Using SQUILT in Music Class

SQUILT is one of my students' all time favorite activities. What is SQUILT you ask? SQUILT stands for Super Quiet UnInterrupted Listening Time. During SQUILT time in my classroom, students listen to a piece of music and then imagine a story in their head. It is a great, fun way to introduce classical music to young children. Students do this activity immediately following the Welcome to Music song we sing each week.

I have my students spread out, sit or lay down, and close their eyes. I let them listen to about 2-3 minutes of music and then have them sit back on the carpet. I choose 3-6 students a week to share their stories, depending on how elaborate the stories are. I post the Youtube videos on my website each week so students can share the music and their stories with their parents/guardians!

You don't have to use SQUILT every week though! Use it as a brain break, an extra time activity, or just something fun and different. They can journal, draw/color what they hear, describe music using musical terms, or simply put their heads on their desks, close their eyes, and imagine!

Lastly, here are the musical selections I've used for SQUILT so far:

William Tell Overture Finale, Rossini

Shepherd's Hey, Grainger

Le Vent Dans la Plain, Debussy

Hoe-Down from Rodeo, Copland