Sound Check: Playlists That Help Kids Regulate

Most kids know a song can make them feel something. Very few know how to notice what it’s doing to their body, or how to use music on purpose when they’re wound up or running on empty.

In Sound Check, students check their bodies before and after each song using three simple questions and a one to five speed scale. They find out which songs bring them down, which ones wake them up, and which ones help them stay settled. They also discover something powerful and that the same song can calm one person and wind up the person sitting next to them, and both are right.

By the end of the unit, every student has three playlists built from their own music, one for each of the Three Waters. Turtle Bay is settled and ready to learn, Hurricane Harbor is fast and wound up, and Foggy Waters is slow and far away. Kids walk away knowing how to answer two questions on their own: what is my body doing right now, and which direction does it need to go?

The teacher guide explains the nervous system science, and gives you word-for-word scripts for all five days. Every lesson works for the whole room at once so no child is singled out.

What’s included
A teacher guide with the science behind the Three Waters
Five days of ready-to-teach lessons with scripts
The My Song Tracker student sheet, with class songs, independent songs, and a playlist builder
A Song Library with songs sorted for Turtle Bay, Hurricane Harbor, and Foggy Waters
Troubleshooting help for when things don’t go as planned
Tips for using music all year, from morning arrival to the last ten minutes before dismissal

Best for
Grades 3 to 8, classroom teachers, counselors, and special education teachers.