Mortimer – The Back-to-School Music Lesson Every Elementary Music Teacher Needs

Mortimer – The Back-to-School Music Lesson Every Elementary Music Teacher Needs

If you’re looking for a fun, movement-filled, no-prep way to start your year, Mortimer is about to become your new favorite. This picture book isn’t just entertaining—it’s a goldmine for teaching music fundamentals like dynamics, steady beat, solfege, high vs. low pitch, ta & titi rhythms, and even introducing half notes (long taa). It’s so interactive your students will be singing, moving, acting, and laughing from the very first page.

This is why I consider it a staple for my elementary music classroom and why it deserves a place in every music teacher’s toolkit.

Watch a Full Video Walk-Through Here~

Let’s Get Started

Why Mortimer Works So Well for Back-to-School

Back-to-school lessons need to engage immediately, review or introduce core music concepts, and give you plenty of classroom management opportunities without being stressful to prep. Mortimer checks every box:

  • Zero-prep if you have the book (or can borrow it)

  • Packed with movement and participation so students aren’t sitting still too long

  • Gives kids multiple ways to experience dynamics and pitch

  • Easily adaptable for Kindergarten through 2nd grade

  • Perfect for setting the tone that music class is active, fun, and hands-on

Step Into the Lesson

1. Start with Solfege and Movement

We begin by reviewing Do–Sol (fixed do, middle C) and adding hand signs. To make it more fun, we put pitches into our bodies—squat for Do, tiptoes for Sol—turning a simple review into an energizing mini movement break. Students also get the chance to tap the board and identify pitches, which keeps them engaged and gives small wiggle breaks to those who need them.

2. Prepare for the Story with a Song

Before opening the book, I teach a short call-and-response:

Clang, clang, rattle, rattle, bing, bang,
Gonna make my noise all day!

We practice with the steady beat, talk about how rests still fit into the beat, and get ready to use it throughout the story.

3. Make the Story Come Alive

Here’s where the magic happens. As you read:

  • Thumps going upstairs become ascending solfege (Do–Sol or a descending version for going down)

  • Every character gets their own voice type:

    • Mom – high voice

    • Dad – low voice

    • Brothers & sisters – higher, playful voices

    • Policemen – deep, low voices

  • Students sing Mortimer’s song every time he disobeys and starts up again

They’re not just listening—they’re singing, moving, and acting the entire time.

Grab This Lesson- Plus Our Entire Curriculum For 1 Free Month!

Find Out More Here

4. From Story to Skills

Once the story wraps, we connect the fun to the music literacy:

  • Dynamics – Introducing or reviewing piano (quiet) and forte (loud)

  • Rhythm Analysis – Putting dynamics into ta and titi patterns

  • Half Note Intro – “Long taa” gets its first appearance, and students spot it in Mortimer’s song

  • Steady Beat Practice – Adding real rhythms to clang, clang, rattle, rattle, bing, bang

  • Pitch Sorting – A quick high vs. low activity to reinforce what they acted out in the story

Why This Lesson Is a Classroom Game-Changer

By the time you finish Mortimer, your students will have:

  • Acted out dynamics with their voices and bodies

  • Practiced steady beat multiple times in different contexts

  • Experienced high and low pitch visually, vocally, and kinesthetically

  • Reviewed or learned ta, titi, and half notes

  • Made connections between storytelling and music structure

And they’ll have done it all while laughing, moving, and singing—exactly how music learning should feel.

Final Thoughts

If you want a low-prep, high-engagement way to kick off your school year and introduce core music concepts, Mortimer is it. It’s memorable, musical, and movement-rich, giving your students a joyful first impression of music class while giving you valuable assessment moments without formal testing.

This isn’t just a book lesson—it’s a complete music experience that blends fun with fundamentals. Grab a copy, print your visuals, and watch your students fall in love with both Mortimer and music from day one.

Happy playing,
Leanna O’Brien
Founder of The Soaring Scarves Academy

Check Out Some of Our Other Articles Here!

Post Views: 879

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *