Listening with purpose
Students start the year learning to listen closely to music. They notice loud and soft, fast and slow, and begin describing what they hear in songs from different places and times.
What does a student learn in
This is the year music shifts from simple play to making real musical choices. Students invent short rhythms and melodies, then practice them until a song is ready to share. They listen carefully to music and talk about what they hear and how it makes them feel. By spring, students can perform a short song for the class and explain why they picked it.
- Singing
- Making rhythms
- Listening to music
- Performing
- Sharing feelings about music
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Singing and making sound
Students explore their singing voice and simple instruments. They try out rhythms and short melodies, picking sounds that match the feeling of a song.
- 3
Making up small pieces
Students invent their own short musical ideas, like a clapping pattern or a tune for a familiar rhyme. They try different versions and pick the one they like best.
- 4
Sharing music with others
Students rehearse and perform short songs for classmates or family. They practice starting together, staying with the group, and showing the mood of the music.
- 5
Talking about what music means
Students reflect on songs they have learned and heard. They share why a piece works, what it reminds them of, and how it connects to their own lives and traditions.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect what they already know and what they have lived through to the music they make or respond to.
-
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Songs and musical traditions carry clues about where people came from and how they lived. Students connect the music they hear and make to real communities, times, and places.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect what they already know and what they have lived through to the music they make or respond to. | MU:Cn10.1 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Songs and musical traditions carry clues about where people came from and how they lived. Students connect the music they hear and make to real communities, times, and places. | MU:Cn11.1 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with simple musical ideas, like a short melody or a rhythm pattern, and start to shape those ideas into something they can share or perform.
-
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students take a musical idea, like a short rhythm or melody, and shape it into something they can perform or share with the class.
-
Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a song or rhythm they made, make small changes to improve it, and decide when it sounds the way they want.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with simple musical ideas, like a short melody or a rhythm pattern, and start to shape those ideas into something they can share or perform. | MU:Cr1.1 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students take a musical idea, like a short rhythm or melody, and shape it into something they can perform or share with the class. | MU:Cr2.1 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a song or rhythm they made, make small changes to improve it, and decide when it sounds the way they want. | MU:Cr3.1 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a song or piece of music to perform and explain why they picked it. They think about what the music means and how they want to share it with an audience.
-
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a song or rhythm until it sounds the way they want it to. They learn that performers keep working to get something right before sharing it with an audience.
-
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a song or rhythm and think about the feeling or idea they want to share with the audience.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a song or piece of music to perform and explain why they picked it. They think about what the music means and how they want to share it with an audience. | MU:Pr4.1 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a song or rhythm until it sounds the way they want it to. They learn that performers keep working to get something right before sharing it with an audience. | MU:Pr5.1 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a song or rhythm and think about the feeling or idea they want to share with the audience. | MU:Pr6.1 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students listen to a short piece of music and describe what they notice, like whether it gets louder, faster, or changes in some way.
-
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students listen to a piece of music and explain what they think it means or how it makes them feel. They learn that music can tell a story or express an idea, even without words.
-
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students listen to a short piece of music and decide what they think makes it good or not so good, using simple reasons like how it sounds or how it makes them feel.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students listen to a short piece of music and describe what they notice, like whether it gets louder, faster, or changes in some way. | MU:Re7.1 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students listen to a piece of music and explain what they think it means or how it makes them feel. They learn that music can tell a story or express an idea, even without words. | MU:Re8.1 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students listen to a short piece of music and decide what they think makes it good or not so good, using simple reasons like how it sounds or how it makes them feel. | MU:Re9.1 |
Common Questions
What does music class look like this year?
Students sing songs, clap rhythms, play simple instruments, and move to music. They start making up their own short patterns and short songs, and they listen to music and talk about what they notice and how it makes them feel.
How can I help with music at home?
Sing together in the car, clap out the beat of a favorite song, or tap rhythms with spoons on the table. Ask what students liked or did not like about a song on the radio. Five minutes of this a few times a week is plenty.
Does my child need to read music notes this year?
Not really. Students focus on hearing the difference between high and low, fast and slow, loud and soft. They may start using simple picture symbols for long and short sounds, but reading notes on a staff comes later.
What should I look for to know music is going well?
Students should be able to keep a steady beat, match pitch on simple songs most of the time, and say something about a piece of music besides liking it or not. Making up a short rhythm or melody on their own is a strong sign.
How should I sequence the year?
Start with steady beat, singing voice, and basic loud and soft, fast and slow. Move into short rhythm patterns and high and low pitches by midyear. Save creating and refining short pieces for the second half, once students have sounds and patterns to pull from.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Keeping a steady beat while singing, and matching pitch, are the two that take the longest. Plan to revisit them in short bursts all year rather than teaching them once and moving on.
How do I get students to talk about music, not just react to it?
Give them two or three words to listen for, such as fast, slow, smooth, or bumpy, before you play a piece. Ask what they heard and where in the song they heard it. Pointing back to the music keeps the talk grounded.
What does end-of-year mastery look like?
By spring, students can sing a short song in tune, keep a steady beat on a drum or with their hands, echo a short rhythm, and make up a four-beat pattern of their own. They can also share one thing they notice and one feeling a piece of music gives them.