Teaching Resources

A Year of Beautiful Singing, Vol. 1: Let’s Sing!
by Heather Potter
This curriculum for ages 7-12 was created with ministry leaders in mind – the part-time staff member, the volunteer director, the full-time staff member wearing many hats – the one who has a large heart for the value of the church children’s choir, but limited time to give.
This resource provides the tools you need, including:
  • 24 sequenced lesson plans
  • Set of 21 posters/visual aids (including scripture posters, a stretch prayer, and multiple technique/texts visuals)
  • Appendix of articles to enrich the skills of the director.

Let’s Sing! is the first of five yearly installments in the A Year of Beautiful Singing series. The first year’s content focuses on the joy of singing, inspiring children to discover their voices and sing foundational messages of faith with confidence.
 

Worship and Wonder, Vol. 1: Story, Song, and Ritual for Preschoolers
by Mark Burrows
This resource is a collection of 12 curated worship experiences, each centered on a core Bible story. Each worship experience includes a dependable routine of songs, movement, prayer, story and other ritual elements. (Each experience is designed to be about 10 minutes long.)

In Mark’s words: “A ritual is a routine that has an added layer of meaning. Ritual has the power to connect children to community and to their deeper selves … We have the opportunity, through carefully curated ritual experiences, to build trust and genuine connections with our young friends. We can help them understand how dear they are and how they are part of a loving faith community.” 

Start Singing! A Faith-Based Guide for Children’s Choir and Youth Choir Directors 
Edited by Katie Houts
 An invaluable resource for anyone who works with children’s and youth choirs in sacred spaces! This guidebook, written by leading church musicians with decades of experience with young voices, equips you to create and energize choral programs in your local church or community. Featuring topics such as: recruiting and organizing a children’s music ministry, planning and leading effective rehearsals, and developing healthy singing tone and technique - the material in this manual inspires directors to rise to their full potential. 

Uniquely designed to meet the needs of church choral leaders, Start Singing! recognizes that the initial intersection of faith and life for young people often starts with music. This resource offers ideas to nurture both the spiritual and musical gifts of children and youth. A must-have book for the choir directors and volunteer leaders in your music ministry.

The Little Book of Ups
by Mark Burrows

These innovative activities are designed to lift up spirits, minds, and voices. Burrows' inspiring lyrics affirm every choir member's presence and seek to build a sense of ensemble, a community of musicians who love and care for one another. These joyful warm-ups teach foundational choral technique and will help improve an ensemble's pitch, rhythm, and tone. Carry this valuable resource with you to every rehearsal - and see how it transforms your choir in wonderful ways! The material in this resource works well for singers of all ages, but is especially effective for elementary, junior high, and high school choirs.

Includes 39 warm-ups: Body Awareness, Tongue Twisters, Vocal Exploration, and Placement. Vocalises and Rounds, Ensemble Skills and Expression, Community Builders.

From Rote… to Note! Volume 1: Bible Truths
Various Composers
Reproducible Choral Collection with Teaching Plans
This valuable eight-anthem collection for developing choirs introduces foundational music-reading concepts while teaching timeless Bible truths. Written especially for emerging singers in grades K-3, the Rote to Note anthems in this collection will soon become choir favorites! Includes songs by bestselling composers Terry Taylor, Vicki Hancock Wright, Nancy Raabe, Michael Bedford, Kimberly Ingram, Lynn Shaw Bailey and Becki Slagle Mayo, plus one new anthem of blessing by editor Katie Houts. Also includes reproducible Discovery Pages and Singers Scores, demo tracks, and accompaniment tracks.

Praise Takes Flight
Praise Takes Flight 2! New Heights

by Betsy Henderson, Kimberly Ingram, Joe Milton
Two high-flying collections of songs, energizers, warm-ups, anthems, and games for children’s choirs. You’ll find fresh, innovative ideas to help your singers in grades 2-6 soar to new heights of musical and spiritual development. These creative teaching plans and rehearsal resources are easy and fun to implement into your rehearsals.

Of Primary Importance Series (Volumes I, II, and III)
Whether you are an experienced director or someone new to children's choirs, you can count on each of the volumes in the Of Primary Importance series to equip and guide you through a full choir year. Volumes I and II, written by Helen Kemp, have been favorites of children's choir directors for many years. The third volume in the series, inspired by Helen Kemp, written by top Choristers Guild writers, and edited by Susan Eernisse, was published in 2017 quickly become a director-favorite resource. Each volume includes essays both inspiring and practical, suggested anthems for use throughout the choir and church year, and ample teaching suggestions. These excellent resources will be just what you need to develop your singers into genuine worship leaders as you guide and nurture them in their growing faith.

Sing Together, Children!
by Madeline Bridges
An indispensable teaching aid for directors of school and church choirs! This collection includes excellent resources for developing young singers: vocal exploration activities, warm-ups, vocalises, technique builders, rounds, and part-singing exercises. Madeline Bridges has compiled a true must-have for any children’s choir director!

The Joy of Part Singing
by Mark Patterson 
The Joy of Part Singing is a resource that will help children’s choirs experience greater success in part singing through short, accessible warm-ups, vocal exercises, rhythm chants, echo songs, mini-descants, and rounds. While some of these exercises are for rehearsal only, others may be shared in worship or in concert settings. Everything presented in the book was born out of the author’s own need as a conductor of children’s choirs. Even if your choir is currently working toward solidifying a beautiful, unison sound, these activities will help singers build the foundation for singing in multiple parts in the future.

Can’t Wait to Sing
by Vicki Hancock Wright and Jeff Reeves 
Can’t Wait to Sing 2
Mark Patterson 

The songs in each book span the church year, covering both general themes and seasons  including Advent, Christmas, Lent, Palm Sunday, and  general themes. The singers’ pages are reproducible as well as all additional instrumental parts. The included demonstration and accompaniment CD and teaching activities make this a great resource to grab and take to your rehearsals. 

How Can We Keep from Singing? Ten Rehearsal Plans for Youth and Adult Choirs to Nurture Faith and Sing God’s Praise
by Emily Floyd
Emily Floyd’s innovative rehearsal resource provides musical and spiritual nourishment for high school and adult church choirs. Ten comprehensive rehearsal plans aid choirs rehearsing in either remote or in-person spaces, incorporating vocal technique exercises, hymns and sacred songs, prayer, Bible narratives, and choral anthems. The devotional material guides singers to a deeper sense of belonging - both within the choral ensemble and as part of the Church universal.