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Are your middle-teen students bored with the same music practice activities and lessons? Shake things up a bit with new music activities for middle school students to reinforce theory skills and keep the classroom as engaging as ever. From middle school musical games to musical escape rooms (yes, the real thing!), we’ve got everything you need to keep the sounds of joy going.
Music Warmers for Middle Schoolers
If your middle schoolers (and you!) are tired of the tried and true warm-up, find some super fun ways to get them in the mood for music. These warm-up activities align with the National Music Education Standards (NAfME) to engage students in music from the start of class.
- Call and Answer: Choose a singer to play or sing a few bars, then have the whole group play it back. Repeat until everyone is on board.
- Student Conductor: Invite one student to perform a warm-up scale for the band or choir at any speed they want (and the singers should follow along!).
- Breathing power: Practice taking enough breaths with sections of singers or breath players by taking a breath, then “hit it” to get as many beats as possible.
Increase the level of your musical practice
Combine your vocal and instrumental warm-up with a variety of exercises to start the music session. Whether it’s scales, arpeggios, or another option, you’ll get the class started with dulcet tones sooner than gathering everyone’s attention first.
Central Warm Up | Middle School Concert Band Major Scale Warmups
They are Class Composers
Grades: 7th-9th
Subjects: Instrumental Music, Other (Performing Arts)
If your middle school musicians have passed level one tests, this intermediate warm-up is what you need to improve their skills. Warming up to the Bb, Eb, F, Ab, and C concerto encourages students to work on long tones, learn rhythms, and key signatures they will need.
Middle School Musicals
From planning after-work class sessions to finding ways to celebrate Music in Our Schools Month, games are always a popular choice in the music classroom! Use these middle school music games indoors or outdoors to reinforce musical concepts and get students working together in a fun way.
- Music Staff Twister: Lay down five lines of duct tape as staff in the classroom or outside on the floor, call out the note, and see which students get to the correct place on the staff first.
- Guess the Song: Play the first eight notes of popular or classic songs (or songs the students have sung before) and see which group can guess the fastest.
- Create Tool: Challenge students to create the best tool using materials they have, or a collection of materials you have in the classroom.
Use music escape rooms to teach and connect
Can your students work together to escape the musical escape room? Help them apply the concepts of music and teamwork to a selection of fun (and educational!) music performances for middle school band and choir students.
Music Escape Room #2 (Groups use music theory clues to solve puzzles) Band, Choir
By Group Directors Talking Shop
Grades: 8th-11th
Subjects: Instrumental Music, Vocal Music
Your young musicians may not want to escape the music stage—until now! Set up a mystery escape room that uses music theory to solve clues. The resource is best for middle and high school students, especially if they have 2-5 years of playing experience.
Professional Music Theory Careers
Advanced music students may need options to develop and improve their musical skills. Find music activities for middle school students to work on music theory concepts, either in advanced music classes or toward the end of a music appreciation unit.
- Match Note: Play a note for your class, then ask them to sing or play the note they identify (bonus points if they can say the note).
- Large/small skits: Encourage the students to develop a skit with the group, then change the music to a minor or major tune so the players can change the tone of their skit.
- Music Matching: Give the staff different note cards, one for each student, and encourage them to get into groups to create a song.
Apply music theory concepts to popular songs
Your students are already experts in music theory — they just don’t know it yet! Use projects based on their current favorite songs to reinforce important music theory ideas and concepts.
Song of My Life – Music Analysis Materials for Distance Learning
By Teaching From the Stage
Grades: 4th-9th
Subjects: Instrumental Music, Other (Performing Arts)
Perfect for band, choir, music appreciation, or middle school students who love music, this resource is a fun way to combine music analysis and art communication. Students create a playlist of songs that represent their personality, along with a written component, cover art, and a complete analysis of one song in their repertoire.
Class Activities for Young Artists
For grade-specific performance, you will need music activities for middle school students to collaborate with peers who play the same instruments or vocal parts. Work on these skills in focused ways with class activities and games that build confidence, friendships, and musical skills.
- Download: Master run and trick parts by slowing it down, then have the singers or band members in the section play it a few times before speeding it up.
- Class Transfer: Have one singer in each instrument section or choir start playing or singing, then have the next person take over quickly after a few bars until everyone in the section is playing.
- New Iron Day: Transfer different instruments to each section (such as maracas or tambourines) and see if they can play their familiar parts in a new way.
Find categories that work on specific musical skills
Not every practice has to be a full orchestra or choir rehearsal. Let the sections break up and work on their parts and skills with assigned tasks and projects specific to their instrument or voice part.
Ukulele Task Cards for the Music Room
Written by Aileen Miracle
Grades: 4th-8th
Subjects: Instrumental Music, Vocal Music
Add something to your ukulele lesson with activity cards that get kids learning – and most importantly, playing! These 64 music activity cards come in both color and black and white versions, and include instructions for practicing chords (C major, A minor, F major, G major, C7, G7, D major, and E major), beat patterns, ear training, and more.
Substitute Day Activities for Music Class
If there is a substitute teacher in the music class, the practice may not go as planned. Have activities ready for small days, including improv activities and worksheets, to keep students’ music education on track.
- Music Scavenger Hunt: Divide students into groups and play several songs, encouraging groups to “discover” different genres (such as jazz, classical, pop, and country).
- Favorite Song: Give students one minute to find a peer who has the same favorite song (or artist) as them. They can then spend time researching or analyzing a song and/or artist to determine what makes it good.
- Chord Bingo: Call out the song and ask students to mark one of their Bingo sheets (or play it on their instruments).
Encourage music students on non-music days
A small day doesn’t have to be a day of lost instruction in music class. Use these travel-friendly activities and music worksheets for middle schoolers to keep practicing, even when their conductor isn’t around.
Music Theory Worksheets – Music Performances for Middle School and Undergraduate Programs
Via MusicTeacherResources
Grades: 5th-8th
Subjects: Instrumental music
Do your middle schoolers love music and puzzles? Combine their interests in a music theory review challenge, which includes puzzles based on music symbols they’ve seen in class before. Use the resource on a short day, the day after a concert, or any other time when students can’t play their instruments.
50 Writing Prompts for the Music Classroom – Upper Elem & Intermediate
With music by Sara Bibee
Grades: 4th-8th
Subjects: Music, Writing
Bring ELA skills to the music classroom when you incorporate these music prompts into your performing arts curriculum. Editable and flexible for musicians of all levels, these prompts encourage students to think about their relationship with music as they complete worksheets that link to the slides.
Make every day musical in middle school with TPT
Finding the right music activities for middle school students keeps them busy, practicing their skills, and building relationships with other musicians. With a variety of middle school music resources to choose from, you’ll always hit the right note! For more ideas to shake things up in the music classroom, check out this list of music activities for first graders that you can use as inspiration for original lessons.
