How to Teach Music Literacy with Movement: The Best Elementary Music Lesson Using ‘How to Speak Moo

The Best Book for Teaching Music Fundamentals in the Elementary Classroom

Tell a student a fact, and they may remember it for a day. Tell them a story, and they’ll remember it for a lifetime.

That’s why I love using “How to Speak Moo” by Deborah Fajerman in my elementary music classroom, especially for grades K-2. This book is the perfect first lesson of the year—a fun, engaging way to introduce or review the fundamentals of music through playful exploration and storytelling.

With just one book, students will experience:
✔ Piano & Forte (soft and loud)
✔ Staccato & Legato (bouncy and smooth)
✔ High & Low Pitch
✔ Watching and Responding to a Conductor

But this isn’t just another read-aloud—it’s a full-body musical experience! From controlling their voices based on my conducting to embodying different types of “moos” (like wobbly, smooth, and bouncy), students are actively engaged in developing their musical skills while having a blast.

Ready to see how this works in action? Let’s dive into this lesson and bring “moo-sic” to life in your classroom!

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The Perfect Story for Teaching Music Literacy: “How to Speak Moo”

Looking for an engaging, interactive way to introduce or review music fundamentals in your elementary music classroom? How to Speak Moo by Deborah Fajerman is a must-have for K-2 music lessons! This book is packed with opportunities to reinforce essential music concepts—all while having an absolute blast.

I love using this book as my very first lesson of the school year, and again as a review before summer break. It sets the tone for a fun, structured classroom while seamlessly introducing (or reinforcing) key musical concepts like:

  • Piano & Forte (soft and loud)
  • Staccato & Legato (short and smooth articulation)
  • High & Low Pitch (great for vocal exploration!)
  • Conducting & Musical Cues (helping students follow direction)
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Bringing “Moo” to Life in the Music Room

At the start of the lesson, I tell my students that they’re about to learn an entirely new language in just one day—the language of Moo! Instantly, curiosity and excitement fill the room.

As I read through the book, students get to experience each type of “moo”—but only when I give them the cue! They quickly learn that their voices must stay off until I hold out my hand, signaling it’s their turn to moo. Once I drop my hand, silence returns. This structure not only keeps students engaged but also reinforces listening skills and classroom management in a fun and natural way.

Exploring Musical Opposites Through Movement

While high, low, soft, and loud are fairly intuitive, some of the book’s descriptions require extra creativity. For example:

  • Jiggly Moo – Students imagine holding a bowl of Jell-O (without the mess, of course!). Using one hand as their “cow” and the other as the wobbly surface, they shake and wiggle their hands while making a MoOooOoo sound.
  • Bouncy Moo – Students lightly jump or bounce on their toes as they say “Moo,” connecting articulation to movement.
  • Smooth Moo – A long, gliding movement reinforces the feeling of legato phrases.

By physically acting out each “moo,” students build a deeper connection to musical expression while staying fully engaged.

Bringing It All Together

By the end of the book, my students are fully engaged and eager to show off what they’ve learned. To reinforce music vocabulary, I have students pick their favorite “moo” to perform while still watching my conducting hand. Then, we transition into discussing the correct musical terms:

Me: “What type of moo do you think this is?”
Students: “Loud!”
Me: “That’s correct…but wait a minute! I would never say the word ‘loud’ in a music classroom! I would use a music word! Does anyone remember the music word for loud?”
Students: “Forte!”

This simple exchange helps students transfer abstract concepts—like dynamics and pitch—into something concrete and memorable.

Why This Lesson Works

This book isn’t just fun—it’s an incredible way to introduce and reinforce essential music concepts while promoting active listening, vocal exploration, and movement-based learning. I’ve had such success with this lesson that I use it at the beginning of every school year to refresh students’ musical knowledge while letting them know how much I missed seeing them!

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