This influx of technology has increased the exposure of popular music and media to younger children over the past 20 years (Clements, 2011). Children form musical preferences at a younger age and are more familiar with genres within popular music, forming their prior musical knowledge and schema. This is not new; children have integrated the world around them into their musical play for as long as researchers have captured their musicking in general collections of children’s nursery rhymes, songs, and games (Halliwell, 1849; Lovechild, 1744; Opie & Opie, 1951; Opie, 1993), to more intentional studies of influences on children’s musical play (Burn & Richards, 2014; Campbell & Lum, 2007; Marsh, 1995). Researchers have found that children incorporate visual images, storylines, characters, dialogues, and music from popular music and media into their own understandings and play (Burn & Richards, 2014; Marsh, 2008; Vasil 2013; Willett et al., 2013). Even more musicking occurs through technology (Crow, 2007; McPherson & Welch, 2018; Tobias, 2013, 2015). More music teachers in the United States are using popular music to better engage children ages 5-12 in their classrooms (approximately grades K-6 in the United States in elementary schools). These elementary students have increasing access to music (Rajan, 2014) and are curating their preferences as young as age five (Eun et al., 2020). While progress has been made on popular music education at the elementary level, often there is too much focus on the repertoire and not the characteristics of the song itself (popular music for the sake of popular music) and also a disregard for the best pedagogy to use (i.e., reading standard notation for a popular song that was written, learned, and performed informally). Some music teachers treat popular music and media as a "bait and switch" or may view the integration of popular music almost as an act of subversion. There is a great need for more information on how to integrate popular music with children authentically. The purpose of this symposium is to present and discuss how music teachers can build bridges between children's musical preferences and elementary school music. Panelists will share curricular frameworks, processes, how to overcome challenges, and general ideas for integrating popular music and media at the elementary level. Structure for 90 minutes: (5 min) - Opening Remarks (Chair) (50 min) - Questions to the Panelists (30 min) - Facilitated Discussion between Panelists and Audience (5 min) - Closing Remarks (Chair)