The Morning Soundtrack

There is always a buzz at the beginning of the day. Students have a lot to unpack. They have pencils to sharpen. They want to catch up with each other. To help calm the chaos, our class will use a "morning soundtrack."

Right after the class answers the daily attendance question, I start the song. Students have until the song ends to complete the process of unpacking and getting settled. They will become familiar with the songs and anticipate how much time they have left. This allows them to pace themselves and get our day started in a very timely manner.

For the first trimester, I selected five upbeat songs that I hope will appeal to the kids and provide just enough time to take care of business. I play a different one each day of the week. Students' suggestions will determine the second and third trimesters' morning soundtracks.

The album cover of  Tuesday's song: Upside Down by Jack Johnson