooms.
If you have not tried our Music Literacy Boom Cards, these free primer sets are the perfect place to start. Scroll down and pick out a few decks to take for a test drive in your classroom. Then, leave a review on TpT to help other music teachers find these free resources.
Enjoy!
What’s in this post? Click to open the Table of Contents
Create a FREE Boom Learning Account
To use Boom Cards with your students, you’ll need a Boom Learning teacher account. Boom offers various levels of teacher accounts, including a 100% FREE option. For most music teachers with large numbers of students, I recommend the free account. With the free account, you won’t need to set up and/or maintain individual student accounts or logins. It’s a breeze!
Click Here to create your FREE account on Boomlearning.com. (This is my referral link you may use at no cost.)
Easy-to-Use Boom Cards Motivate Students
Boom Cards are NOT fluff games. They’re the perfect tool for building and assessing genuine music literacy skills. Our music literacy series includes introductory music staff skills, ear training, melodic and rhythmic dictation, note name identification, and more. Plus, Boom Cards are self-checking and provide students with instant feedback. Students may repeat the same set as needed to improve their scores. The game-like atmosphere inspires students to boost their scores and earn rewards.
Boom Cards are easy to assign and use. They may be assigned with Google Classroom, your school’s learning management systems (LMS), email, QR codes, and/or FastPlay or FastPin Links.
Our sequential sets follow a structure similar to instrumental method books, introducing one element at a time. Many of the upper levels of these sequential Boom Cards sets will challenge even middle school students and adults.
Not Convinced Yet? See Music Dictation Boom Cards in Action.
The video below demonstrates our Free Melodic Dictation Primer Set – So, Mi. Turn your sound on, then, click to listen.
(Note: Even though the YouTube video says “paid promotion” all of the resources included in this post are 100% free to download and use.)
Click to download the link to the Free Melodic Dictation (Key of C) set and detailed directions for use.
How to Get Started Using Music Reading Boom Cards
Boom Cards are easy to use but we have compiled some beneficial tips to help you get a smooth start. If you have never used Boom Cards, see the post below to get a quick, efficient start.
Deliver Whole Class Lessons Using Music Boom Cards
Our Music Boom Cards are NOT designed to be used only as a 1:1 activity with each student on their own device. They’re also perfect for centers or stations. But my favorite way to use them is as whole group activities.
See the post below for more ways to use these fun music reading activities in a large-group classroom setting with limited technology.
FREE Sets for Your Elementary Music Lesson Plans
I have included all of our free sets in this post. Be sure to check back periodically to see new activities as they are added. Better yet, Click Here to Follow “Mi” on TpT. You’ll receive an email from TpT when we post new resources.
Click each image below to download the link to each set from TpT. If you don’t have a TpT account, you’ll need to create one. Just follow the prompts. It’s simple and free.
Important Notes for Using Elementary Music Boom Cards
Below are important takeaways to help you get started on the right path.
- Must have online access. Boom Cards are an online platform. The user must have internet access to use the activities.
- Set up a FREE account. Because music teachers have large numbers of students, I recommend you set up a FREE account and use the FastPin or FastPlay option when you assign Boom Cards activities.
- New to Boom Cards? See this post for information about Getting Started and Using the FREE FastPin Option. The post includes a short video that demonstrates the process and will get you started on the right note.
- Simple way to assess students. Require students to submit a screenshot of their scores to hold them accountable and check for their understanding.
- Fix mistakes. Our Boom Cards are designed such that when students make a mistake, they should listen again and correct it. This is a vital part of the learning process. However, if students get the wrong answer the first time, the platform counts the answer as wrong and that will be reflected in their score.
- Repeat the same set. Allow students to practice the same deck multiple times to improve their scores.
- Share links privately. As long as you share links only with your students through a private platform (Google Classroom, LMS, etc.), you may assign any of our helpful sets, either paid or free, to all of your students in your classes, private studio, or at home.
- Follow copyright. Please do NOT post or share direct links in a public setting (like your website.) This is a violation of copyright. Please refer your music teacher friends to our website or our TpT Store.
Please Leave Feedback to Help Our Small Team
If you like these complementary activities, please take a minute to leave feedback on TpT. We have worked hard to help you and when you leave positive feedback you help us. If you have never left feedback before, it’s quick and easy.
Follow these steps.
- Log into your TpT account.
- Click your name/logo/photo in the upper right-hand corner.
- From the dropdown menu, click on “My Purchases”.
- You will see your paid purchases and free downloads.
- Click the “Leave a Review” button and follow the prompts.
TpT wants authentic feedback. So they don’t allow you to review purchases/downloads for the first 24 hours.
Music Education Sequential Boom Cards Series
If you need more advanced music literacy sets, take a peek at the following sequential series. Boom Learning allows you to “play” the first four cards of each set so you know if each deck meets the needs of your classroom.
- Developing Music Staff Skills
- Rhythmic Dictation Series
- Melodic Dictation Series (Key of F)
- Melodic Dictation Series (Key of C)
- Melodic Dictation Series (Key of G)
- Treble Clef Note Names Complete Bundle
- Bass Clef Note Name Complete Bundle
- Rhythm Pattern Identification Series
- Identifying Melodic Patterns (Key of F)
- Identifying Melodic Patterns (Key of C)
- Identifying Melodic Patterns (Key of G)
Note: The links above are to the TpT listings. Boom Cards may also be purchased directly through Boom Learning. (Boom Learning uses a point system where you purchase and redeem points.)
Valuable Addition to Your Elementary Music Lesson Plans
Music Boom Cards are a valuable supplemental tool for the music classroom. They inspire and motivate students even giving them the option to practice outside of class if desired.
Add a few of these free sets to your elementary music lesson plans and give them a try with your students. You and your students will be glad you did.
Enjoy!
5 FREE Sets of Boom Cards Sent Directly to Your Inbox
Get 5 FREE sets of Music Boom Cards sent directly to your inbox when you subscribe to our no-cost elementary music email newsletter. This includes 4 of the sets featured here and one of our more advanced paid sets along with tips and techniques for use. 😊
Everything You Need to Know About Using Music Boom Cards
- Free Video Tutorials for Elementary Music Teachers
- Innovative Ways to Use Boom Cards in Music Classes
- How to Use Boom Cards to Develop and Assess Music Reading Skills
- Free Online Music Lessons for Elementary Students – Boom Cards to Build Music Skills
- Complete Guide – How to Use Boom Cards in the Music Classroom
Meet the Author
Terri Lloyd is a former elementary music teacher with over 25 years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Music, a Master of Science in Education, and a Technology Certificate in Instructional Design.
She is currently active in music education through blogging, workshops, and curriculum development. She serves on the music staff at her church and volunteers for an after-school children’s program. Terri is an active musician in the community, performing in a local Big Band, pit orchestras, and various events.
Thank you so very much for everything that you are doing to help support, guide, and show the love. I really appreciate your blog and am grateful for the boom cards that you gifted. I had not set up a boom account until. Your direction were clear and easy. I am looking forward towards tomorrow, Monday, and the rest of the weeks ahead. We are in “harmony” and enjoying music and arts exploration in new, creative, fun ways… thanks in part to to gracious individuals sharing their gifts and talents to help further us all along together. ~~ I hope you have a fantabulous week!
Thank you Melanie. I am glad these activities have been helpful to you. Best wishes!
I am a private piano teacher whose students would greatly benefit from these activities. Because of Covid-19, I have had to move all of my lessons online. Am I eligible for the free account also?
Hi Charlene. Boom always offers free BASIC memberships. They are a very generous company, especially in their support of teachers and schools who have been affected by COVID-19. I am not sure if they would extend the offer of a free Ultimate membership to teachers with private studios. The link to inquire is https://wow.boomlearning.com/covid. I hope this is helpful to you. Best wishes!