If you have ever implemented music games in the classroom, you know how effective games are when it comes to engaging your students. We’ve partnered with veteran music teacher Terri Lloyd who uses Boom cards to integrate music games in the classroom and to make teaching music literacy easy and fun! Terri’s five-session video series will teach you everything you need to know about Boom cards.
You can get 3 free sets of Boom Cards for music games in the classroom and the training on how to use them through our free elementary music membership! We’ll also give you a certificate of professional development upon completion of the course.
Meet the teaching artist: Terri Lloyd
My name is Terri Lloyd. My mission is, and has been for many years, developing music literacy and performance skills for all students beginning in the elementary grades.
I have spent the majority of my career teaching elementary music in the Jefferson City Public Schools. During the height of the pandemic, I taught online music classes for the Missouri Launch program. My primary job now is serving as an educational consultant and creating music education resources to support other elementary teachers like you.
Like most music teachers, I have worn many different “hats” during my career. In addition to elementary music, I have also taught band in grades 5-12, as well as high school vocal music. Working as a part of the music staff at my church gives me great joy. I am an active performer in our community playing clarinet with Southside Philharmonic Orchestra and saxophone with Kapital Kicks Dance Band as well as performing in pit orchestras for local theatre groups.
I am kind of a technology nerd. Technology has been an important tool in my classrooms for many years. In fact, I was the first teacher in our building to get a SmartBoard! That does not happen very often in music classrooms.
When used correctly, technology can be a powerful tool. I enjoy harnessing that power and creating lessons that teach music literacy skills while being engaging for students and simple for teachers to implement.
Music games in the classroom: why use Boom Cards to teach music?
You have probably heard about Boom Cards, but you may not have used them before. Or, you may have used simple Boom Card activities that were lower-level recall activities and maybe you weren’t that impressed. Boom Cards can be an important tool in developing real music literacy skills.
Terri Lloyd will give you an introduction to Boom Cards and clear up some common misconceptions. She’ll show you how to use Boom Cards for rhythmic dictation and melodic dictation. Then she’ll point out common student mistakes using Boom Cards and how to correct them. Next, she’ll show you some of her melodic dictation sets in various keys. You’ll learn some of the advantages of using boom cards and how economical they are. You’ll also learn how to use Boom cards to provide differentiation for your students.
Music games in the classroom: how to set up a free teacher account and assign Boom Cards using the FastPlay link
Once you’ve seen what a valuable tool Boom Cards can be for developing students’ music literacy, it’s time to get started. In this video, you’ll learn how to set up a free teacher account. Then you’ll learn how to download your first free set of Boom Cards. Finally you’ll learn how to assign the deck to your students.
Terri Lloyd will show you where to go to obtain Boom Cards. She’ll walk you through the process of downloading and redeeming them. She’ll also show you how to use custom categories to find just the right kind of cards. Next, you’ll learn how to download Terri’s free Melodic Dictation Boom Cards set and extract pdf documents from the zip file.
Once you’ve got your free set of Boom cards, you’ll create your free teacher account and learn how to access Boom Cards from your library. You’ll learn how to assign Boom Cards to your students using a FastPlay link so that they can use the set without creating their own accounts. Terri will explain how fastplay links expire so you can plan ahead and will discuss copyright issues so you can avoid violating terms of use.
Music games in the classroom: Boom Cards student view and how to submit scores using a free teacher account
Once you have your free Boom account set up and a set of Boom Cards assigned to use with your students, you are ready to learn what it looks like from the students’ view. You will also learn a work-around to get student scores while using the free teacher account.
Terri will show you how to access Boom Cards from the students’ view so that you can see what they see. Next, she’ll show you how to use her So Mi Melodic Dictation Boom Cards set. Then you’ll learn how students can correct their mistakes. You’ll also learn how to submit students’ scores for grading. Finally, Terri will give you some account recommendations for an optimal Boom Cards experience.
Music games in the classroom: how to use Boom Cards as a large class activity in the elementary music classroom
You might be worried that Boom Cards aren’t an option for your elementary music classroom because your students don’t have devices to use them. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. In this video, Terri Lloyd will show you how you can use one set of Boom Cards with an entire class as a large group activity. This is perfect for teachers with limited access to technology in their music classrooms or teachers that want to create a sense of community with all students working together.
First, Terri will show you how to use her Rhythmic Dictation Boom Cards set. Then she’ll show you how to use a stick dictation. Additionally, you’ll learn how to use rhythm block manipulatives or printable paper manipulatives. Terri will show you how to use her most recommended teaching process with her Melodic Dictation Boom Cards set. Next, she’ll show you how to teach your students to identify rhythm patterns with the set. Finally, you’ll learn how to teach your students the treble clef note names.
Music games in the classroom: ways you can use Boom Cards to increase your students’ music literacy levels
In this video you will learn several different ways to use Boom Cards in your music classroom and/or studio. Terri Lloyd will show you how how to differentiate activities and “meet your students where they are.”
First, you’ll learn how not to use Boom Cards. Then you’ll learn various ways to use Boom Cards in your classroom. Terri will demonstrate differentiating instruction techniques. Next, you’ll learn additional techniques for using versatile Boom Cards. Additionally, Terri will make sure you know how to access her free Boom Cards decks and how to contact her with your questions, comments, and requests.
Professional Development Music Teachers
You can get 3 free sets of Boom Cards for music games in the classroom and the training on how to use them through our free elementary music membership! We’ll also give you a certificate of professional development upon completion of the course. Join our community to access these resources for free today!
More Resources from Terri Lloyd
Check out Terri Lloyd’s blog article on Ways to Use Boom Cards in Music Classes. Here’s a snippet of the article.
Use Boom Cards for Pre/Post Tests
These Boom Cards work well for pre/post tests. If students score above 90-95%, allow them to progress to the next set. If students score low on the pre-test, they may repeat and practice the same deck of cards until they reach proficiency.
Repetition and Practice
Repetition is important in learning any concept but especially music. Students may repeat and practice the same deck of Boom cards multiple times. Often students are not motivated to repeat or practice a skill. But Boom Cards provide incentive to perform better in order to earn gems, coins, & lightening bolts.
Decks are often set to randomize presenting “tasks” in a different order so students cannot simply memorize the order of the cards. Boom cards allow students to practice what they need to practice.
