The last week before winter break can feel like a marathon. Concert season is wrapping up, rehearsals are winding down, and teachers everywhere are looking for calm, meaningful activities that don’t require extra prep, planning, or energy.
If you need simple, curriculum-aligned lessons to get you through the final December classes, here are six low-prep ideas using resources from the Lessons with Shana library — including composer sets, musicianship lessons, listening journals, SAB carols, and print-and-go worksheets.
Whether you already own some of these resources or want to explore them for the first time, these ideas will help you finish December peacefully, productively, and with minimal effort. ❄️✨
1. Composer of the Month
Watch, Listen & Respond — Quiet, Structured, and Effortless
The Composer of the Month series (Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Tchaikovsky, and more) is an ideal December choice — structured, reflective, and naturally low prep. Students can meaningfully engage with great music while you guide a calm, steady-paced class.
How to use it this week:
- Explore a popular piece by one of the composers
- Use the included activity pages for guided responses
- Assign the mini quiz for quick assessment
- End with an exit ticket such as: “One interesting fact,” “One thing I heard,” or “One question I still have”
Why it works:
Students stay focused, the lesson is curriculum-aligned, and the entire class can run with minimal verbal energy from you.
Get the resource here: Composer of the Month Mega Bundle
I also have individual composer sets available. Head to my store and check out my Composer Studies category.
2. Musicianship Lessons 1&2 Bundle
Quick, No-Prep Skill Builders (Sight-Singing, Ear Training, Dictation)
My Musicianship Lessons include sight-singing patterns, ear-training drills, and introductory dictation — perfect for high-value, low-energy December classes.
Ideas for the final week:
- 5-Minute Sight-Singing Challenge: Choose two patterns and sing as a group or in pairs
- Ear Training Lightning Round: Play intervals and have students hold up fingers to answer
- Mini Dictation: Use a simple rhythm or melodic pattern from Lessons 1–3
Why it works:
These feel like games, reinforce essential skills, and require zero setup or extended planning.
Grab the Musicianship Lesson 1&2 Bundle here!
3. Music Listening Journal
Quiet, Independent Work for Any Grade
When you need a calm, structured lesson with built-in accountability, the Music Listening Journal is a lifesaver. Students work independently while still engaging deeply with musical concepts.
Use it for:
- A quiet class before a performance
- A supply teacher day
- Post-concert decompression
- Senior classes that enjoy independence
Suggested December listening:
- Carol of the Bells — Leontovych
- The Nutcracker March — Tchaikovsky
- O Magnum Mysterium — Lauridsen
- Once Upon a December — Anastasia soundtrack
Pair the pages with the included rubric for instant, low-prep assessment.
Grab the Music Listening Journal here!
4. SAB Christmas Carol Visualizers
Instant Rehearsal, Reflection, or Sub Plans (YouTube + TpT Bundle)
If you need an easy, engaging December lesson that runs itself, the SAB Christmas Carol Visualizers are perfect. These YouTube videos display the voice parts (SAB) for each carol, making them ideal for quick rehearsals, calm listening days, sectionals, or sub plans when voices are tired after concert week.
Popular visualizers on YouTube include:
- Silent Night
- Away in a Manger
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- Joy to the World
You can play these directly in class for:
✓ guided rehearsals
✓ small-group sectionals with headphones
✓ breath and phrasing practice
✓ quiet reflection activities
If you’d like the full printable SAB arrangements, practice parts, and teacher pages, the complete SAB Christmas Carol Bundle is available in my TpT store. It’s a convenient way to get the official scores and supporting materials all in one ready-to-use package.
Why this is a teacher lifesaver:
It helps choirs stay polished without running a high-energy rehearsal — perfect for the calm, reflective final days before winter break.
Grab the SAB Holiday Teaching Pack here!
🎁 Free Silent Night Mini Teaching Pack
If you want a sneak peek of what these SAB Holiday Teaching Packs look like, I’ve put together a free Silent Night Mini Pack that includes:
- the solfège score
- a lyric sheet
- listening activity
You can grab it here → Free Silent Night SAB Mini Teaching Pack | Solfège Score & Practice Track
5. Holiday Print-and-Go Music Activities
Quiet Worksheets That Double as December Lessons
The No-Prep December Music Activities Bundle works perfectly as a December Print-and-Go Pack. Everything is calm, engaging, and low prep.
Here’s what’s inside and how to use it now:
✔ Mosaic Music Coloring Pages
Perfect for a relaxed class after a winter concert.
✔ Music Word Search
Great for soft starts, early finishers, or a quiet warm-up.
✔ Crossword Puzzle
Turn it into a partner challenge with a small prize.
✔ Musical Story Activity
Have students create winter-themed musical stories like:
“A Snowstorm at the Symphony” or “A Composer Lost in the North Pole.”
✔ Grand Staff Review Sheet
Ideal for refreshing note names before new units in January.
✔ Music Math
Fun, curriculum-aligned, and perfect for filler lessons.
✔ Keyboard Matching Worksheet
Great for reinforcing piano literacy before winter break.
✔ Music Reflection Prompts (Junior, Intermediate, Senior)
An excellent way to close off December:
- What did you learn?
- What were you proud of?
- What is your January goal?
Why teachers love this:
Everything is print-and-go, age-appropriate, and works for grades 6–12.
6. Optional Add-On: YouTube Visualizers
Calm Whole-Class Viewing or Musical Analysis
When you need a quiet class with minimal instruction, play one of the December visualizers from your YouTube channel:
- Linus and Lucy (slowed-down tutorial)
- Carol of the Bells
- Christmas Time Is Here
- Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Students can:
✓ follow the score
✓ identify intervals
✓ track dynamics
✓ complete a “3 Things I Heard” reflection
It’s engaging, musical, and completely effortless.
🎼 Final Thoughts: Make December Easy on Yourself
The last week before winter break isn’t the time to push new units — it’s the time to finish strong, keep your classroom peaceful, and give yourself permission to lean on low-prep, high-value lessons.
With composer sets, musicianship lessons, listening journals, SAB visualizers, and print-and-go activities, you have everything you need for a smooth, meaningful final week of December.
You deserve the calm, too. 💜
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