Elf on the Music Classroom Shelf

Well Merry Christmas everyone! I hope your holiday season has been going SO well so far! I want to tell you about one thing I’m super excited for this Christmas in the music room! We are starting an Elf on the Shelf tradition in my classroom and I want to tell you how I’m thinking about structuring it so you can try it too if you want. Let’s dive in!

I’ve always wanted to have an Elf of the Shelf in my classroom but I couldn’t figure out how to incorporate it with my weird specials teacher schedule. We are on a five day rotation so it makes classroom culture a little trickier than it would be in a traditional classroom. SO! I came up with this basic plan for our Elf on the Shelf and I’m going to give it a whirl starting the week after Thanksgiving. I also made this resource to use in my own classroom, and you can scoop it up too if it would make it easier for you!

Here’s the link: 

Elf on the Shelf Slides

Ok, so here’s the Elf on the Shelf game plan!

1. The kids and I will decide on a name for our elf! 
   
2. I’ll need these props: 
   
   1. A big cut-out paper snowflake
      
   2. A big coffee mug
      
   3. A xylophone or similar musical instrument
      
   4. A paper chain
      
   5. Small treat like a sticker or Jolly Rancher
      
3. Then I’ll xplain to the kiddos that our elf will be visiting us each music class until Christmas and each time he will give us a challenge we have to solve. If we can solve it by Christmas break, he will give Santa a good report but we all have to work together!
   
4. Each time your kids come to class, they will see the Elf in a new location, so I’ll want to move the elf at the beginning of each rotation. 
   
5. I’ll be using one week of these slides every week starting around the first of December
   
6. Here are the hiding spots for the elf by week: 
   
   1. Week 1: Behind a giant cut-out snowflake in a high place in my classroom
      
   2. Week 2: In a coffee mug (I’m going to give him some coffee related props)
      
   3. Week 3: Playing a xylophone or other musical instrument
      
   4. Week 4: Hanging from a paper chain on the ceiling with a small treat (I’m going to use jolly ranchers) in each student spot (if we happen to go virtual though, I’ll  need to work with parents on this one or give an electronic treat, like a coupon to extra time playing a favorite music game)
      

I’m getting so excited about this new music room tradition and I just know my littles are going to be totally obsessed with this! If you decide to try it, or if you already have an Elf on the Shelf in your classroom, comment below and tell me all about it!