

Are you a music teacher looking for a fun, no-prep Christmas lesson? This Christmas Classroom Samba is an idea one-off winter rhythm lesson, with fun phrases like “sleigh what” and “yule be fine” to make even your coolest students giggle!
What’s included?
5-section class samba piece (PowerPoint + Google Slides versions)
Embedded audio clips to demonstrate each rhythm
Teacher instructions with step-by-step guidance for teaching and performing
Optional printable rhythm cards for the group ostinato rhythms
Optional worksheet (use in class or as homework)
Tell me more!
The goal of this lesson is to strengthen students’ rhythm reading, coordination, and ensemble skills through learning a Christmas-themed samba-style piece. Students perform rhythms through call & response, ostinatos, and imitation, both as a full class and in smaller groups. It’s a lively rhythm-reading and performing activity that encourages engagement and participation from all students.
This lesson includes the following rhythms: crotchet notes and rests, quaver notes and rests, semiquavers and dotted rhythms - making it ideal for middle school students who are ready for more rhythmic challenge than other Christmas lessons available on TES. The winter theme keeps it fun and memorable without feeling too childish, and the fun Christmas phrases help students remember each rhythm pattern easily.
This activity can be taught in 20–30 minutes or extended into a full lesson with group swaps, performances, and the included worksheet. You can go into as much or as little detail as you like with rhythmic literacy and you can even use it as a performance piece for a Christmas Concert! It’s completely no-prep, requires only your screen, and can be performed with any percussion instruments: samba drums, untuned percussion, bucket drums, or even body percussion. It works equally well with large classes or small groups.
Check out my store for other Classroom Samba lessons (different themes and difficulty levels!) as well as theory resources, music games, and more!
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