Start the Year Confident and Organized
Whether you’re a first-year teacher, a recent music education graduate, or a seasoned educator feeling overwhelmed, one of the most powerful steps you can take is choosing the right materials for your elementary music classroom. But here’s the key: the best materials for your room depend on who you are as a teacher.
In this post (based on Episode 5 of the Start the Year Strong series), I’ll walk you through the tools that help me teach with confidence—materials that support movement-based learning, music literacy, and classroom management—and show you how to make the right choices for your personality and teaching goals.
Watch a Full Video Walk-Through Here~
Let’s Get Started
Start With Who You Are as a Teacher
Before diving into supply lists, take a moment to reflect:
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Are you highly organized or more spontaneous?
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Do you struggle to project your voice and manage a room?
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Do you need visual aids to stay on track?
Your classroom culture—and who you are as an educator—should directly influence your setup.
For example, if you find it hard to keep students’ attention or manage expectations without raising your voice, you’ll want to build out a visual earn system. (I walk through mine in Episode 1of the series. It’s a game-changer. Check it out below!)
My Philosophy and
Why My Tools Work
I believe that movement is music and that movement is learning. That belief shapes the tools I choose. I’m always looking for materials that get my students moving, thinking, and musically engaged—not just listening passively.
And don’t worry: we’ll talk all about budgeting and funding in an upcoming blog, so make sure to follow along on YouTube and check back here for more tips.
If you want a jumpstart, sign up for my Summer of Free promotion and get two months of The Soaring Scarves Academy curriculum totally free—complete with lessons, movement breaks, assessments, over 20 hours of professional development, scarf dancing, and more.
Top Elementary Music Materials to Start the Year Strong
1. A Way to Capture Students’ Curiosity Visually
Whether it’s a Smartboard, a projector, or a trusty old Tobi, your students need visual engagement. I use Google Slides in almost every lesson, even if it’s just to help me stay on track.
No Smartboard? No problem. Adapt to your space, but make sure there’s a visual focus.
2. Scarves
Yes, scarves are a staple. They’re why I started my business! Scarves are affordable, durable, and highly engaging. Students see them and instantly want to participate—which means they must meet expectations to earn them.
They’re also key for movement-based assessments, scarf dances, and concept reinforcement.
Watch my scarf dancing video here to see it in action.
Try Our Entire Curriculum For One Free Month!
3. Foundational Instruments
You don’t need a full band room to teach music literacy effectively. I recommend starting with:
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Boomwhackers
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Lummi sticks
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Hand drums
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Triangles
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Tambourines
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Egg shakers
These are perfect for steady beat, basic rhythms, and interactive play.
Stay tuned for my upcoming video on unique instruments I’ve added to my classroom like thumb pianos, bucket drums, and ukuleles!
4. Popsicle Sticks, Colored Pencils, and a Label Maker
These simple tools do so much:
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Popsicle sticks: Fantastic for rhythm patterns, beginner composing, and assessments.
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Colored pencils: Great for workbook activities and lesson extensions.
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Label maker: Essential for organization—and if you’re not naturally organized, it’s your new best friend.
5. Books, Books, Books
Every one of my favorite lessons starts with a story. Why? Because students remember stories.
Books are powerful for connecting movement, music literacy, and real-world application.
Check out one of my favorite story-based lessons, How to Speak Moo, in this video, and try it out for your first week.
One Final Tip: Classroom Candy
I call my most exciting materials “classroom candy.” These are the tools and activities your students visibly see and look forward to earning. Think parachutes, spotlight instruments, or the books and games you only bring out when behavior is on point.
Don’t give away everything too soon—use your materials as motivation and part of your management system.
Final Thoughts
There is no perfect teacher. But knowing who you want to be and surrounding yourself with the right materials will help you start the school year with confidence.
Get organized, stay authentic, and lean into your strengths.
And if you want a full curriculum of ready-to-use lessons, movement breaks, assessment tools, and more, don’t miss out on my Summer of Free offer. It’s the perfect way to explore what materials and methods work best for your teaching style.
Try Our Entire Curriculum For One Free Month!
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