Best High and Low Music Activities for Kindergarten and Grade 1

Knowing the difference between high and low is a foundational skill in elementary music as it prepares students to sing in tune. Some students need lots of practice with the concept to be able to truly master it. So, in kindergarten and even the beginning of grade 1, it is one of my key and first lessons to teach. 

But how exactly can you teach such a broad concept to elementary age students? My solution is to make it relatable to everyday life and keep them engaged by using different teaching techniques and instruments! 

In my TPT store, I have a complete lesson pack that I use to teach my elementary music students about high and low. It includes everything you need- lesson plans, projectables, and worksheets. 

Check out the lesson pack here!

​High and Low in our World
Where to start? For me, the first step in teaching the difference between high and low sounds is to have students identify different high and low sounds in our world. For instance, a bird singing has a high sound, and a bear growling has a low sound. I have my students come up with their own ideas of things that sound high and low. Then I will show students pictures of different objects, vehicles, and animals and have them sort them into high and low sounds. 

Now that we’ve talked about high and low sounds in the world, let’s move to things that can make high and low sounds, right here in our music classroom- our voices and instruments.
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Hearing and making high and low sounds with your voice. 
I like to find the high and low sounds in our voices because this is great preparation for singing. I will give each of my students a High and Low paddle (which can be grabbed as a freebie here) 

I will sing familiar songs and nursery rhymes in a high and low voice. As I sing, the students show me if I am singing high or low using their paddles. After students have practiced hearing the high and low sounds with my voice, I pull out the vocal explorations so that they can practice using their voices to make high and low sounds. 

Vocal explorations are an excellent way for students to practice moving their voices higher and lower. Essentially, students follow the line with their voice; when the line goes up, their voice goes up, and so on. I will have a student come and follow the line using a pointer, which they love! 

Vocal explorations are incredibly easy to create - you could even have your students make their own. However, if you want some that are ready to go, check out these ones!

Hearing and making high and low sounds with instruments 
This section, right here, is what makes teaching and learning about high and low engaging for my students and me. I love opportunities to get my students playing instruments. 

When I first start showing high and low on an instrument, I bring the opposite paddles back out and play different pitches on the piano- using their paddles, students show me if the pitch is high or low. 

Then comes my favourite part: we start exploring all of the other instruments in the classroom. I will let the students each choose one random instrument to bring and bring it to the carpet. The key is you can’t ruin the mystery and have it play before you come to the carpet. Once all the students have chosen their instruments, we make predictions about whether the instrument will sound high or low, and the students get to play it. This is such an engaging activity for my students; I love doing it once the honeymoon stage has worn off, at the beginning of the year, because it is sure to reel them back in!

Another way that I will have students use instruments to investigate high and low sounds is on Orff instruments. Especially with poems that talk about things going up and down- think Jack and Jill, Hickory Dickory Dock, Way Up High in the Apple Tree. As the poem talks about going up, the students play high on their xylophones, as the object or person falls, the students play low on their xylophones. If you’d like to learn more about how I use xylophones specifically to teach high and low with “Way Up High in the Apple Tree,” check out this blog post: 

Why Way Up High in the Apple Tree is a Staple in my Fall Music Plans​

​Listening to actual music for high and low sounds. 
Once we have created high and low sounds on our voices and found the instruments in the class that create high and low sounds, it’s time to start listening for high and low sounds in music. 

To start this, I have students lisent ot the Orchestra instruments and have them decide if they are high or low. The Utah Symphony and Utah Opera YouTube channels have comparison videos, where each instrument plays the Ode to Joy.​

Ode to Joy Comparison Videos

Students may have a hard time deciding, and this is a good time to tell students that there are also sounds that are in the middle and that there are instruments that can play high and low. 

After comparing the orchestra instruments, I have selected four classical music songs to reinforce the concepts of high and low. I usually have the students sit and listen once, then we talk about what they heard. Then we will listen to the song again and use the high-low paddles, flipping back and forth with what we hear.  Next, they listen, we will move to our spots to represent the music, and finally, we move around the room. Scarves or streamers are always a fun addition! Also, this does not happen in one day. Usually, it will be three days of listening to the same songs with a different “listening challenge” each day.  

• Fairies and Giants- I like using this song because it has a quick tempo and keeps the student's interest. Mrs Schoenbeck’s Music Room on YouTube has a great video that tells the students if it is the fairy or the giants moving. So make sure you check that out too! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV-QMPy-Wy8
• Hedwig’s Theme- I like using this one around Halloween because it is a little spooky. It is also a great opportunity to introduce John Williams as a composer 
• Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - This is suitable for discussing how music features both high and low sounds simultaneously. The first time that we move and listen, we will only move to the high sounds and freeze on the low sounds, then vice versa
• Mozart’s Requiem, K. 626 - I like to use this song because it is a vocal piece, and at the beginning, the high and low sounds are very clear, thanks to the male and female singers. When moving with this song, I have half of the class move during the soprano singers' singing and the other half move when the bass singers sing. This helps students really see and hear the changes 

You’ve Taught It, Now what 
High and low is something that I come back to year after year with my students. Every time we learn a new solfege, we talk about high and low. When we are learning to play melodies on pianos and xylophones, we talk about high and low. It’s not something you are ever done teaching. 

If you want some extra practice with your students, make sure to check out the high and low lesson pack in my TPT store. It not only gives you projectable slides to lead all of your lessons for high and low, but it also gives you tons of printables that are good for assessing, practicing, reviewing, and even leaving for sub plans. 

Purchase the high and low lesson kit here!

I will also forever recommend  Linda McPherson’s high and low interactive games- my students still ask to play them in grade 4.​

​Teaching high and low sounds in elementary music sets the stage for so many future music skills—from singing in tune to understanding melody and pitch. By making the concept fun, relatable, and hands-on, you provide your students with the foundation they need while keeping them engaged. Whether it’s sorting everyday sounds, exploring with instruments, moving to music, or using vocal play, there are numerous ways to make high and low sounds meaningful and memorable. 

If you're looking to save time and bring even more clarity and creativity into your classroom, be sure to check out my High and Low Lesson Pack on TPT—it’s full of ready-to-use resources to help you hit the ground running.

Happy teaching!
~Jayna~