Today’s Teaching Strategy: Put a Little Love in Your Heart
(Instrument Play: Free + Echo)
Elementary (Gr. 2)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about playing a favorite unpitched percussion instrument—because doing so makes the world a better place (lol)! It goes with “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” by Dolly Parton (1993) due to its message—and opportunity to honor this artist and bring an example of her music into today’s classroom—RIP Dolly Rebecca Parton (1946-2026).
Pedagogical Foundations
What’s on your list of favorites? No, seriously, what would you say?
My list includes favorite music, authors, foods, places, TV shows…and people I’ve met, for example. It includes big things like favorite cities (in case you’re curious Salvador de Bahia, Barcelona, Quebec City, Sorrento, Boston, Nashville, and Bath make my list) and small things like a favorite felt-tip pen I use to write a note with or favorite warm socks. My favorite things connect and draw me in. I simply like them…they resonate somehow.
In my mind, favorite things are comfortable and familiar. They have personal meaning based on a prior experience or deep memory. Favorites are subjective and are often connected to a feeling. Further, favorites are things we wish to repeat. Your favorite ice cream is rocky road? More of that please (lol)! We re-read, re-watch, and re-play our favorites over time…or want to, right?
Additionally, my current favorites include things today that probably were not favorites for me when I was a kid or maybe weren’t even favorites last week (lol)! A current favorite sweater fits the season, my mood, and how I want to be seen (a fashion identity). Each new situation, object, space, or experience has the potential to become a favorite. Thinking about that in terms of music teaching and learning brings me to 3 Qs:
What are our students’ favorite songs to sing or play?
What are their favorite instruments, you know the ones that elicit a “cheering” response when they see them as they enter the classroom?
What are our students’ favorite musical games or dances?
These “fan favorites” as I like to call them come about based on the art itself, yes. But here I’m talking about the song that has a compelling melody or driving beat that makes everyone get up and move. It’s the lyric that students relate to, tells a story, or paints a scene. I’m also talking about instruments that are fun to play because students never (or rarely?) see or get to play one in any other place but the music room. And wowza, when the music room erupts with students playing favorite musical games or dances! These learning experiences empower them to make music, respond to music, listen attentively, create, imitate, work together as a group, “compete” in teams, lead a partner, etc. How great is that!
We create fan favorites all the time as we teach students in music class. These student choices and preferences present authentically and organically based on the climate and dynamic established in the room, the school culture, and the sounds of music. In my view, we never expect a fan favorite, or directly state “hey students, this song is gonna be your favorite, let’s learn it!” (lol). Of course, we know songs that may be compelling to a particular class, age group, etc., but it’s only when students hear and/or perform a song that the real connection occurs. We teach and relate to the students in the room.
Finally, as music teachers, I’m sure your list of favorite music and musicians is HUGE, like mine—curated over a lifetime of listening, studying, practicing, going to concerts, and performing. I want that for all students.
Call to Action
Introduce students to an artist or musical selection from your list of favorites and tell them why it speaks to you. Lead a discussion about personal preferences and individual musical tastes to informally encourage students to consider their musical choices.
Today’s teaching strategy includes the opportunity for students to choose and play a favorite classroom percussion instrument, play freely and echo play rhythmic patterns—all while hearing an iconic artist! 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.
Set up the room with chairs in a circle with a large table in the center. Display classroom unpitched percussion instruments on the table (making sure to have at least 1 instrument per student).
Guide students to find and sit in a chair in the circle as they enter the room.
ProTIP: This can happen in the line as students walk in the room—sitting in line order, or invite students to randomly choose any chair (adding another choice element for them). Both are effective. Use the approach that works best in your teaching setting.
Today we are going to play our favorite instruments! Take a minute and look at the instruments on the table. Which are in your TOP 3 FAVORITES?
ProTIP: Having instruments on a table in the center of the circle in advance saves time and provides students with an exciting view as they enter the room.
ProTIP: Asking students to look at the instrument collection to identify a top 3 set of favorites focuses their decision making, and will likely ensure that they get to play one of the 3 instruments they picked.
Invite students to go to the table to select a favorite instrument to play and then return to their seat.
ProTIP: Identify an approach to having students go to the table to get an instrument to manage the distribution process and avoid a potential “rush” to the table (lol): Call individual students by name; count off 1s and 2s and have groups go to choose; call the instrument (Go to the table and get a triangle if that was one of your favorite instruments).
Play the recording of “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” and invite students to explore ways to play their (favorite) instrument with the track.
ProTIP: Time for free exploration to play instruments gives students artistic agency.
Now we will play a musical echo game! I will speak the phrase “Put a Little Love in Your” and then play a 4-beat rhythmic pattern on my instrument for everyone to copy. Echo me and play the same rhythmic pattern like we are having a follow-the-leader musical conversation!
Play the recording of “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” to anchor the game. Speak part of the song title (i.e., “Put a Little Love in Your”) followed by 4-beat rhythmic patterns for students to echo in turn each time.
ProTIP: Using the excerpt of the song title “Put a Little Love in Your” results in the informal idea of playing with love! It also provides space between the teacher’s pattern and student playing to give focus time.
ProTIP: This is the perfect opportunity to reinforce rhythmic patterns students are currently learning—and insert new ones to see how they play!
My Favorite Things Worksheet/Color Sheet
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
Materials/Set Up
Variety of Unpitched Percussion Instruments
DHMR “My Favorite Things Worksheet/Color Sheet”
Pencils, Crayons or Markers
🎵 Dolly Parton "Put a Little Love in Your Heart” (1993) Link to Track on Spotify
EXTEND the Learning:
Invite students to trade instruments to play more than one of their TOP 3 FAVORITES.
Invite all students with the same instrument to form groups (e.g., a tambourine group, drum group) to either play freely or echo patterns.
ProTIP: Having students come together in instrument groups fosters community among students with similar favorites, and reinforces the sound of each instrument by concentrating it in one area.
Distribute the DHMR “My Favorite Things Worksheet/Color Sheet” (1 per student) with pencils and crayons or markers and lead a discussion about favorite songs, foods, animals, and games. Invite students to:
Put their name and today’s date at the top of the worksheet.
Write the name of their favorite song in the box.
Color the foods and animals and circle their favorite from the options.
Write the name of their favorite game OR draw it!
Learning Targets
Play
Learning Outcomes
Respond with rhythmic patterns
Create personal interpretations
Perform on an instrument of choice
Assessment
Informal Observation/Formative Assessment
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!