This post has been on my mind for months – literally! I started drafting this in early September and am just sitting down to finish it in mid-November. As much as I love sharing my passion for teaching with all of you, teaching takes it toll on the best of us. It’s been a busy year, but I’m hoping we’re hitting our stride 10 weeks in! And just in time as I started my ukulele unit with my 5th graders this week!
I love teaching ukulele, but when I started there weren’t really curriculums for teaching ukulele to elementary students. Over the past 10+ years of teaching ukulele, what I’ve found is that there is no one curriculum that is right for me. Rather, it’s really a combination of things that help my students to learn best. It you’re just starting out on your journey of teaching ukulele, I have several posts that may be helpful to you.
But what’s I’m here to share with you today is a sequence of Ukulele Play-Alongs to enhance your instruction. I use these songs along side chord instruction, strumming patterns, and folk tunes to get students. excited about playing!
C7 & C Chord Songs
Lime in the Coconut uses the C7 chord through the entire song. It’s perfect for beginners and helps to focus on strumming patterns.
Linus & Lucy uses the C chord as the primary chord through the piece with quick leaps to Cm, F, & G. My students focus on strumming along to the C chord and take quick breaks when the other chords are present.
F & C Chord Songs
Best Day of My Life primarily use the chords C & F but also includes Am. If your students aren’t ready to add the F chord, have them just play along on the C chord. After I’ve taught the F chord, then I have them strum on the F chord only. Once they are comfortable with both chords, we work on moving between the two chords. Ukualiens has some wonderful chord warm-up videos that help student toggle between chords.
Iko Iko (My Bestie)
Decisions, Decisions…
Ok, here’s the question: Do you move on to the Am chord or the G chord next? I love the idea of the Am chord because of it’s adjacent to the F chord. We’ll explore songs for both teaching Am and G because no matter the path, students will need to learn both!
G Chord Songs
The jump from F to G chord is always a tough one for my students. Before we ever play a multi-chord song with G, we practice Low Rider. Low Rider is the perfect song for reinforcing the G chord because it’s the only chord in the song!
Everyday People by Sly and the Family Stone is another easily accessible song for students. Using the C and G chord, it’s a nice way to introduce another chord alongside G.
Ugly from the movie Uglydolls is another easy tune using just the C & G chords.
C, F, and Am Chord Songs
If you go the route of teaching Am first, you may want to use these play along songs in your instruction!
Thunder by Imagine Dragons
Good to Be Alive by Meghan Trainor
C, F, G, and Am songs
Here’s something for your Swifties! Me! uses the chords C, F, G, and Am.
Don’t Give Up on Me by Andy Grammer is a great song with a positive message.
Rise by Jonas Blue is a great challenge for advanced players as the chords move quickly.
This is Me from the Greatest Showman is another song great for advanced elementary students.
Brave by Sara Bareilles has such a positive, uplifting message.
Still need other suggestions? Check out the songs in these posts below!
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