YourStateStandards

Missouri K–6 music standards

Missouri writes its own music standards. They are published as Missouri Learning Standards for Fine Arts (2019), adopted 2019 and are not a version of a national framework. Every one is matched to a national standard.

Framework
Missouri Learning Standards for Fine Arts (2019)
Adopted
2019
Source last checked
July 25, 2026
Read the official document

143 standards, kindergarten through 6th grade

  • MU.K.1A.aK

    With guidance, explore and experience music concepts (such as beat and melodic contour).

  • MU.K.1A.bK

    With guidance, generate musical ideas (such as movements or motives).

  • MU.K.2A.aK

    With guidance, demonstrate and choose favorite musical ideas.

  • MU.K.2A.bK

    With guidance, organize personal musical ideas using iconic notation and/or recording technology.

  • MU.K.3A.aK

    With guidance, apply personal, peer and teacher feedback in refining personal musical ideas.

  • MU.K.3B.aK

    With guidance, demonstrate a final version of personal musical ideas to peers

  • MU.K.4A.aK

    With guidance, demonstrate and state personal interest in varied musical selections.

  • MU.K.4B.aK

    With guidance, explore and demonstrate awareness of music contrasts (such as high/low, loud/soft, same/different) in a variety of music selected for performance

  • MU.K.4C.aK

    With guidance, demonstrate awareness of expressive qualities (such as voice quality, dynamics, and tempo) that support the creators’ expressive intent.

  • MU.K.5A.aK

    With guidance, apply personal, teacher, and peer feedback to refine performances.

  • MU.K.5A.bK

    With guidance , use suggested strategies in rehearsal to improve the expressive qualities of music

  • MU.K.6A.aK

    With guidance, perform music with expression.

  • MU.K.6A.bK

    Perform appropriately for the audience.

  • MU.K.7A.aK

    With guidance, list personal interests and experiences and demonstrate why they prefer some music selections over others.

  • MU.K.7B.aK

    With guidance, demonstrate how a specific music concept (such as beat or melodic direction) is used in music.

  • MU.K.8A.aK

    With guidance, demonstrate awareness of expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) that reflect creators’/performers’ expressive intent.

  • MU.K.9A.aK

    With guidance, apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music.

  • MU.K.10A.aK

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music

  • MU.K.11A.aK

    Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.

  • MU.1.1A.a1

    With limited guidance, create musical ideas (such as answering a musical question) for a specific purpose.

  • MU.1.1A.b1

    With limited guidance, generate musical ideas in multiple tonalities (such as major and minor) and meters (such as duple and triple).

  • MU.1.2A.a1

    With limited guidance, demonstrate and discuss personal reasons for selecting musical ideas that represent expressive intent.

  • MU.1.2A.b1

    With limited guidance, use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to document and organize personal musical ideas.

  • MU.1.3A.a1

    With limited guidance, discuss and apply personal, peer and teacher feedback to refine personal musical ideas.

  • MU.1.3B.a1

    With limited guidance, convey expressive intent for a specific purpose by presenting a final version of personal musical ideas to peers or informal audience.

  • MU.1.4A.a1

    With limited guidance, demonstrate and discuss personal interest in, knowledge about, and purpose of varied musical selections.

  • MU.1.4B.a1

    With limited guidance, demonstrate knowledge of music concepts (such as beat and melodic contour ) in music from a variety of cultures selected for performance.

  • MU.1.4B.b1

    When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns using iconic or standard notation.

  • MU.1.4C.a1

    Demonstrate and describe music’s expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo).

  • MU.1.5A.a1

    With limited guidance, apply personal, teacher, and peer feedback to refine performances.

  • MU.1.5A.b1

    With limited guidance, use suggested strategies in rehearsal to address interpretive challenges of music.

  • MU.1.6A.a1

    With limited guidance, perform music for a specific purpose with expression.

  • MU.1.6A.b1

    Perform appropriately for the audience and purpose .

  • MU.1.7A.a1

    With limited guidance, identify and demonstrate how personal interests and experiences influence musical selection for specific purposes.

  • MU.1.7B.a1

    With limited guidance, demonstrate and identify how specific music concepts (such as beat or pitch) are used in various styles of music for a purpose .

  • MU.1.8A.a1

    With limited guidance, demonstrate and identify expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo ) that reflect creators’/ performers’ expressive intent.

  • MU.1.9A.a1

    With limited guidance, apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music for specific purposes.

  • MU.1.10A.a1

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

  • MU.1.11A.a1

    Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.

  • MU.2.1A.a2

    Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific purpose.

  • MU.2.1A.b2

    Generate musical patterns and ideas within the context of a given tonality (such as major and minor) and meter (such as duple and triple).

  • MU.2.2A.a2

    Demonstrate and explain personal reasons for selecting patterns and ideas for music that represent expressive intent.

  • MU.2.2A.b2

    Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine, sequence, and document personal musical ideas.

  • MU.2.3A.a2

    Interpret and apply personal, peer and teacher feedback to revise personal music.

  • MU.2.3B.a2

    Convey expressive intent for a specific purpose by presenting a final version of personal musical ideas to peers or informal audience

  • MU.2.4A.a2

    Demonstrate and explain personal interest in, knowledge about, and purpose of varied musical selections.

  • MU.2.4B.a2

    Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts (such as tonality and meter) in music from a variety of cultures selected for performance.

  • MU.2.4B.b2

    When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using iconic or standard notation.

  • MU.2.4C.a2

    Demonstrate understanding of expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) and how creators use them to convey expressive intent.

  • MU.2.5A.a2

    Apply established criteria to judge the accuracy, expressiveness and effectiveness of performances.

  • MU.2.5A.b2

    Rehearse, identify and apply strategies to address interpretive, performance, and technical challenges of music.

  • MU.2.6A.a2

    Perform music for a specific purpose with expression and technical accuracy.

  • MU.2.6A.b2

    Perform appropriately for the audience and purpose.

  • MU.2.7A.a2

    Explain and demonstrate how personal interests and experiences influence musical selection for specific purposes

  • MU.2.7B.a2

    Describe how specific music concepts are used to support a specific purpose in music.

  • MU.2.8A.a2

    Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts and how they support creators’/ performers’ expressive intent.

  • MU.2.9A.a2

    Apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music for specific purposes.

  • MU.2.10A.a2

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

  • MU.2.11A.a2

    Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.

  • MU.3.1A.a3

    Improvise rhythmic and melodic ideas, and describe connection to specific purpose and context (such as personal and social).

  • MU.3.1A.b3

    Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies) within a given tonality and/or meter.

  • MU.3.2A.a3

    Demonstrate selected musical ideas for a simple improvisation or composition to express intent , and describe connection to a specific purpose and context.

  • MU.3.2A.b3

    Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording technology to document personal rhythmic and melodic musical ideas.

  • MU.3.3A.a3

    Evaluate, refine, and document revisions to personal musical ideas, applying teacher provided and collaboratively developed criteria and feedback.

  • MU.3.3B.a3

    Present the final version of personal created music to others, and describe connection to expressive intent .

  • MU.3.4A.a3

    Demonstrate and explain how the selection of music to perform is influenced by personal interest, knowledge, purpose and context.

  • MU.3.4B.a3

    Demonstrate understanding of the structure in music selected for performance

  • MU.3.4B.b3

    When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and standard notation.

  • MU.3.4B.c3

    Describe how context (such as personal and social) can inform a performance.

  • MU.3.4C.a3

    Demonstrate and describe how intent is conveyed through expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo).

  • MU.3.5A.a3

    Apply teacher provided and collaboratively - developed criteria and feedback to evaluate accuracy of ensemble performances.

  • MU.3.5A.b3

    Rehearse to refine technical accuracy, expressive qualities, and identified performance challenges.

  • MU.3.6A.a3

    Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.

  • MU.3.6A.b3

    Demonstrate performance decorum and audience etiquette appropriate for the context and venue .

  • MU.3.7A.a3

    Demonstrate and describe how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences, or purposes.

  • MU.3.7B.a3

    Demonstrate and describe how a response to music can be informed by the structure , the use of the elements of music , and context (such as personal and social).

  • MU.3.8A.a3

    Demonstrate and describe how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo ) are used in performers’ interpretations to reflect expressive intent.

  • MU.3.9A.a3

    Evaluate musical works and performances, applying established criteria , and describe appropriateness to the context .

  • MU.3.10A.a3

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

  • MU.3.11A.a3

    Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.

  • MU.4.1A.a4

    Improvise rhythmic, melodic and harmonic ideas, and explain connection to specific purpose and context (such as social and cultural).

  • MU.4.1A.b4

    Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms, melodies, and simple accompaniment patterns) within related tonalities (such as major and minor) and meters

  • MU.4.2A.a4

    Demonstrate selected and organized musical ideas for an improvisation, arrangement, or composition to express intent, and explain connection to purpose and context.

  • MU.4.2A.b4

    Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording technology to document personal rhythmic, melodic, and simple harmonic musical ideas.

  • MU.4.3A.a4

    Evaluate, refine, and document revisions to personal music, applying teacherprovided and collaboratively developed criteria and feedback to show improvement over time.

  • MU.4.3B.a4

    Present the final version of personal created music to others, and explain connection to expressive intent.

  • MU.4.4A.a4

    Demonstrate and explain how the selection of music to perform is influenced by personal interest, knowledge, context and technical skill .

  • MU.4.4B.a4

    Demonstrate understanding of the structure and the elements of music (such as rhythm , pitch , and form ) in music selected for performance.

  • MU.4.4B.b4

    When analyzing selected music, read and perform using iconic and/or standard notation.

  • MU.4.4B.c4

    Explain how context (such as social and cultural) informs a performance.

  • MU.4.4C.a4

    Demonstrate and explain how intent is conveyed through interpretive decisions and expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, and timbre).

  • MU.4.5A.a4

    Apply teacher provided and collaboratively developed criteria and feedback to evaluate accuracy and expressiveness of ensemble and personal performances.

  • MU.4.5A.b4

    Rehearse to refine technical accuracy and expressive qualities, and address performance challenges.

  • MU.4.6A.a4

    Perform music, alone or with others, with expression and technical accuracy and appropriate interpretation.

  • MU.4.6A.b4

    Demonstrate performance decorum and audience etiquette appropriate for the context, venue, and genre .

  • MU.4.7A.a4

    Demonstrate and explain how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts.

  • MU.4.7B.a4

    Demonstrate and explain how responses to music are informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context (such as social and cultural).

  • MU.4.8A.a4

    Demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, and timbre ) are used in performers’ and personal interpretations to reflect expressive intent.

  • MU.4.9A.a4

    Evaluate musical works and performances, applying established criteria, and explain appropriateness to the context.

  • MU.4.10A.a4

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

  • MU.4.11A.a4

    Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life

  • MU.5.1A.a5

    Improvise rhythmic, melodic and harmonic ideas, and explain connection to specific purpose and context (such as social, cultural, and historical).

  • MU.5.1A.b5

    Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms, melodies, and accompaniment patterns) within specific related tonalities, meters and simple chord changes.

  • MU.5.2A.a5

    Demonstrate selected and developed musical ideas for improvisations, arrangements, or compositions to express intent, and explain connection to purpose and context.

  • MU.5.2A.b5

    Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording technology to document personal rhythmic, melodic, and two chord harmonic musical ideas.

  • MU.5.3A.a5

    Evaluate, refine, and document revisions to personal music, applying teacherprovided and collaboratively developed criteria and feedback, and explain rationale for changes.

  • MU.5.3B.a5

    Present the final version of personal created music to others that demonstrates craftsmanship , and explain connection to expressive intent.

  • MU.5.4A.a5

    Demonstrate and explain how the selection of music to perform is influenced by personal interest, knowledge, and context, as well as their personal and others’ technical skill.

  • MU.5.4B.a5

    Demonstrate understanding of the structure and the elements of music (such as rhythm, pitch, form, and harmony) in music selected for performance

  • MU.5.4B.b5

    When analyzing selected music, read and perform using standard notation.

  • MU.5.4B.c5

    Explain how context (such as social, cultural, and historical ) informs performances.

  • MU.5.4C.a5

    Demonstrate and explain how intent is conveyed through interpretive decisions and expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, timbre, and articulation/style e).

  • MU.5.5A.a5

    Apply teacher provided and established criteria and feedback to evaluate the accuracy and expressiveness of ensemble and personal performances.

  • MU.5.5A.b5

    Rehearse to refine technical accuracy and expressive qualities to address challenges, and show improvement over time.

  • MU.5.6A.a5

    Perform music, alone or with others, with expression, technical accuracy and appropriate interpretation.

  • MU.5.6A.b5

    Demonstrate performance decorum and audience etiquette appropriate for the context, venue, genre, and style .

  • MU.5.7A.a5

    Demonstrate and explain, citing evidence, how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts.

  • MU.5.7B.a5

    Demonstrate and explain, citing evidence , how responses to music are informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context (such as social, cultural, and historical).

  • MU.5.8A.a5

    Demonstrate and explain, citing evidence , how responses to music are informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context (such as social, cultural, and historical).

  • MU.5.9A.a5

    Demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, timbre, and articulation ) are used in performers’ and personal interpretations to reflect expressive intent.

  • MU.5.10A.a5

    Evaluate musical works and performances, applying established criteria, and explain appropriateness to the context, citing evidence from the elements of music

  • MU.5.11A.a5

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

  • MU.6.1A.a6

    Generate simple rhythmic, melodic and harmonic phrases within AB and ABA forms that convey expressive intent.

  • MU.6.2A.a6

    Select, organize, construct, and document personal musical ideas for arrangements and compositions within AB or ABA form that demonstrate an effective beginning, middle, and ending, and convey expressive intent.

  • MU.6.2A.b6

    Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or audio/ video recording to document personal simple rhythmic phrases, melodic phrases, and two chord harmonic musical ideas.

  • MU.6.3A.a6

    Evaluate their own work, applying teacherprovided criteria such as application of selected elements of music, and use of sound sources.

  • MU.6.3A.b6

    Describe the rationale for making revisions to the music based on evaluation criteria and feedback from their teacher.

  • MU.6.3B.a6

    Present the final version of their documented personal composition or arrangement, using craftsmanship and originality to demonstrate an effective beginning, middle, and ending, and convey expressive intent.

  • MU.6.4A.a6

    Apply teacher provided criteria for selecting music to perform for a specific purpose and/or context, and explain why each was chosen.

  • MU.6.4B.a6

    Explain how understanding the structure and the elements of music are used in music selected for performance.

  • MU.6.4B.b6

    When analyzing selected music, read and identify by name or function standard symbols for rhythm, pitch, articulation, and dynamics.

  • MU.6.4B.c6

    Identify how cultural and historical context inform performances.

  • MU.6.4C.a6

    Perform a selected piece of music demonstrating how their interpretations of the elements of music and the expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, timbre, articulation/style e, and phrasing) convey intent.

  • MU.6.5A.a6

    Identify and apply teacher-provided criteria (such as correct interpretation of notation, technical accuracy, originality, and interest) to rehearse, refine, and determine when a piece is ready to perform.

  • MU.6.6A.a6

    Perform the music with technical accuracy to convey the creator’s intent.

  • MU.6.6A.b6

    Demonstrate performance decorum (such as stage presence, attire, and behavior) and audience etiquette appropriate for venue and purpose.

  • MU.6.7A.a6

    Select or choose music to listen to and explain the connections to specific interests or experiences for a specific purpose.

  • MU.6.7B.a6

    Classify and explain how the elements of music and expressive qualities relate to the structure of contrasting pieces.

  • MU.6.7B.b6

    Identify and compare the context of music from a variety of genres, cultures, and historical periods.

  • MU.6.8A.a6

    Describe a personal interpretation of contrasting works and explain how creators’ and performers’ application of the elements of music and expressive qualities, within genres, cultures, and historical periods, convey expressive intent.

  • MU.6.9A.a6

    Apply teacher provided criteria to evaluate musical works or performances.

  • MU.6.10A.a6

    Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

  • MU.6.11A.a6

    Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.

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