Amy M. Burns

Elementary Music Technology and Integration

Amy M. Burns has taught PreK-grade 4 general music for over 25 years at Far Hills Country Day School (FH) (https://www.fhcds.org/). She also teaches grade 5 instrumental class, directs the FH Modern Band, is the Performing Arts Department Manager, and teaches privately in the after-school conservatory, having served as director for over 20 years. She has authored four books and numerous articles on integrating technology into the elementary music classroom. She has presented many sessions on the topic, including four keynote addresses in TX, IN, St. Maarten, and AU. She is the recipient of the 2005 Technology in Music Education (TI:ME) Teacher of the Year, the 2016 New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) Master Music Teacher, the 2016 Governor’s Leader in Arts Education, the 2017 NJ Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year, and the 2026 NJMEA Distinguished Service Awards. Her most recent publication, Using Technology with Elementary Music Approaches (2020), is available from Oxford University Press (OUP) and Amazon. Burns is also the Community Coordinator for Midnight Music (MMC) at https://midnightmusic.com/, the General Music Chair for NJMEA Board of Directors, and the Elementary Music Consultant for MusicFirst (https://www.musicfirst.com/), a company built by music educators for music educators, dedicated to helping music teachers and their students make the most of technology in the classroom.

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4/22: Reduce Reuse Recycle Play-Along for Ukulele and Classroom Instruments

April 13, 2025  /  Amy M. Burns

With Earth Day next week, it is always important to keep the 3Rs in mind. In particular, we refer to the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Jack Johnson's song of the same name is composed of two basic chords - C and G. The C chord is a great starting point for beginners on the ukulele. This song can be a valuable tool for students to learn G.

Teaching the Play-Along: Tips and Tricks

To make teaching the play-along more manageable, I've created a Powerpoint that includes the various rhythm patterns found in the video. The song's structure consists of an Intro, Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, Chorus, Verse 3, and ends with a dance party. The classroom instruments play during the intro and choruses, while the ukuleles play throughout most of the song. Here's how I teach it:

  • Level 1: I introduce the C chord and prompt students to strum only when the blue box is around C.

  • Level 2: Next, I teach them the G chord and have them play only when the blue box is around G.

  • Level 3: Finally, they play both chords.

These levels are helpful to ensure that students with varying levels of experience playing the ukulele can perform at a level they feel comfortable with.

Incorporating Classroom Instruments

In certain instances, classroom instruments, such as drums and maracas, are utilized during the introduction and chorus of a performance. To ensure proper volume, select the appropriate performers for the instruments. This can also aid in providing sufficient instruments that correspond with the number of students in the class.

Coming Soon!


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