What does music class look like this year?

Students sing simple songs, move to a steady beat, play classroom instruments like rhythm sticks and shakers, and listen to short pieces of music. Most of the year is hands-on and playful, with students learning to match pitch, keep a beat, and talk about what they hear.

How can I support music at home if I'm not musical myself?

Sing together in the car, clap a steady beat to favorite songs, and ask what students notice (fast or slow, loud or quiet, happy or sad). Five minutes of singing or dancing a few times a week does more than any app or lesson video.

Does my child need to read music or play an instrument by the end of the year?

No. Students are not expected to read notes on a staff or play a real instrument. The goal is matching pitch when singing, keeping a steady beat, and using classroom instruments like drums and shakers with control.

What should students be able to do by the end of the year?

Students should sing short songs in tune, keep a steady beat with their body or an instrument, follow simple start and stop cues, and share an opinion about a piece of music using words like loud, soft, fast, or slow.

How should I sequence the year?

Start with steady beat, call-and-response singing, and basic listening routines. Add rhythm patterns, high and low pitch, and small-group instrument play by winter. Save short performance pieces and simple composition tasks, like making up a rhythm on rhythm sticks, for spring.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Keeping a steady beat while singing is the hardest combination at this age. Matching pitch also takes time, especially for students who have not sung much before school. Plan to revisit both all year rather than checking them off once.

How do I handle students who refuse to sing or perform?

Give a job that is not singing, like keeping the beat on a drum, holding a prop, or being the one who starts and stops the group. Most reluctant singers join in once they feel safe and see that no one is being put on the spot.

What does it mean to create or compose music at this age?

It can be as simple as choosing a shaker pattern to go with a story, making up a short rhythm on rhythm sticks, or picking sounds to represent rain or footsteps. Students are inventing and choosing, not writing notes on paper.

How do I know students are ready for first grade music?

They can sing a short familiar song mostly in tune, keep a steady beat through a whole verse, follow group cues without much reminding, and say something specific about a piece of music they just heard.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year music starts to feel like a real activity, not just listening. Students sing simple songs, clap steady beats, and try out instruments with the rest of the class. They share what they notice when music sounds happy, sad, fast, or slow, and they make up little sounds of their own. By spring, students can perform a short song with the group and say what they liked about it.

Singing
Steady beat
Listening
Making sounds
Performing together

Source: Maryland Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards

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
Exploring sound and voice
Students start the year by listening closely and finding their singing voice. They explore loud and soft, fast and slow, and learn that music is something they can make with their bodies and voices.
2
Making up music
Students invent short patterns of sound, like clapping a rhythm or humming a tune. They try out ideas, pick the ones they like, and share them with classmates.
3
Practicing for an audience
Students learn that performing takes practice. They rehearse songs and rhythms, work on staying together as a group, and think about what they want listeners to feel.
4
Talking about what they hear
Students listen to different kinds of music and describe what they notice. They share what a song reminds them of and connect music to stories, holidays, and people in their lives.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.

Connecting

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

MU:Cn10.k

Students connect a song or musical activity to something from their own life, like a familiar sound, a feeling, or a memory.
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

MU:Cn11.k

Songs and music come from real places, people, and times. Students connect what they hear and create to the world around them.

Standard	Definition	Code
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art	Students connect a song or musical activity to something from their own life, like a familiar sound, a feeling, or a memory.	MU:Cn10.k
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural	Songs and music come from real places, people, and times. Students connect what they hear and create to the world around them.	MU:Cn11.k

Connecting

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

MU:Cn10.k

Students connect a song or musical activity to something from their own life, like a familiar sound, a feeling, or a memory.
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

MU:Cn11.k

Songs and music come from real places, people, and times. Students connect what they hear and create to the world around them.

Standard	Definition	Code
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art	Students connect a song or musical activity to something from their own life, like a familiar sound, a feeling, or a memory.	MU:Cn10.k
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural	Songs and music come from real places, people, and times. Students connect what they hear and create to the world around them.	MU:Cn11.k

Creating

Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

MU:Cr1.k

Students come up with their own musical ideas, like making up a rhythm to clap or a short melody to sing.
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

MU:Cr2.k

Students pick a song, sound, or rhythm they like and put it in an order that makes sense to them. This is the start of composing.
Refine and complete artistic work

MU:Cr3.k

Students pick a song or rhythm they've been working on and practice it until it sounds the way they want. They learn that making music means going back and trying again.

Standard	Definition	Code
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work	Students come up with their own musical ideas, like making up a rhythm to clap or a short melody to sing.	MU:Cr1.k
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work	Students pick a song, sound, or rhythm they like and put it in an order that makes sense to them. This is the start of composing.	MU:Cr2.k
Refine and complete artistic work	Students pick a song or rhythm they've been working on and practice it until it sounds the way they want. They learn that making music means going back and trying again.	MU:Cr3.k

Creating

Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

MU:Cr1.k

Students come up with their own musical ideas, like making up a rhythm to clap or a short melody to sing.
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

MU:Cr2.k

Students pick a song, sound, or rhythm they like and put it in an order that makes sense to them. This is the start of composing.
Refine and complete artistic work

MU:Cr3.k

Students pick a song or rhythm they've been working on and practice it until it sounds the way they want. They learn that making music means going back and trying again.

Standard	Definition	Code
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work	Students come up with their own musical ideas, like making up a rhythm to clap or a short melody to sing.	MU:Cr1.k
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work	Students pick a song, sound, or rhythm they like and put it in an order that makes sense to them. This is the start of composing.	MU:Cr2.k
Refine and complete artistic work	Students pick a song or rhythm they've been working on and practice it until it sounds the way they want. They learn that making music means going back and trying again.	MU:Cr3.k

Performing/Presenting/Producing

Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

MU:Pr4.k

Students choose a song or rhythm to perform and think about how they want it to sound before they play or sing it.
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

MU:Pr5.k

Students practice a song or musical activity until they can perform it clearly for others. Getting better takes repetition, and this standard is about that rehearsal work.
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

MU:Pr6.k

Students sing or play a short piece for others and use their voice or instrument to share a feeling or tell a simple story.

Standard	Definition	Code
Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation	Students choose a song or rhythm to perform and think about how they want it to sound before they play or sing it.	MU:Pr4.k
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation	Students practice a song or musical activity until they can perform it clearly for others. Getting better takes repetition, and this standard is about that rehearsal work.	MU:Pr5.k
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work	Students sing or play a short piece for others and use their voice or instrument to share a feeling or tell a simple story.	MU:Pr6.k

Performing/Presenting/Producing

Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

MU:Pr4.k

Students choose a song or rhythm to perform and think about how they want it to sound before they play or sing it.
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

MU:Pr5.k

Students practice a song or musical activity until they can perform it clearly for others. Getting better takes repetition, and this standard is about that rehearsal work.
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

MU:Pr6.k

Students sing or play a short piece for others and use their voice or instrument to share a feeling or tell a simple story.

Standard	Definition	Code
Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation	Students choose a song or rhythm to perform and think about how they want it to sound before they play or sing it.	MU:Pr4.k
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation	Students practice a song or musical activity until they can perform it clearly for others. Getting better takes repetition, and this standard is about that rehearsal work.	MU:Pr5.k
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work	Students sing or play a short piece for others and use their voice or instrument to share a feeling or tell a simple story.	MU:Pr6.k

Responding

Perceive and analyze artistic work

MU:Re7.k

Students listen to a short piece of music and share what they notice, like whether it feels fast or slow, loud or quiet.
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

MU:Re8.k

Students listen to a short song or piece of music and share what they think it feels like or what it makes them picture. There are no wrong answers, just reasons why.
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

MU:Re9.k

Students listen to a short piece of music and say what they liked or what they would change, using a simple reason like "it was too loud" or "the beat was fun."

Standard	Definition	Code
Perceive and analyze artistic work	Students listen to a short piece of music and share what they notice, like whether it feels fast or slow, loud or quiet.	MU:Re7.k
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work	Students listen to a short song or piece of music and share what they think it feels like or what it makes them picture. There are no wrong answers, just reasons why.	MU:Re8.k
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work	Students listen to a short piece of music and say what they liked or what they would change, using a simple reason like "it was too loud" or "the beat was fun."	MU:Re9.k

Responding

Perceive and analyze artistic work

MU:Re7.k

Students listen to a short piece of music and share what they notice, like whether it feels fast or slow, loud or quiet.
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

MU:Re8.k

Students listen to a short song or piece of music and share what they think it feels like or what it makes them picture. There are no wrong answers, just reasons why.
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

MU:Re9.k

Students listen to a short piece of music and say what they liked or what they would change, using a simple reason like "it was too loud" or "the beat was fun."

Standard	Definition	Code
Perceive and analyze artistic work	Students listen to a short piece of music and share what they notice, like whether it feels fast or slow, loud or quiet.	MU:Re7.k
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work	Students listen to a short song or piece of music and share what they think it feels like or what it makes them picture. There are no wrong answers, just reasons why.	MU:Re8.k
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work	Students listen to a short piece of music and say what they liked or what they would change, using a simple reason like "it was too loud" or "the beat was fun."	MU:Re9.k

Common Questions

What does music class look like this year?
Students sing simple songs, move to a steady beat, play classroom instruments like rhythm sticks and shakers, and listen to short pieces of music. Most of the year is hands-on and playful, with students learning to match pitch, keep a beat, and talk about what they hear.
How can I support music at home if I'm not musical myself?
Sing together in the car, clap a steady beat to favorite songs, and ask what students notice (fast or slow, loud or quiet, happy or sad). Five minutes of singing or dancing a few times a week does more than any app or lesson video.
Does my child need to read music or play an instrument by the end of the year?
No. Students are not expected to read notes on a staff or play a real instrument. The goal is matching pitch when singing, keeping a steady beat, and using classroom instruments like drums and shakers with control.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should sing short songs in tune, keep a steady beat with their body or an instrument, follow simple start and stop cues, and share an opinion about a piece of music using words like loud, soft, fast, or slow.
How should I sequence the year?
Start with steady beat, call-and-response singing, and basic listening routines. Add rhythm patterns, high and low pitch, and small-group instrument play by winter. Save short performance pieces and simple composition tasks, like making up a rhythm on rhythm sticks, for spring.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Keeping a steady beat while singing is the hardest combination at this age. Matching pitch also takes time, especially for students who have not sung much before school. Plan to revisit both all year rather than checking them off once.
How do I handle students who refuse to sing or perform?
Give a job that is not singing, like keeping the beat on a drum, holding a prop, or being the one who starts and stops the group. Most reluctant singers join in once they feel safe and see that no one is being put on the spot.
What does it mean to create or compose music at this age?
It can be as simple as choosing a shaker pattern to go with a story, making up a short rhythm on rhythm sticks, or picking sounds to represent rain or footsteps. Students are inventing and choosing, not writing notes on paper.
How do I know students are ready for first grade music?
They can sing a short familiar song mostly in tune, keep a steady beat through a whole verse, follow group cues without much reminding, and say something specific about a piece of music they just heard.