Minnesota K–6 music standards

Minnesota writes its own music standards. They are published as Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts (2018), adopted 2018 and are not a version of a national framework. 45 of 63 are matched to a national standard.

63/63 K-6 music benchmarks, verbatim from MDE's official arts color-tables spreadsheet. Codes are MN's own 5-digit ArtsArea.Grade.Strand.Anchor.Benchmark (arts-area 3 = Music, grade digit 0 = K).

Framework: Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts (2018)
Adopted: 2018
Source last checked: July 24, 2026

Read the official document

63 standards, kindergarten through 6th grade

3.0.2.2.1K
Improvise musical sounds in response to teacher cues.
3.0.2.3.1K
Choose a musical sound to share.
3.0.2.4.1K
Change selected musical sounds using teacher feedback.
3.0.3.5.1K
Demonstrate moving, singing, and playing instruments with others.
3.0.3.6.1K
Make a musical choice while singing, playing instruments, or moving to explore the effects of musical elements. For example: High/low; loud/soft; fast/slow.
3.0.4.7.1K
Identify musical opposites while listening to and interacting with a variety of music.
3.0.4.8.1K
Identify which of two contrasting musical selections is preferred, and tell why.
3.0.5.9.1K
Sing or play instruments using a familiar song that you have learned.
3.0.5.10.1K
Sing, play instruments, or listen to music from various cultures.
3.1.2.2.11
Generate musical ideas using a limited set of rhythms or pitches.
3.1.2.3.11
Choose musical ideas to share using a limited set of rhythms or pitches.
3.1.2.4.11
Change selected musical ideas using teacher feedback.
3.1.3.5.11
Demonstrate moving, singing, and playing instruments with others, and alone.
3.1.3.6.11
Follow the teacher to start, stop and stay together throughout an established musical form.
3.1.4.7.11
Identify steady beat while listening to and interacting with a variety of music.
3.1.4.8.11
Identify differences between two contrasting musical selections.
3.1.5.9.11
Identify an emotion experienced when singing, playing instruments or listening to music.
3.1.5.10.11
Sing, play instruments or listen to music from various cultures, including music from Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.
3.2.2.2.12
Generate rhythmic or melodic patterns.
3.2.2.3.12
Preserve personal rhythmic or melodic patterns using a system of notation or recording technology.**
3.2.2.4.12
Change selected rhythmic or melodic patterns using feedback from others.
3.2.3.5.12
Develop vocal and instrumental skills to perform a variety of music.
3.2.3.6.12
Perform music with and for others, using technical accuracy and expression.
3.2.4.7.12
Identify repeating patterns and expressive elements while listening to and interacting with a variety of music.**
3.2.4.8.12
Apply personal preferences in evaluation when listening to music.
3.2.5.9.12
Identify a part of a musical selection that connects with you personally.
3.2.5.10.12
Sing and play instruments from different genres of music from various time periods and places.
3.3.2.2.13
Create or improvise rhythmic or melodic patterns containing long sounds, short sounds and rests.
3.3.2.3.13
Organize chosen musical patterns into phrases using a system of notation or recording technology.**
3.3.2.4.13
Arrange musical patterns using feedback from others.
3.3.3.5.13
Refine vocal and instrumental skills to perform a variety of music.
3.3.3.6.13
Perform music for a specific purpose, using technical accuracy, expression, and interpretation.
3.3.4.7.13
Identify and describe elements that make contrasting musical selections different from each other.
3.3.4.8.13
Explain personal preference of music selections by identifying music elements that generate personal interest.
3.3.5.9.13
Describe a memory, feeling, or story associated with music that is listened to or performed.
3.3.5.10.13
Describe cultural uses of music from different time periods and places.
3.4.2.2.14
Create or improvise melodic phrases using specified tonalities.
3.4.2.3.14
Organize chosen musical phrases into a short composition using a system of notation or recording technology.**
3.4.2.4.14
Revise a musical composition as a group using feedback from others.
3.4.3.5.14
Apply developing vocal and instrumental skills to improve performance.
3.4.3.6.14
Perform music by accurately responding to musical terms.
3.4.4.7.14
Identify and describe elements that create contrasting performances of the same musical selection.
3.4.4.8.14
Apply teacher-provided criteria to evaluate musical selections or performances, citing specific elements and characteristics.
3.4.5.9.14
Describe emotions experienced when performing or listening to a musical selection and relate it a personal experiences.
3.4.5.10.14
Compare and contrast cultural uses of music from different time periods and places.
3.5.2.2.15
Create or improvise rhythmic or melodic phrases using specific tonalities, meters or chord changes.
3.5.2.3.15
Organize chosen musical phrases into a given form using a system of notation or recording technology.**
3.5.2.4.15
Revise a musical composition using feedback from others and self-reflection.
3.5.3.5.15
Demonstrate vocal or instrumental skills appropriate to the performance of music's cultural context.
3.5.3.6.15
Perform music by responding to notation and active listening.
3.5.4.7.15
Identify the elements used in a musical selection to convey its possible intent.
3.5.4.8.15
Apply collaboratively developed and teacher-provided criteria to evaluate musical selections or performances, citing specific elements and characteristics.
3.5.5.9.15
Compare and contrast emotions experienced when performing or listening to two different musical selections.
3.5.5.10.15
Describe relationships of musical genres to cultural or historical contexts.
3.6.2.2.16
Create or improvise musical ideas that can be combined into a melody.
3.6.2.3.16
Develop a composition consisting of a melody using a system of notation or recording technology.**
3.6.2.4.16
Revise a musical composition using self-reflection.
3.6.3.5.16
Collaborate as an ensemble to refine and prepare music for presentation or performance.
3.6.3.6.16
Perform music for an audience by responding to notation and applying musical elements and technical skills. For example: Audience being a classmate, friend, online platform, or a large group.
3.6.4.7.16
Describe how musical elements contribute to meaning in a musical selection.
3.6.4.8.16
Apply collaboratively developed criteria to evaluate musical selections or performances, citing specific elements and characteristics.
3.6.5.9.16
Share how specific musical selections relate to personal, social and emotional experiences.
3.6.5.10.16
Explain ways that music is used to represent cultural identity, including Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

Minnesota K–6 music standards

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