Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: For Movers and Shakers
(Instrument Play with Movement)
Lower Elementary (1-2)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about playing shakers to show steady pulse—with shoulder moves to add some fun. It goes with “True Blue” by Andrew Blythe and Marten Joustra (2011) and “Sassy Lady” by John Ashton Thomas (2011) because these tracks support a shake, shake, shake (lol).
Pedagogical Foundations
Movers and Shakers get stuff done!
By definition, movers and shakers are actively engaged AND disrupt a bit. They challenge norms, creatively participate, and often influence/inspire others.
When I think about being a “teacher mover or shaker” these 3 questions come to mind:
Do I do anything that could be considered as being above and beyond?
What have I initiated lately? OR What cool thing could I initiate that would be beneficial (and awesome) for students, my school, and/or the community?
Am I doing X, Y, and Z because that’s the way it always happens OR could I change something to shake it up some?
Yes, it’s absolutely demanding to meet music students where they are (in all the ways), develop lesson plans, advance required learning targets and assessments, prepare students for public performances, and stay current on teaching techniques, resources, and trends, for example—but in my view sometimes it’s the “extra” things we do as teachers that bring the kind of excitement and energy that make teaching—and learning—powerful.
Years ago I hosted an annual high school choir invitational festival that brought hundreds of singers together at my school for a day-long event. As part of the festival, each choir was showcased performing a set of their music during an evening concert. This created a full concert of music AND gave students a chance to hear choirs from other schools. Additionally, the concert closed with a grand finale where all of the students performed 3 songs together! Sometimes we had special guest conductors for the finale—sometimes it was me or one of the high school teachers in attendance. The finale provided a larger-than-possible-at-1-school-alone element where students got to perform in a massive ensemble, and oftentimes, perform repertoire they wouldn’t otherwise get to perform. This was above and beyond in lots of ways (lol).
Taking initiative usually comes with more to do… I know. BUT, in my festival example above, my initiative created an annual event that was something to look forward to by many people. It also gave me the opportunity as a teacher to showcase my students, choose repertoire for the finale, conduct that massive choir, and bring people together to make art beyond the normal experiences at their school. My initiative to create and host the festival sparked additional initiatives as years went by to change it up some every time to keep it fresh for the students, teachers, and audiences—and for me (lol).
Sure, it may have been easier to repeat everything about the festival each year, and of course many things actually did stay the same (e.g., location, arrival time, concert length and time, individual choir performances and a grand finale) but I recall reflecting each year thinking about what should continue as a tradition of the event, and what could be improved and built upon. It evolved.
At the time I wasn’t trying to be a mover or a shaker (lol); rather I was trying to give students, teacher colleagues, and me a meaningful musical experience that we couldn’t do alone. It was about coming together in October to share music at the start of a school year with a big event that wasn’t risky or high stakes for any of the choral ensembles just getting started each fall. Additionally it was also about (hopefully) providing students with a musical memory of a lifetime.
Okay, we all know that we make choices and find time for things we value. I posit that making things happen, taking initiative, and disrupting tradition can energize teaching and make a real difference. These actions (beyond what is required) give us something exciting to work toward—a goal. They also make space for us as teachers to engage in creative pedagogy where we make decisions and artistic choices that support students in new ways and pushes boundaries between tradition and tomorrow.
Call to Action
Think about what you do AND what you might like to do, then come on everyone…let’s keep moving and shaking to advance music education (lol)!
Today’s teaching strategy includes the opportunity for students to playfully play instruments and shake a steady beat (micro- and macro). I hope you give it a try with your students. But first, let me remind you who I am:
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Today we are going to play shakers! We have egg shakers and maracas—and will use them both.
ProTIP: Any shaker instrument will work here.
Distribute instruments (1 pair per student), play the recording of “True Blue” and invite students to copy how you are playing:
2 Hands Playing a Repeated Ta-di Microbeat Steady Beat.
ProTIP: Begin shaking at 0.7 following a brief introduction. There are stop time breaks in the track at 0.28 and 0.58.
Using these breaks to stop shaking the steady beat and begin anew when the music returns requires students to focus and develop the ability to quickly lock in the pulse each time.
Now we are going to add shoulder movement as we play! We are going to make our shoulders dance to the music! Watch me to know what to do.
Play the recordings of “True Blue” and guide students make their shoulders dance as they play the shakers.
ProTIP: Shoulder movements add a playful element and will result in greater physical participation while playing. This should be animated and fun. Dancing shoulders may be an alternating RLRL to the Macrobeat BUT there really is no wrong way for shoulders to dance while playing shakers here (lol).
ProTIP: Students may have difficulty stopping playing with the dancing shoulders component during stop time breaks since there is more to manage (lol). Let them have fun and laugh together if they cannot immediately stop… They’ll get it!
Materials/Set Up
Maracas and/or Egg Shakers (1 Pair Per Student)
🎵 Andrew Blythe and Marten Joustra "True Blue” (2011) Link to Track on Spotify
🎵 John Ashton Thomas “Sassy Lady” (2011) Link to Track on Spotify
EXTEND the Learning:
Direct students to put 1 shaker down and hold the remaining shaker in their right hand. Place the shaker in the palm of your left hand like this (demonstrate). Now we are going to tap our shaker into the palm of our hand to the steady beat.
Play the recording of “Sassy Lady” and lead students to tap a “Ta” Macrobeat steady beat with the track.
ProTIP: There is no introduction so be ready to lead students in right away. There are stop time breaks in the track at 0.28 and 0.58.
ProTIP: Tapping the Macrobeat into a palm rather than shaking it in the air gives opportunity for more control of the “big” beat.
Which way did you like to play your shaker: shaking with 2 hands and shoulders dancing or tapping your shaker on the palm of your hand? What did you like best about your choice?
ProTIP: Asking students to express preferences is an essential part of music learning and growth. Even our youngest students have preferences… periodically ask them to share!
Have students make a personally decorated recycled shaker using a small plastic bottle filled with rice or beads. Use this idea as an opportunity to collaborate with the classroom or art teacher and have students play their homemade instruments in class and/or in a concert!
Learning Targets
Play, Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond with instruments to show Microbeat (Ta-di) and Macrobeat (Ta)* steady beats
Create personal interpretations via movement
Perform a steady beat using instruments
Assessment
Informal Observation/FormativeAssessment
*This only happens in the EXTEND the Learning section of this teaching strategy.
Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!