Ready-made choices
Three lesson sizes, clear steps, and a simple evidence trail.
Educator Toolkit
The classroom resources are open now. Registration and licensed track access are coming soon.
For music educators and youth leaders
One song. Real learning. A reason to finish.
Choose a 15-minute opener, one complete class period, or the full path to a Challenge entry. The learning works even if a student never enters the contest.
For families
The Privacy & AI Promise.
Participant information and performances will not be used to create AI-generated content or train AI systems. Challenge entries are heard and judged by people—not AI.
When registration opens, families will see this promise before sharing information and again in the parent or guardian consent.
Read the full Privacy & AI PromiseWhat this gives you
Useful tomorrow. Flexible enough for your classroom.
No new unit is required. Use one activity inside work you already teach, or connect the pieces into a student-led performance project.
Standards connections
Selected 2024 North Carolina Music objectives are mapped to the work students produce.
Student motivation
A real Challenge, private first-round entry, $1,000 prize pool, and live-final opportunity.
Low technical burden
A phone is enough. Backing tracks are optional, and the simplest recording path comes first.
Prefer one classroom-ready file? The 12-page Educator Starter Packet includes all three lesson paths, the standards crosswalk, five-song listening prompts, recording guidance, and two printable student worksheets. Download the PDF.
Three ways to use it
Choose the time you have.
Each path ends with something a student can show, explain, perform, or reflect on.
01 · 15 minutes
Meet one song
A low-prep listening opener that gives every student a way into the Blues.
You need: The direct YouTube listening link in the Five-Song Listening Lab below, and something to write with.
- Play one Challenge song without explaining what students should hear.
- Ask students to write one word for the groove, one for the feeling, and one musical choice they noticed.
- Play a short section again. Students point to one sound that supports one of their words.
- Close with the four-line listening note in the Student Planning Page below.
Student evidence: A brief listening response supported by a musical detail.
Selected standards: 6.CN.1.3 · 6.RE.1.2 · 6.RE.2.1 · N.RE.2.1
02 · One class period
Change two things
Students discover that interpretation begins with intentional musical choices.
You need: The direct YouTube listening link in the Five-Song Listening Lab below; voices, classroom instruments, or student instruments.
- Choose a short section of one Challenge song and identify its groove, dynamics, phrasing, and texture.
- In pairs or groups, choose two elements to change—such as tempo, dynamics, instrumentation, rhythm, or call-and-response.
- Rehearse a short interpretation, then share it informally with the class or another group.
- Use one warm comment and one useful suggestion. Rehearse again and name what changed.
Student evidence: An arrangement plan, a short performance, peer feedback, and a revision note.
Selected standards: 6.CR.2.1 · 6.PR.1.1 · 6.PR.1.4 · 6.RE.2.2 · N.CR.2.1 · N.PR.1.1
03 · Three or more sessions
Build a Challenge entry
Turn classroom learning into an authentic goal without making contest entry a class requirement.
You need: Student choice, rehearsal time, and a phone or other simple audio recorder.
- Explore the five songs and let each student or group choose the best musical fit.
- Choose a role and make an arrangement plan. Singing, instrumental performance, solo, duo, and band paths are all welcome.
- Rehearse, collect feedback, revise, and keep a short record of the musical decisions made.
- Make one clear private audio recording. When registration opens, interested eligible students may submit one entry.
Student evidence: Listening notes, an arrangement plan, feedback, a reflection, and an optional private audio entry.
Selected standards: Connect · Create · Present · Respond, selected by grade or proficiency level
2024 North Carolina Music Standards
Learning and evidence, connected.
This starter crosswalk highlights especially strong connections for Sixth Grade General Music and Novice Vocal and Instrumental Music. Educators choose the objectives appropriate to their course and students.
| Practice | Challenge activity | Selected objectives | Student evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connect | Listen, describe, and place the song in a cultural story. | 6.CN.1.3 · N.CN.1.1 | Listening note and supported class response |
| Create | Improvise a rhythmic idea or arrange a variation of the song. | 6.CR.1.1 · 6.CR.2.1 · N.CR.1.1 · N.CR.2.1 | Recorded idea or written arrangement plan |
| Present | Rehearse, apply feedback, and perform intentional musical choices. | 6.PR.1.1 · 6.PR.1.4 · N.PR.1.1 · N.PR.1.6 | Short performance and revision note |
| Respond | Explain meaning and evaluate a performance using shared criteria. | 6.RE.1.2 · 6.RE.2.2 · N.RE.1.2 · N.RE.2.2 | Peer feedback and student reflection |
| Legal use | Discuss why Challenge tracks use controlled access and may not be reposted. | 6.CR.2.2 · N.CR.2.2 | One-sentence rights and responsibility check |
Important: This Toolkit supports selected standards and classroom evidence. Participation alone does not award course credit or satisfy an entire Arts Education course requirement. Local educators and public school units determine curriculum use.
Five-song listening lab
Give students something specific to hear.
Each song below includes the selected YouTube listening link, a little history, and a lyrics link. Teachers and students do not need to search for a version of the song. We do not copy lyrics, chord charts, sheet music, or Challenge backing tracks into this Toolkit.
Sweet Home Chicago
Listen for: The repeating Blues movement, forward-driving groove, turnaround, and call-and-response possibilities.
Try this: Keep the pulse steady while a voice or instrument answers each lead phrase.
“What makes this song feel as if it is moving somewhere?”
Hoochie Coochie Man
Listen for: Stop-time accents, dramatic space, confident storytelling, and the band entering together.
Try this: Speak, sing, or play a line, then let the group answer with one strong rhythmic figure.
“How does the silence make the next sound stronger?”
The Thrill Is Gone
Listen for: Minor-key color, sustained notes, dynamics, space, and short phrases that carry emotion.
Try this: Play fewer notes and make one note speak through touch, timing, or vibrato.
“What does the performer leave out—and why does that matter?”
Got My Mojo Working
Listen for: A driving groove, repeated response, ensemble energy, and a lead voice pushing the group forward.
Try this: Trade a lead phrase and a group response using voices, claps, or instruments.
“How can a group sound energetic without everyone doing the same thing?”
I’d Rather Go Blind
Listen for: A slow rolling pulse, expressive phrasing, restraint, dynamics, and musical conversation.
Try this: Perform one phrase twice, changing only the timing or dynamics the second time.
“How can a small musical change make the feeling more believable?”
Students can open the Karaoke Version sample, listen to the arrangement, and try muting a part to imagine where they fit. PLEASE DON'T PURCHASE a track for the Challenge. CBS will provide controlled licensed access when registration opens. A backing track is optional.
Simple recording support
A phone is enough.
The first goal is a clear, honest performance—not studio polish. Keep the process short enough that students stay focused on the music.
Use one phone
- Choose a quiet room and silence notifications.
- Place the phone on a stable surface several feet from the performer.
- Record ten seconds, listen back, and adjust the distance if the sound distorts or feels too distant.
- Record the complete performance and keep the original file.
Use a Recording Buddy
- Device one plays the approved track at a moderate volume.
- Device two records the performer and the track together.
- Make a short test so the performer is clearly heard above the track.
- Switch roles: “Help me with mine. I’ll help you with yours.”
Let balance choose the spot
- Put the phone where a listener would stand—not beside the loudest amplifier.
- Play the loudest section for ten seconds.
- Move musicians or the phone until the important parts can all be heard.
- Record one complete take and label the file clearly.
Track status: Licensed Challenge tracks are not posted publicly. Controlled access and mix options will open with registration.
A clean evidence trail
Keep what shows the learning.
Use only the pieces that fit your class. Contest participation remains optional.
- Listening note: what I heard and the musical evidence
- Arrangement plan: the role I chose and two elements I changed
- Feedback note: one useful suggestion I received
- Revision note: what I changed after feedback
- Reflection: what now sounds more like me
- Optional Challenge artifact: one private audio performance
Student Planning Page
Try one song on.
Use this page for classroom work. It does not register or enter a student in the Challenge.
What I hear
Write one word for the groove, one for the feeling, and one musical detail that supports your answer.
What I will change
Name two musical elements you will change: tempo, dynamics, rhythm, instrumentation, texture, phrasing, form, or another choice.
Feedback I received
Write one useful suggestion from a teacher or peer.
What I changed
Explain one revision and what it did for the performance.
Now it sounds more like me because…
My evidence□ Listening note□ Arrangement plan□ Feedback□ Revision□ Reflection□ Optional private recording
When a student wants to enter
Classroom learning first. Challenge entry when ready.
Official rules, registration, parent or guardian information, licensed song access, and private submission instructions will appear on the Challenge site before entries open.
Return to the Challenge