Hallway bulletin boards don’t have to be a scramble each month. With a little advance planning, they can become a year-long showcase of student learning that reflects what actually happens in the music room.
This post shares a month-by-month outline of hallway bulletin board ideas designed specifically for elementary music. Each idea centers on real student work—compositions, reflections, photos, and creative responses—making it easier to document learning, celebrate progress, and rotate displays throughout the year without starting from scratch.
(If you’re looking for the rationale behind these ideas, including what counts as student work and how to include objectives and rubrics, start with my post on creating meaningful music bulletin boards with simple student work.)
August / September – Welcome Back to the Sea of Songs
Theme: Community and belonging
Student Work:
Student Work:
- “This year, I want to…”
- “My favorite song is…”
- written on musical notes, shells, or simple shapes.
Display Ideas:
Photos of classes making music, ocean-themed visuals, music class rules, or an optional “Meet the Musician” photo or name display.
Purpose:
Build connections and help students see themselves as part of the music room from day one.
October - Sound Stories & Steady Beat
Focus: Steady beat, rhythm, and musical storytelling
Student Work:
- Rhythm patterns or short compositions created to match a sound story.
- Photos of a child holding a rhythm instrument with a short caption describing their musical role in the story.
Visuals:
Fall colors, leaves, simple story icons, or rhythm cards shaped like leaves.
Purpose:
Show how music supports storytelling and early composition through sound and rhythm.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
November – Caught Making Music
Focus: Process over productStudent Work:
- Photos of students singing, playing instruments, moving, or composing.
Student quotes such as “I’m learning to keep the beat” or “I like playing instruments with my class.”
Purpose:
Make the learning process visible, especially when there is no final paper product.
December – Our Winter Concert Story
Student Work:
- Short written reflections or drawings connected to concert music.
Visuals:
Rehearsal photos, ticket-style name cards, or mini concert programs.
Purpose:
Show that concerts are part of learning, not separate from it.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Winter Concert Reflections Blog Post
with Free Concert Reflections pages
January – New Year, New Musical Goals
Focus: Growth mindsetStudent Work:
- Musical goal writing, such as singing, recorder skills, or rhythm accuracy.
Add-On:
A small “before and after” photo area showing growth from fall to winter.
Purpose:
Reinforce progress and effort, not perfection.
February – Feel the Beat, Share the Love
Focus: Rhythm and collaboration
Student Work:
Visuals:
Photos of duets or small groups with a “We make music together” message.
Purpose:
Highlight ensemble skills and collaboration.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Heart Rhythms Write the Room & Music Center Composition Activity
Student Work:
- Partner or group rhythm compositions, including heart-shaped notation cards.
Visuals:
Photos of duets or small groups with a “We make music together” message.
Purpose:
Highlight ensemble skills and collaboration.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Heart Rhythms Write the Room & Music Center Composition Activity
March – Music In Our Schools Month
Focus: Advocacy and visibility
Student Work:
- Photos of students making music in class, rehearsals, and performances.
- Student quotes about why music matters to them.
Display Ideas:
- “There’s Music in Our School” list of concerts, field trips, guest musicians, and grade levels served, along with photos from the events.
- “What We Learn in Music” section highlighting singing, playing, creating, moving, and listening.
Purpose:
Use the hallway bulletin board as a quiet advocacy tool that shows the scope and value of your music program.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Harmonizing Minds: Celebrating Our School Music Programs
April – Our Compositions Bloom
Focus: Creating musicStudent Work:
- Rhythm or melody compositions using stick notation, solfa, or traditional notation.
Flower garden or ocean reef theme, with each composition displayed as a petal, shell, or coral piece.
Purpose:
Celebrate creativity and musical decision-making.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Blooming Rhythms - Rhythm Composition Worksheets
May – Reflections from the Field
Focus: Reflection and synthesis
Student Work:
End-of-year reflections or favorite lesson and performance quotes.
Visuals:
Photos from concerts, field trips, and class activities.
Optional:
QR codes linking to recordings or slideshows.
Purpose:
Help students articulate what they have learned over the year.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Music Writing & Vocabulary Bundle: Journals + Word Wall + DO NOW & Exit Ticket Template
June – Making Waves in Music
(or final month of school)
Focus: Celebration and closure
Student Work:
Visuals:
Ocean waves, surfboards, or musical fish carrying student names.
Purpose:
End the year with pride, joy, and reflection.
Focus: Celebration and closure
Student Work:
- Year-in-review photos, “Favorite Music Memory” notes, or certificates.
Visuals:
Ocean waves, surfboards, or musical fish carrying student names.
Purpose:
End the year with pride, joy, and reflection.
Flexible Music Bulletin Board Ideas That Work Any Time of Year
Not every bulletin board fits neatly into a calendar month. These ideas can be used whenever the timing makes sense for your school, schedule, or community.
Ideas include:
This type of board works well for events such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, or any time cultural music is part of your curriculum.
Cultural Connections and World Music
Many schools celebrate different cultural heritage months at different times of year, making cultural bulletin boards a great flexible option.Ideas include:
- Student writing or artwork from musical “field trips.”
- Photos of instruments, movement, or listening activities.
- Maps, flags, or symbols connected to the music studied.
This type of board works well for events such as Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, or any time cultural music is part of your curriculum.
Teacher Resources That Pair Well:
Veterans Day and Community Programs
For schools that host Veterans Day or community programs, hallway boards can connect music learning to service.Ideas include:
- Song excerpts or lyrics students are preparing.
- Student reflections on honoring veterans.
- Photos from rehearsals or assemblies.
- Program covers or song lists.
Coming Soon: Our Next Performance
Performance announcements deserve hallway space, too.
Ideas include:
After the performance, the same board can shift into a reflection or celebration display.
Ideas include:
Many of these advocacy boards work best when paired with photos, reflections, and ungraded student work — strategies I explain more fully in my post on creating meaningful music bulletin boards with simple student work.
Ideas include:
- Concert theme, date, and grade levels.
- Photos from rehearsals.
- “What we’re working on” captions highlighting skills such as singing, rhythm, form, or expression.
After the performance, the same board can shift into a reflection or celebration display.
Inspiration and Motivation Boards
Sometimes the hallway board is about encouragement rather than a specific unit.Ideas include:
- Music makes waves displays showing how each student contributes.
- Music hero boards focused on listening, teamwork, effort, and creativity.
- Growth mindset quotes connected to music learning.
- Student goal statements or reflections.
Many of these advocacy boards work best when paired with photos, reflections, and ungraded student work — strategies I explain more fully in my post on creating meaningful music bulletin boards with simple student work.
Closing Thought
You don’t need to include every class on every board. Rotating grade levels throughout the year ensures every student gets a turn in the spotlight and keeps hallway displays manageable.Whether you follow the month-by-month plan or mix in advocacy, cultural, and performance boards along the way, the goal stays the same: let student work tell the story of music learning all year long.
Musically yours,
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