Looking for an engaging way to teach musical styles in elementary music class? One of my favorite ways to introduce genres, movement, listening, and cultural connections is through the beloved picture book Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae.
This story naturally lends itself to music and movement activities because each animal dances to a different musical style. Students love hearing the contrast between styles like Waltz, Tango, Rock, and Scottish Reel—and even more importantly, they begin to understand how music can communicate mood, energy, and personality.
Whether you teach elementary music, homeschool music, library specials, or classroom movement breaks, musical styles activities are a fantastic way to combine listening, culture, geography, and creativity in one lesson.
Why Teach Musical Styles in Elementary Music?
Introducing students to a variety of musical styles helps develop deeper listening skills.
Through musical styles lessons, students can:
- Compare different rhythms and tempos
- Recognize instruments associated with different genres
- Explore world cultures and dance traditions
- Respond to music through movement
- Practice active listening and musical vocabulary
Movement-based listening lessons are especially effective for K–3 learners because students physically experience the music rather than only hearing it.
The Musical Styles Featured in Giraffes Can’t Dance
Waltz
Students immediately notice the smooth, flowing feel of a Waltz. This style is perfect for introducing triple meter and graceful movement. Young learners love pretending to “float” around the room while listening.
Tango
The Tango creates a completely different mood with dramatic rhythms and sharp movements. Students can compare the strong accents and expressive style to the smoother Waltz.
Cha-Cha
The Cha-Cha is always a classroom favorite! Its upbeat rhythms naturally encourage movement and rhythm response activities. This style also opens the door for conversations about Latin American music and dance traditions.
Rock
Students instantly connect with Rock music because of its strong beat and energetic feel. This is a great opportunity to discuss steady beat, percussion, and electric instruments.
Scottish Reel
The Scottish Reel introduces students to folk dance traditions and lively rhythmic patterns. Many students are surprised by how fast and energetic this style feels compared to the others.
Cross-Curricular Connections
This type of music lesson naturally supports multiple subject areas:
- Geography: Locate where musical styles originated
- Literacy: Connect music to storytelling and characters
- Social Studies: Explore cultural traditions and dance
- Physical Education: Practice coordination and movement
- Fine Arts: Respond to music creatively
Interactive Musical Styles Activity for Elementary Music
To make this lesson even more engaging, I created an Interactive Music Lesson – Musical Styles & World Music Activities for Elementary inspired by Giraffes Can’t Dance.
The resource includes:
- interactive music lessons
- world map connections
- “tap and hear” instruments
- dance tutorial videos
- listening activities
- coloring pages with music
- movement-based learning
- student-friendly interactive elements
It works well for:
- elementary music classes
- interactive whiteboards
- centers
- sub plans
- homeschool music
- library/media lessons
- individual devices or whole-group instruction
Students love exploring the different styles while actively listening, moving, and interacting with the music.
Lessons connected to stories like Giraffes Can’t Dance help students build musical understanding in a way that feels joyful, creative, and memorable.
If you teach elementary music, this is a wonderful way to combine listening, movement, culture, and creativity into one engaging lesson your students will remember long after class ends.