astor
Astor Academy Methods - Kindergarten Arts: Visual Arts and Music
A full-year curriculum built on the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts (2017)
Version 1 draft for review - prepared October 20, 2026 for the 2026-27 NYC school calendar. Not published.
Welcome
This is a full kindergarten year of two arts: Visual Arts (6 units) and Music (6 units), taught side by side across the same 36 teaching weeks. It covers all 16 kindergarten Visual Arts performance standards and all 25 kindergarten General Music performance indicators in the NYS Learning Standards for the Arts. Codes and wording are copied from NYSED's At-A-Glance documents (see Sources).
Both strands follow the four artistic processes the NYS arts standards use: Creating (Cr), Performing, Presenting or Producing (Pr), Responding (Re), and Connecting (Cn). Children play with materials and sounds first, then make, share, and talk about art.
Where this comes from
New York State. The New York State Learning Standards for the Arts (adopted 2017) give each arts discipline eleven anchor standards (1-11) grouped under the four processes. Visual Arts codes look like VA:Cr2.1.K (Visual Arts, Creating, anchor standard 2, enduring understanding 1, Kindergarten). Music codes look like MU:Pr4.2.K, and the General Music At-A-Glance lists lettered indicators under each one (a, b, c); this plan cites the letter too (MU:Pr4.2.K a).
Music words. Definitions given to children (beat, tempo, dynamics, pitch, melodic contour, iconic notation) come from NYSED's NYS Music Glossary.
Color facts. Primary and secondary color mixing and warm and cool colors come from the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum's Color activity sheet, with the Cincinnati Art Museum's Mixing It Up! lesson as a second check.
New York City. NYC Public Schools may use its own arts guidance. Astor did not check or map it, so the plan does not claim to match any NYC arts curriculum.
Calendar. Same 36 teaching weeks as the English and Math plans, built from the NYCPS 2026-2027 calendar (Sept 10, 2026 to June 28, 2027). Flex days are not in the 36 weeks: Flex week before Winter Recess (Dec 21-23): review, reread favorite books, catch up on any unit work; Flex days before Spring Recess (Apr 19-21): review and reread; Flex days (Jun 7, 9; Jun 8 and Jun 10 have no students): end-of-year benchmark make-ups; Last day (Jun 28): celebration.
Year at a glance: Visual Arts
| Month | Teaching weeks (dates) | Unit | Big idea | Key standards | Read-alouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September-October | 1-5 (Sep 10 - Oct 9; 21 days) | Art Unit 1: Hello, Art Studio | Artists explore materials. | VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Cr2.2.K, VA:Re7.1.K | The Dot, Beautiful Oops! |
| October-November | 6-11 (Oct 13 - Nov 20; 28 days) | Art Unit 2: Lines and Shapes | Lines can be straight, curvy, zigzag, wavy, or dotted, and lines make shapes. | VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr2.3.K, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Cn10.1.K | Lines That Wiggle, Harold and the Purple Crayon |
| November-January | 12-17 (Nov 23 - Jan 15; 28 days) | Art Unit 3: Color Explorers | Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors, and mixing two of them makes orange, green, or violet. | VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K | Mouse Paint, Color Dance |
| January-March | 18-23 (Jan 19 - Mar 5; 29 days) | Art Unit 4: Build It Together | Artists build with paper, boxes, and clay, alone and in teams. | VA:Cr1.2.K, VA:Cn11.2.K, VA:Cr3.1.K | Not a Box, Iggy Peck, Architect |
| March-April | 24-29 (Mar 8 - Apr 16; 28 days) | Art Unit 5: Museum Explorers | An art museum collects and shows art. | VA:Pr6.1.K, VA:Cn11.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K | Museum ABC, The Noisy Paint Box |
| May-June | 30-36 (May 3 - Jun 25; 33 days) | Art Unit 6: Our Portfolio and Art Show | Artists save and show the work they care about. | VA:Pr4.1.K, VA:Pr5.1.K, VA:Cr3.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K | The Dot (reread), Harold and the Purple Crayon (reread) |
Year at a glance: Music
| Month | Teaching weeks (dates) | Unit | Big idea | Key standards | Read-alouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September-October | 1-6 (Sep 10 - Oct 16; 25 days) | Music Unit 1: Feel the Beat | Most music has a beat, a steady pulse. | MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Re7.2.K a, MU:Pr4.1.K a | Max Found Two Sticks, Rap a Tap Tap |
| October-November | 7-12 (Oct 19 - Nov 25; 27 days) | Music Unit 2: Loud and Soft, Fast and Slow | Music can be loud or soft (dynamics) and fast or slow (tempo). | MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr4.3.K a, MU:Re8.1.K a, MU:Cn10.1.K d | Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, Giraffes Can't Dance |
| November-January | 13-18 (Nov 30 - Jan 22; 29 days) | Music Unit 3: High and Low | Sounds can be high or low (pitch), and a melody has a shape as it moves up and down. | MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b | Mole Music, Hush! A Thai Lullaby |
| January-March | 19-24 (Jan 25 - Mar 12; 29 days) | Music Unit 4: Sounds All Around | The world is full of sounds that music can copy. | MU:Cn10.1.K a, MU:Cr1.1.K b, MU:Cr2.1.K a, MU:Cr2.1.K b | The Listening Walk, Max Found Two Sticks (reread) |
| March-May | 25-30 (Mar 15 - May 7; 29 days) | Music Unit 5: Songs and Stories from Many Places | People everywhere make music, for many reasons and at many times. | MU:Cn11.1.K a, MU:Cn11.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K c, MU:Re7.1.K a | Drum Dream Girl, Ah, Music! |
| May-June | 31-36 (May 10 - Jun 25; 28 days) | Music Unit 6: Make It, Fix It, Share It | Musicians practice, listen to feedback, fix, and perform. | MU:Cr3.1.K a, MU:Cr3.2.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K b, MU:Pr5.1.K c, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b, MU:Pr6.1.K c, MU:Re9.1.K a | The Philharmonic Gets Dressed, Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin (reread) |
The weekly arts block
Astor suggests one 40-minute art studio and two 25-minute music sessions a week. The minutes are Astor's suggestion.
| Part | Art studio | Music session |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up (5 min) | Look at an artwork or a material: 'What do you notice?' | Hello song and steady beat |
| Make (20-25 min / 15 min) | Explore, make, and clean up | Sing, move, play, or create |
| Share (5-10 min) | Gallery walk: one child tells about their work | Perform for each other; 'What did you hear?' |
Safe materials. Use washable, non-toxic, child-safe materials and child safety scissors (VA:Cr2.2.K asks children to identify safe materials and tools). Sealed bottles only for homemade shakers.
Household-item swaps: pots, buckets, and wooden spoons for drums; rice or beans sealed in a bottle for shakers; clean boxes, tubes, and bottle caps for building; old shirts for smocks.
The units: Visual Arts
Art Unit 1: Hello, Art Studio
Weeks 1-5, Sep 10 - Oct 9 (21 teaching days)
Artists explore materials. Children play and experiment with crayons, paint, clay, and paper, learn which tools and materials are safe and how to use them, and notice art in their everyday world.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Kindergartners need time to play with materials before they are asked to make something (VA:Cr1.1.K). Safe-tool habits set up the whole year (VA:Cr2.2.K).
Standards in focus: VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Cr2.2.K, VA:Re7.1.K
Standards practiced: VA:Cn10.1.K, VA:Cr2.1.K
Materials: crayons, washable markers, washable tempera paint, brushes, glue sticks, child safety scissors, paper scraps, modeling clay or playdough, smocks or old shirts.
Read-alouds: The Dot - Peter H. Reynolds; Beautiful Oops! - Barney Saltzberg; Ish - Peter H. Reynolds.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Studio activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 10-Sep 11 (2 days) | Studio tour (2-day week): what is in the art center? Free play with crayons and clay (VA:Cr1.1.K) | Explore table |
| 2 | Sep 14-Sep 18 (5 days) | Safe tools: how we carry scissors, use glue, and wash brushes (VA:Cr2.2.K) | Tool-care practice |
| 3 | Sep 22-Sep 25 (4 days) | Make your mark (4-day week): The Dot; dots, lines, and scribbles (VA:Cr1.1.K) | Dot painting |
| 4 | Sep 28-Oct 2 (5 days) | Art is all around: art on cereal boxes, signs, clothes, and our walls (VA:Re7.1.K) | Art hunt around school |
| 5 | Oct 5-Oct 9 (5 days) | Beautiful Oops: turn a smudge or tear into something new; talk about our art (VA:Cn10.1.K) | Oops-to-art sheet |
Culminating task: First Mark Gallery: each child hangs a dot or mark painting, signs it, and says one word about it.
Check for understanding: 'Show me how we carry scissors.' 'Where do you see art at home?' (VA:Cr2.2.K, VA:Re7.1.K)
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Cr2.2.K, VA:Re7.1.K
Set up a tiny art spot at home with crayons, paper, and glue, and practice cleaning up together.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Try one tool a day: crayon, then marker, then glue stick.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Cr2.2.K, VA:Re7.1.K
Visit an art museum website or a library art book and ask: what do you see? What do you wonder?
Level 3 Project
Make a 'my first art studio' poster with drawings of each tool and its job.
Art Unit 2: Lines and Shapes
Weeks 6-11, Oct 13 - Nov 20 (28 teaching days)
Lines can be straight, curvy, zigzag, wavy, or dotted, and lines make shapes. Children draw from observation, compare objects by drawing them, and describe what pictures show.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Runs just before and into Math Unit 3 (Flat Shapes All Around Us), so shape names show up in both subjects. Observation drawing is the K way into VA:Cr2.3.K (noting similarities and differences through drawings).
Standards in focus: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr2.3.K, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Cn10.1.K
Standards practiced: VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Cr2.2.K
Materials: crayons, chalk, yarn and pipe cleaners for line shapes, magnifying glasses, leaves, shoes and other objects to draw, paper squares.
Read-alouds: Lines That Wiggle - Candace Whitman; Harold and the Purple Crayon - Crockett Johnson; Perfect Square - Michael Hall.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Studio activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Oct 13-Oct 16 (4 days) | Lines that wiggle (4-day week): move straight, curvy, zigzag, and wavy with our bodies, then draw them (VA:Cn10.1.K) | Line dance, then line drawing |
| 7 | Oct 19-Oct 23 (5 days) | Harold's line: one long line tells a story (VA:Re7.2.K) | One-line drawing |
| 8 | Oct 26-Oct 30 (5 days) | Lines make shapes: draw circles, squares, and triangles (Math preview) | Shape collage |
| 9 | Nov 2-Nov 6 (5 days) | Look closely: draw a leaf and a shoe; how are they the same and different? (VA:Cr2.3.K) | Observation drawing with magnifiers |
| 10 | Nov 9-Nov 13 (4 days) | Perfect Square (4-day week): cut, tear, and change a square (VA:Cr2.1.K) | Square makeover |
| 11 | Nov 16-Nov 20 (5 days) | What does it show? Describe what a picture shows and how you can tell (VA:Re7.2.K) | Picture talk with a partner |
Culminating task: Line Story: a drawing made with at least three kinds of lines; the artist tells what it shows.
Check for understanding: 'Draw a zigzag line and a curvy line.' 'What does this picture show? How can you tell?' (VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Re7.2.K)
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr2.3.K, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Cn10.1.K
Go on a line hunt: find straight, curvy, and zigzag lines around the house.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Draw one kind of line across a page, then another, using big arm movements.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr2.3.K, VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Cn10.1.K
Find shapes in famous paintings (like Kandinsky's circles) and talk about them.
Level 3 Project
Make a picture using only lines and shapes, then give it a title.
Art Unit 3: Color Explorers
Weeks 12-17, Nov 23 - Jan 15 (28 teaching days)
Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors, and mixing two of them makes orange, green, or violet. Children mix paint, sort warm and cool colors, compare artworks, and explain which they prefer.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Mixing is the purest kind of experimenting with media (VA:Cr2.1.K), and children can check every color fact with their own paint. Mouse Paint also appears in Math Unit 8 for sorting by color.
Standards in focus: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K
Standards practiced: VA:Cn10.1.K, VA:Re7.2.K
Materials: red, yellow, and blue washable tempera, white paper plates for mixing, droppers, coffee filters, brushes, prints of two artworks with strong color.
Read-alouds: Mouse Paint - Ellen Stoll Walsh; Color Dance - Ann Jonas; Mix It Up! - Herve Tullet.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Studio activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Nov 23-Nov 25 (3 days) | Primary colors (3-day week): red, yellow, blue; read Mouse Paint | Color hunt around the room |
| 13 | Nov 30-Dec 4 (5 days) | Mix two: make orange, green, and violet on a paper plate (VA:Cr2.1.K) | Plate mixing |
| 14 | Dec 7-Dec 11 (5 days) | What else happens? Add white or a drop of black and talk about what changed (VA:Cr1.1.K) | Color strips |
| 15 | Dec 14-Dec 18 (5 days) | Warm and cool colors: red, yellow, orange; blue, green, violet | Warm-cool sort |
| 16 | Jan 4-Jan 8 (5 days) | Compare two artworks: what colors did each artist use? (VA:Re8.1.K) | Two-painting talk |
| 17 | Jan 11-Jan 15 (5 days) | My favorite: pick an artwork and tell why (VA:Re9.1.K) | Favorite dot vote |
Culminating task: Color Mixing Book: three pages showing red + yellow, blue + yellow, and red + blue, each with the new color the child mixed.
Check for understanding: 'Which two colors make green?' 'Which of these two paintings do you like more? Why?' (VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K)
What the kids site tells children in this unit (each line restates the cited source): "Red, yellow and blue are primary colors." [46] "Red and yellow make orange. Blue and yellow make green. Red and blue make violet." [46] "Red, yellow and orange are warm colors. Blue, green and violet are cool colors." [46]
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K
Mix two colors of paint (red and yellow) and name the new color.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Paint with one color only and make it lighter by adding white.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr1.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K
Make a warm and cool color collage from magazine clippings.
Level 3 Project
Create a color wheel with your own mixed paints and label each color.
Art Unit 4: Build It Together
Weeks 18-23, Jan 19 - Mar 5 (29 teaching days)
Artists build with paper, boxes, and clay, alone and in teams. Children make collages and sculptures, imagine inventions, solve an art problem together, and explain how they made their work.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: The box city connects to Math Unit 7 (solid shapes and building models) and to the neighborhood maps in Social Studies Unit 6. VA:Cn11.2.K (imagine an invention) pairs with the engineering in Science.
Standards in focus: VA:Cr1.2.K, VA:Cn11.2.K, VA:Cr3.1.K
Standards practiced: VA:Cr2.1.K, VA:Cr2.2.K, VA:Cr2.3.K
Materials: clean boxes, tubes, bottle caps, fabric scraps, tape, glue, modeling clay, magazines for collage.
Read-alouds: Not a Box - Antoinette Portis; Iggy Peck, Architect - Andrea Beaty.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Studio activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Jan 19-Jan 22 (4 days) | Collage (4-day week): cut and tear paper to make a picture | Torn-paper collage |
| 19 | Jan 25-Jan 29 (5 days) | Sculpture: art you can walk around; clay pinch pots | Clay play |
| 20 | Feb 1-Feb 5 (5 days) | Not a Box: what else could a box be? Imagine an invention (VA:Cn11.2.K) | Invention sketches |
| 21 | Feb 8-Feb 12 (5 days) | Team art problem: build a city block from boxes together (VA:Cr1.2.K) | Group box city |
| 22 | Feb 22-Feb 26 (5 days) | Finish and fix: add details; tell how we made it (VA:Cr3.1.K) | Builder talk |
| 23 | Mar 1-Mar 5 (5 days) | Invention fair: show your invention and tell what it does (VA:Cn11.2.K) | Invention fair |
Culminating task: Box City and Inventions: teams finish a box city; each child shows one invention and tells how they made it, first, next, and last.
Check for understanding: 'Tell me how you made it.' 'What does your invention do?' (VA:Cr3.1.K, VA:Cn11.2.K)
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: VA:Cr1.2.K, VA:Cn11.2.K, VA:Cr3.1.K
Build with blocks or boxes together and talk about how it stands up.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Stack three things and see if they stay; try a bigger one at the bottom.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: VA:Cr1.2.K, VA:Cn11.2.K, VA:Cr3.1.K
Look at a famous building or sculpture and copy it with clay or blocks.
Level 3 Project
Build a group sculpture from recycled items with family members, each adding one part.
Art Unit 5: Museum Explorers
Weeks 24-29, Mar 8 - Apr 16 (28 teaching days)
An art museum collects and shows art. Children compare a museum with other buildings, meet many forms of art and design, look closely, compare artworks, and open their own class museum.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: VA:Pr6.1.K asks children to explain what an art museum is and how it differs from other buildings. A real or online museum visit makes that concrete; the class museum lets children try the job themselves.
Standards in focus: VA:Pr6.1.K, VA:Cn11.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K
Standards practiced: VA:Re7.2.K, VA:Re9.1.K, VA:Cn10.1.K
Materials: printed images of artworks of many kinds (painting, sculpture, photograph, quilt, pottery, building), cardboard frames, clipboards, label cards, a museum's own online collection pages.
Read-alouds: Museum ABC - The Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Noisy Paint Box - Barb Rosenstock.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Studio activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Mar 8-Mar 12 (4 days) | What is an art museum? How is it different from a store, a school, or a home? (4-day week) (VA:Pr6.1.K) | Museum-or-not building sort |
| 25 | Mar 15-Mar 19 (5 days) | Many kinds of art: painting, sculpture, photographs, quilts, pottery, buildings (VA:Cn11.1.K) | Art-forms sort |
| 26 | Mar 22-Mar 25 (4 days) | Looking closely (4-day week): Museum ABC; I spy in a painting | I spy cards |
| 27 | Mar 29-Apr 2 (5 days) | Visit a museum in person or online; compare two artworks (VA:Re8.1.K) | Two-artwork talk |
| 28 | Apr 5-Apr 9 (5 days) | The Noisy Paint Box: art that shows sounds and feelings (Music link) | Paint to music |
| 29 | Apr 12-Apr 16 (5 days) | Open our class museum: label our art and guide visitors (VA:Pr6.1.K) | Class museum opening |
Culminating task: Class Museum: each child chooses one artwork, makes a label (title and artist's name), and guides a visitor.
Check for understanding: 'What is an art museum? How is it different from our school?' 'Name two kinds of art.' (VA:Pr6.1.K, VA:Cn11.1.K)
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: VA:Pr6.1.K, VA:Cn11.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K
Look at one painting together and play I Spy with the details.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Describe one thing in the art: a color, a shape, or a person.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: VA:Pr6.1.K, VA:Cn11.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K
Compare two artworks: which do you like more and why?
Level 3 Project
Set up a home museum with your child's art, labels, and a guided 'tour' for family.
Art Unit 6: Our Portfolio and Art Show
Weeks 30-36, May 3 - Jun 25 (33 teaching days)
Artists save and show the work they care about. Children keep a portfolio, look back at how their art changed, choose their best pieces, and hang an art show for families.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Ends the year with VA:Pr4.1.K and VA:Pr5.1.K (saving, displaying, and the purpose of a portfolio) and gives every child a reason to look back at September's work.
Standards in focus: VA:Pr4.1.K, VA:Pr5.1.K, VA:Cr3.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K
Standards practiced: VA:Pr6.1.K, VA:Cn10.1.K, VA:Re8.1.K
Materials: large paper folders for portfolios, labels, painter's tape, display boards or a hallway wall.
Read-alouds: The Dot (reread) - Peter H. Reynolds; Harold and the Purple Crayon (reread) - Crockett Johnson.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Studio activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | May 3-May 7 (5 days) | Why keep art? Saving and showing things we care about (VA:Pr4.1.K) | Family treasure talk |
| 31 | May 10-May 14 (5 days) | My portfolio: a folder that keeps my art; choose work to keep (VA:Pr5.1.K) | Decorate a portfolio |
| 32 | May 18-May 21 (4 days) | Look back (4-day week): my September art and my May art (VA:Cr3.1.K) | Then-and-now compare |
| 33 | May 24-May 28 (5 days) | Pick my best: choose and say why (VA:Re9.1.K) | Choose for the show |
| 34 | Jun 1-Jun 4 (4 days) | Plan the show (4-day week): where to hang and how to label (VA:Pr4.1.K) | Hang the show |
| 35 | Jun 14-Jun 18 (5 days) | Art show for families | Art show |
| 36 | Jun 21-Jun 25 (5 days) | Take our portfolios home and celebrate | Portfolio walk |
Culminating task: Family Art Show: each child shows three works from the portfolio and tells why they chose them.
Check for understanding: 'Why do we keep our art in a portfolio?' 'Why did you choose this one?' (VA:Pr5.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K)
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: VA:Pr4.1.K, VA:Pr5.1.K, VA:Cr3.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K
Pick favorite artworks from the year and talk about how they were made.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Choose one piece and tell one thing they are proud of.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: VA:Pr4.1.K, VA:Pr5.1.K, VA:Cr3.1.K, VA:Re9.1.K
Compare an early drawing to a new one: what got better?
Level 3 Project
Hold a family art show with labels and a ticket line.
The units: Music
Music Unit 1: Feel the Beat
Weeks 1-6, Sep 10 - Oct 16 (25 teaching days)
Most music has a beat, a steady pulse. Children pat, clap, march, and play the beat, notice when music has a beat, and tell which songs they like.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Steady beat is the first music concept the NYS kindergarten standards name (MU:Cr1.1.K a: 'such as beat and melodic contour'), and it carries into PE's dance unit.
Standards in focus: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Re7.2.K a, MU:Pr4.1.K a
Standards practiced: MU:Pr6.1.K c, MU:Cn10.1.K c
Materials: hand drums or upside-down buckets, rhythm sticks or wooden spoons, recorded songs with a clear beat, scarves.
Read-alouds: Max Found Two Sticks - Brian Pinkney; Rap a Tap Tap - Leo and Diane Dillon (also in English Unit 2).
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Music activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 10-Sep 11 (2 days) | Hello song (2-day week); pat the beat on our knees | Echo songs |
| 2 | Sep 14-Sep 18 (5 days) | The beat is the steady pulse: march, clap, pat (MU:Cr1.1.K a) | Beat walk |
| 3 | Sep 22-Sep 25 (4 days) | Beat or no beat? (4-day week) a song versus a story read aloud (MU:Re7.2.K a) | Stop-and-go freeze |
| 4 | Sep 28-Oct 2 (5 days) | Max Found Two Sticks: tap a beat on everyday things | Bucket drums |
| 5 | Oct 5-Oct 9 (5 days) | Favorite songs: tell which song you like and why (MU:Pr4.1.K a) | Song choice board |
| 6 | Oct 13-Oct 16 (4 days) | Move to the beat with scarves (4-day week); start and stop on the leader's cue (MU:Pr6.1.K c) | Scarf dance |
Culminating task: Beat Band: the class keeps a steady beat on drums and sticks while singing a favorite song, and each child takes a turn leading.
Check for understanding: The child pats a steady beat to a song for eight beats (MU:Cr1.1.K a).
What the kids site tells children in this unit (each line restates the cited source): "The beat is the steady pulse in most music." [28]
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Re7.2.K a, MU:Pr4.1.K a
Clap or pat a steady beat to a favorite song.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Walk to the beat, one step per beat, with music on.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Re7.2.K a, MU:Pr4.1.K a
Find the beat in different kinds of music: march, lullaby, dance.
Level 3 Project
Make a shaker from rice in a bottle and play the beat along with a song.
Music Unit 2: Loud and Soft, Fast and Slow
Weeks 7-12, Oct 19 - Nov 25 (27 teaching days)
Music can be loud or soft (dynamics) and fast or slow (tempo). Children hear and make these contrasts, notice same and different, talk about why a musician chose them, and change a song to show a new idea.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Contrasts are what kindergartners can hear and show most easily (MU:Pr4.2.K a names high/low, loud/soft, same/different), and changing tempo and dynamics on purpose is MU:Cn10.1.K d.
Standards in focus: MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr4.3.K a, MU:Re8.1.K a, MU:Cn10.1.K d
Standards practiced: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K a
Materials: drums and shakers, recordings with clear loud/soft and fast/slow parts (a lullaby and a march), picture cards (a turtle for slow, a rabbit for fast).
Read-alouds: Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin - Lloyd Moss; Giraffes Can't Dance - Giles Andreae.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Music activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Oct 19-Oct 23 (5 days) | Loud and soft: drum loud like a lion, soft like a mouse (dynamics) | Lion-and-mouse drums |
| 8 | Oct 26-Oct 30 (5 days) | Fast and slow: walk fast and slow to the drum (tempo) | Tempo walk |
| 9 | Nov 2-Nov 6 (5 days) | Same or different? Listen to two short songs (MU:Pr4.2.K a) | Thumbs up for same, thumbs sideways for different |
| 10 | Nov 9-Nov 13 (4 days) | Why soft? Why fast? (4-day week) Feelings in a lullaby and a march (MU:Re8.1.K a) | Lullaby or march? |
| 11 | Nov 16-Nov 20 (5 days) | Change it: sing a song slow, then fast; soft, then loud (MU:Cn10.1.K d) | Song remix |
| 12 | Nov 23-Nov 25 (3 days) | Share (3-day week): perform one song two ways | Mini concert |
Culminating task: Two-Ways Song: the class performs one song soft and slow, then loud and fast, and tells which way fits the song's words better and why.
Check for understanding: Play two versions: 'Which was louder? Which was faster?' (MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr4.3.K a)
What the kids site tells children in this unit (each line restates the cited source): "Dynamics means how loud or soft music is." [28] "Tempo means how fast or slow the beat goes." [28]
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr4.3.K a, MU:Re8.1.K a, MU:Cn10.1.K d
Sing a song loud, then soft. Play it fast, then slow.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Use your voice for just two choices: loud or soft.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr4.3.K a, MU:Re8.1.K a, MU:Cn10.1.K d
Listen to a piece that changes speed (like 'In the Hall of the Mountain King') and move with it.
Level 3 Project
Make up a short song and perform it in four ways: loud, soft, fast, slow.
Music Unit 3: High and Low
Weeks 13-18, Nov 30 - Jan 22 (29 teaching days)
Sounds can be high or low (pitch), and a melody has a shape as it moves up and down. Children show pitch with their bodies and voices, play up and down on bells, and sing with expression for an audience.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: Melodic contour is the second concept named in MU:Cr1.1.K a. A winter sharing for another class practices performing for an audience (MU:Pr6.1.K b).
Standards in focus: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b
Standards practiced: MU:Re7.2.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K c
Materials: a xylophone, step bells, or a keyboard app; a slide whistle; a stair-step chart; scarves.
Read-alouds: Mole Music - David McPhail; Hush! A Thai Lullaby - Minfong Ho.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Music activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Nov 30-Dec 4 (5 days) | High and low voices: a mouse squeak and a bear growl | Pitch elevator with our hands |
| 14 | Dec 7-Dec 11 (5 days) | A melody goes up and down: draw its shape in the air (melodic contour) | Scarf melody lines |
| 15 | Dec 14-Dec 18 (5 days) | Bell stairs: play up the stairs and down the stairs | Bell stairs |
| 16 | Jan 4-Jan 8 (5 days) | Sing with expression: practice a winter song (MU:Pr6.1.K a) | Practice for sharing |
| 17 | Jan 11-Jan 15 (5 days) | Be a good audience and a good performer (MU:Pr6.1.K b) | Class sharing for another class |
| 18 | Jan 19-Jan 22 (4 days) | Hush! (4-day week) a lullaby: soft, low, and slow; why? | Lullaby circle |
Culminating task: Up-and-Down Song: children show a melody's shape with their arms while they sing, then perform it for another class.
Check for understanding: Play two notes: 'Which one is higher?' Trace a melody's shape with your hand while it plays (MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Cr1.1.K a).
What the kids site tells children in this unit (each line restates the cited source): "Pitch is how high or low a sound is." [28] "A melody has a shape. Its notes move up and down." [28]
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b
Sing high like a bird and low like a bear.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Point up for high sounds and down for low sounds.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: MU:Cr1.1.K a, MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b
Listen to instruments (flute, tuba) and decide high or low.
Level 3 Project
Make glasses of water at different levels and tap them to compare high and low sounds.
Music Unit 4: Sounds All Around
Weeks 19-24, Jan 25 - Mar 12 (29 teaching days)
The world is full of sounds that music can copy. Children listen on a sound walk, imitate city sounds, make short musical ideas, write them down with pictures and lines (iconic notation), and record them.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: City children hear a rich soundscape every day; MU:Cn10.1.K a asks them to explore and imitate it. Drawing sounds is the first step toward reading music (MU:Cr2.1.K b, iconic notation).
Standards in focus: MU:Cn10.1.K a, MU:Cr1.1.K b, MU:Cr2.1.K a, MU:Cr2.1.K b
Standards practiced: MU:Pr4.2.K a, MU:Cr3.2.K a
Materials: household sound makers (pots, spoons, a rice shaker in a sealed bottle), paper and crayons for sound pictures, a phone or tablet to record.
Read-alouds: The Listening Walk - Paul Showers; Max Found Two Sticks (reread) - Brian Pinkney.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Music activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Jan 25-Jan 29 (5 days) | The Listening Walk: what sounds do we hear on our block? (MU:Cn10.1.K a) | Sound walk |
| 20 | Feb 1-Feb 5 (5 days) | Copy city sounds with voices and instruments (MU:Cn10.1.K a) | Sound copycat |
| 21 | Feb 8-Feb 12 (5 days) | Make a short sound idea, four beats long (MU:Cr1.1.K b) | My four-beat idea |
| 22 | Feb 22-Feb 26 (5 days) | Draw your music: lines and pictures for loud, soft, and quiet (MU:Cr2.1.K b) | Sound pictures |
| 23 | Mar 1-Mar 5 (5 days) | Pick your favorite idea and play it (MU:Cr2.1.K a) | Choose and play |
| 24 | Mar 8-Mar 12 (4 days) | Record our sound stories (4-day week) (MU:Cr2.1.K b) | Class recording |
Culminating task: City Sound Story: small groups make a sound story of our neighborhood, draw it with iconic notation, and record it.
Check for understanding: 'Show me your sound picture and play it for me.' (MU:Cr2.1.K b)
What the kids site tells children in this unit (each line restates the cited source): "You can write music down with lines and pictures. That is called iconic notation." [28]
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: MU:Cn10.1.K a, MU:Cr1.1.K b, MU:Cr2.1.K a, MU:Cr2.1.K b
Go on a sound walk and name what you hear.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Close eyes and guess one household sound.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: MU:Cn10.1.K a, MU:Cr1.1.K b, MU:Cr2.1.K a, MU:Cr2.1.K b
Sort sounds into loud and soft, or long and short, on a chart.
Level 3 Project
Make a 'sound story' using home objects as sound effects for a short tale.
Music Unit 5: Songs and Stories from Many Places
Weeks 25-30, Mar 15 - May 7 (29 teaching days)
People everywhere make music, for many reasons and at many times. Children share songs from their families, find where songs come from, talk about when people make music, act out stories with music, and say which styles they like.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: MU:Cn11.1.K a asks children to explore folk music from a variety of cultures and discuss each song's culture of origin. Families are the best source, and the maps from Social Studies Unit 6 and English Unit 8 show where songs come from.
Standards in focus: MU:Cn11.1.K a, MU:Cn11.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K c, MU:Re7.1.K a
Standards practiced: MU:Re9.1.K a
Materials: folk songs shared by families (recordings or a family visit), a world map, hand percussion, simple props for story dramatizations.
Read-alouds: Drum Dream Girl - Margarita Engle; Ah, Music! - Aliki.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Music activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Mar 15-Mar 19 (5 days) | Songs from our families: share a song from home (MU:Cn11.1.K a) | Family song visit |
| 26 | Mar 22-Mar 25 (4 days) | Where does this song come from? (4-day week) Find it on the map (with Social Studies) | Song map |
| 27 | Mar 29-Apr 2 (5 days) | When do people make music? Birthdays, bedtime, celebrations, work (MU:Cn10.1.K b) | Music-times chart |
| 28 | Apr 5-Apr 9 (5 days) | Act out a story with music and sound effects (MU:Cn10.1.K c) | Story with sounds |
| 29 | Apr 12-Apr 16 (5 days) | Which style do you like? Why? (MU:Cn11.1.K b, MU:Re7.1.K a) | Style vote |
| 30 | May 3-May 7 (5 days) | Ah, Music!: what we know about music | Music word wall |
Culminating task: Songs of Our Class: a class songbook with one song from each family that wants to share, where it comes from, and when people sing it.
Check for understanding: 'Tell me about a song from your family. Where is it from? When do people sing it?' (MU:Cn11.1.K a, MU:Cn10.1.K b)
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: MU:Cn11.1.K a, MU:Cn11.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K c, MU:Re7.1.K a
Learn a song from another country and find where it comes from on a map.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Sing just the chorus together, again and again.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: MU:Cn11.1.K a, MU:Cn11.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K b, MU:Cn10.1.K c, MU:Re7.1.K a
Compare two songs from different places: instruments, rhythm, language.
Level 3 Project
Perform a family concert with songs from two cultures.
Music Unit 6: Make It, Fix It, Share It
Weeks 31-36, May 10 - Jun 25 (28 teaching days)
Musicians practice, listen to feedback, fix, and perform. Children choose concert songs, rehearse with kind feedback, follow a conductor's start, stop, loud, and soft cues, and perform for families.
Level 1 The full plan
Why here: The whole Performing and Creating arc (MU:Cr3.1.K, MU:Cr3.2.K, MU:Pr5.1.K, MU:Pr6.1.K) comes together in a short spring concert.
Standards in focus: MU:Cr3.1.K a, MU:Cr3.2.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K b, MU:Pr5.1.K c, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b, MU:Pr6.1.K c, MU:Re9.1.K a
Standards practiced: MU:Pr4.1.K a
Materials: class instruments, a recording device, conductor cue cards (start, stop, loud, soft) that the class designs.
Read-alouds: The Philharmonic Gets Dressed - Karla Kuskin; Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin (reread) - Lloyd Moss.
| Week | Dates | Lesson focus | Music activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | May 10-May 14 (5 days) | Choose our concert songs and say why (MU:Re9.1.K a) | Song vote |
| 32 | May 18-May 21 (4 days) | Rehearse (4-day week): listen and give kind feedback (MU:Cr3.1.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K a) | Two stars and a wish |
| 33 | May 24-May 28 (5 days) | Follow the conductor: start, stop, loud, soft (MU:Pr5.1.K c, MU:Pr6.1.K c) | Conductor game |
| 34 | Jun 1-Jun 4 (4 days) | Polish (4-day week): practice strategies that make it better (MU:Pr5.1.K b) | Practice stations |
| 35 | Jun 14-Jun 18 (5 days) | Spring concert for families (MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b) | Concert |
| 36 | Jun 21-Jun 25 (5 days) | Our favorite music of the year; share a final version of a class-made piece (MU:Cr3.2.K a) | Music memory circle |
Culminating task: Family Concert: the class performs two songs following the conductor's cues, and one group shares a piece it made and fixed.
Check for understanding: The child follows start, stop, loud, and soft cues in the conductor game (MU:Pr5.1.K c, MU:Pr6.1.K c).
Level 2 More practice if your child needs more time
Builds on: MU:Cr3.1.K a, MU:Cr3.2.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K b, MU:Pr5.1.K c, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b, MU:Pr6.1.K c, MU:Re9.1.K a
Make up a short tune and sing it again the same way.
Level 3 Even smaller steps
Change just one part of a song, like a word or the speed.
Level 2 Go deeper if your child wants more
Builds on: MU:Cr3.1.K a, MU:Cr3.2.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K a, MU:Pr5.1.K b, MU:Pr5.1.K c, MU:Pr6.1.K a, MU:Pr6.1.K b, MU:Pr6.1.K c, MU:Re9.1.K a
Record your tune, listen back, and decide what to fix.
Level 3 Project
Write a song with drawings for each part and perform it for family.
Sample days
Sample day 1 - October, Music Unit 2 (Week 7: loud and soft)
- Hello song (3 min). Pat the beat.
- Listen (7 min). Play a short piece twice: once soft, once loud. 'What changed?' Introduce the word dynamics (NYS Music Glossary: level or range of loudness).
- Play (12 min). Lion-and-mouse drums: the teacher shows a lion card (play loud) or a mouse card (play soft) (MU:Pr4.2.K a).
- Close (3 min). 'When would a song want to be soft?'
Sample day 2 - December, Visual Arts Unit 3 (Week 13: mix two)
- Look (5 min). Reread two pages of Mouse Paint.
- Mix (25 min). Each child gets a plate with dabs of red, yellow, and blue. Mix red and yellow, blue and yellow, red and blue; paint a swatch of each new color (VA:Cr2.1.K).
- Talk (10 min). 'Which two colors made green? Was that what you guessed?' Check against the museum color sheet.
Sample day 3 - March, Visual Arts Unit 5 (Week 25: many kinds of art)
- Sort (15 min). Groups sort printed artwork cards: painting, sculpture, photograph, quilt, pottery, building (VA:Cn11.1.K).
- Look closely (10 min). Pick one card: 'What do you see? What makes you say that?' (VA:Re7.2.K)
- Make (15 min). Children make a tiny piece in one form (a clay pot or a paper quilt square) for the class museum.
Assessments
1. Portfolio and concert
The Visual Arts portfolio (Art Unit 6) and the family concert (Music Unit 6) are the year's two big shares. Short one-on-one checks are listed under each unit.
2. End-of-year checklist: Visual Arts (every standard)
| Standard | Interview task |
|---|---|
| VA:Cr1.1.K | Explore a new material and tell what you tried |
| VA:Cr1.2.K | Tell what your team made together and your part |
| VA:Cr2.1.K | Mix a secondary color; draw three kinds of lines |
| VA:Cr2.2.K | Show how to carry scissors and clean a brush |
| VA:Cr2.3.K | Draw two objects and tell one way they are alike and one way they are different |
| VA:Cr3.1.K | Tell how you made an artwork: first, next, last |
| VA:Pr4.1.K | Tell why people save and show art |
| VA:Pr5.1.K | Tell what a portfolio is for |
| VA:Pr6.1.K | Tell what an art museum is and how it differs from a store or a school |
| VA:Re7.1.K | Find art at school or home and tell what it is used for |
| VA:Re7.2.K | Tell what a picture shows and how you can tell |
| VA:Re8.1.K | Compare two artworks: one way they are alike, one way they differ |
| VA:Re9.1.K | Choose a favorite artwork and give a reason |
| VA:Cn10.1.K | Describe something you saw on a walk with two describing words and a drawing |
| VA:Cn11.1.K | Name three forms of art |
| VA:Cn11.2.K | Tell what an invention is and describe one you imagined |
3. End-of-year checklist: Music (every standard)
One task per performance standard covers all of its lettered indicators.
| Standard | Interview task |
|---|---|
| MU:Cr1.1.K | Pat a steady beat; trace a melody's shape; make up a short movement or sound idea |
| MU:Cr2.1.K | Choose a favorite idea and show it with a sound picture |
| MU:Cr3.1.K | Use one piece of feedback to change your idea |
| MU:Cr3.2.K | Share a final version with classmates |
| MU:Pr4.1.K | Tell which song you like and why |
| MU:Pr4.2.K | Tell which of two sounds is higher, louder, or the same |
| MU:Pr4.3.K | Tell whether a song was fast or slow, loud or soft, and why it fits |
| MU:Pr5.1.K | Follow start and stop cues; use a practice tip |
| MU:Pr6.1.K | Sing with expression and be a good audience |
| MU:Re7.1.K | Say why you prefer one of two songs |
| MU:Re7.2.K | Show where the beat or the melody's direction is in a song |
| MU:Re8.1.K | Tell why a musician played softly or quickly |
| MU:Re9.1.K | Choose a song for the concert and explain |
| MU:Cn10.1.K | Copy a city sound; tell when people make music; act out a story with sound; change the tempo or dynamics to show an idea |
| MU:Cn11.1.K | Tell where a folk song from your family comes from; say which music style you like |
Support for every learner
- Multilingual learners. Use real objects, gestures, picture word cards, and home-language words next to English; let children show what they know by pointing, sorting, drawing, or acting it out.
- Students with disabilities. Follow each child's IEP; offer larger materials, fewer choices at once, visual schedules, and extra time; give a quiet spot for children who find noise or crowds hard.
- Sensory needs. Offer ear defenders during loud music, a choice of tools (chunky crayons, brush grips), and a quiet art corner.
- Children ready for more. Add more lines or colors to a design, compose a longer sound pattern, or lead the class as conductor.
Standards coverage map: Visual Arts
● = in focus; ○ = practiced. Every kindergarten Visual Arts standard is in focus in at least one unit.
| Code | A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | A6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA:Cr1.1.K | ● | ○ | ● | |||
| VA:Cr1.2.K | ● | |||||
| VA:Cr2.1.K | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ||
| VA:Cr2.2.K | ● | ○ | ○ | |||
| VA:Cr2.3.K | ● | ○ | ||||
| VA:Cr3.1.K | ● | ● | ||||
| VA:Pr4.1.K | ● | |||||
| VA:Pr5.1.K | ● | |||||
| VA:Pr6.1.K | ● | ○ | ||||
| VA:Re7.1.K | ● | |||||
| VA:Re7.2.K | ● | ○ | ○ | |||
| VA:Re8.1.K | ● | ● | ○ | |||
| VA:Re9.1.K | ● | ○ | ● | |||
| VA:Cn10.1.K | ○ | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| VA:Cn11.1.K | ● | |||||
| VA:Cn11.2.K | ● |
Standards coverage map: Music
● = in focus; ○ = practiced. Every kindergarten General Music indicator is in focus in at least one unit.
| Code | M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MU:Cr1.1.K a | ● | ○ | ● | |||
| MU:Cr1.1.K b | ● | |||||
| MU:Cr2.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Cr2.1.K b | ● | |||||
| MU:Cr3.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Cr3.2.K a | ○ | ● | ||||
| MU:Pr4.1.K a | ● | ○ | ||||
| MU:Pr4.2.K a | ● | ● | ○ | |||
| MU:Pr4.3.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Pr5.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Pr5.1.K b | ● | |||||
| MU:Pr5.1.K c | ○ | ● | ||||
| MU:Pr6.1.K a | ○ | ● | ● | |||
| MU:Pr6.1.K b | ● | ● | ||||
| MU:Pr6.1.K c | ○ | ● | ||||
| MU:Re7.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Re7.2.K a | ● | ○ | ||||
| MU:Re8.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Re9.1.K a | ○ | ● | ||||
| MU:Cn10.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Cn10.1.K b | ● | |||||
| MU:Cn10.1.K c | ○ | ● | ||||
| MU:Cn10.1.K d | ● | |||||
| MU:Cn11.1.K a | ● | |||||
| MU:Cn11.1.K b | ● |
Kindergarten standards, word for word
Visual Arts (NYSED, Visual Arts At-A-Glance, Kindergarten column)
- VA:Cr1.1.K: a. Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials.
- VA:Cr1.2.K: a. Engage collaboratively in creative artmaking in response to an artistic problem.
- VA:Cr2.1.K: a. Through experimentation, build skills in various media and artmaking approaches.
- VA:Cr2.2.K: a. Identify safe art materials, tools, and equipment.
- VA:Cr2.3.K: a. Note similarities and differences of objects through drawings, diagrams, sculptures, or other visual means.
- VA:Cr3.1.K: a. Reflect on and explain the process of making art.
- VA:Pr4.1.K: a. Identify reasons for saving and displaying objects, artifacts, and artwork.
- VA:Pr5.1.K: a. Explain the purpose of a portfolio or collection.
- VA:Pr6.1.K: a. Explain what an art museum is and distinguish how an art museum is different from other buildings.
- VA:Re7.1.K: a. Identify uses of art within one's personal environment.
- VA:Re7.2.K: a. Describe what an image represents.
- VA:Re8.1.K: a. With guidance, share observations comparing artworks.
- VA:Re9.1.K: a. Explain reasons for selecting a preferred artwork.
- VA:Cn10.1.K: a. Explore the world using descriptive words and artistic work.
- VA:Cn11.1.K: a. Identify a variety of forms of art and design.
- VA:Cn11.2.K: a. Describe what it means to invent, and imagine an invention.
General Music (NYSED, Music At-A-Glance, Kindergarten column)
- MU:Cr1.1.K a: With guidance, explore and experience music concepts (such as beat and melodic contour).
- MU:Cr1.1.K b: With guidance, generate musical ideas (such as movements or motifs).
- MU:Cr2.1.K a: With guidance, demonstrate and select favorite musical ideas.
- MU:Cr2.1.K b: With guidance, organize personal musical ideas, using iconic notation and/or recording technology.
- MU:Cr3.1.K a: With guidance, apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback in refining musical ideas.
- MU:Cr3.2.K a: With guidance, demonstrate a final version of musical ideas to peers.
- MU:Pr4.1.K a: With guidance, demonstrate and state personal interest in varied musical selections provided by the teacher.
- MU:Pr4.2.K a: 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:Pr4.3.K a: With guidance, demonstrate awareness of expressive qualities (such as voice quality, dynamics, and tempo) that support the creators' expressive intent.
- MU:Pr5.1.K a: With guidance, apply personal, teacher, and peer feedback to refine performances.
- MU:Pr5.1.K b: With guidance, use suggested strategies in rehearsal to improve the expressive qualities of music.
- MU:Pr5.1.K c: Respond appropriately to aural and visual cues.
- MU:Pr6.1.K a: With guidance, perform music with expression.
- MU:Pr6.1.K b: Perform appropriately for the audience.
- MU:Pr6.1.K c: Respond appropriately to aural and visual cues.
- MU:Re7.1.K a: With guidance, list personal interests and experiences and demonstrate why they prefer some teacher-provided music selections over others.
- MU:Re7.2.K a: With guidance, demonstrate how a specific music concept (such as beat or melodic direction) is used in music.
- MU:Re8.1.K a: With guidance, demonstrate awareness of expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) that reflect creators'/performers' expressive intent.
- MU:Re9.1.K a: With guidance, apply personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music.
- MU:Cn10.1.K a: Explore and imitate sounds found in the environment.
- MU:Cn10.1.K b: Imagine and describe places, times, and reasons for making and listening to music.
- MU:Cn10.1.K c: Illustrate musical ideas through movements (such as dramatizations of books or stories).
- MU:Cn10.1.K d: Manipulate music concepts (such as tempo and dynamics) in order to express ideas.
- MU:Cn11.1.K a: Explore folk music from a variety of cultures and discuss the music's culture of origin.
- MU:Cn11.1.K b: With guidance, discuss preferences for varied musical styles and repertoire.
Music words (NYSED, NYS Music Glossary)
- Beat: Underlying steady pulse present in most music.
- Tempo: Rate or speed of the beat in a musical work or performance.
- Dynamics: Level or range of loudness of a sound or sounds.
- Pitch: Identification of a tone or note with respect to highness or lowness (i.e., frequency).
- Melodic contour: Shape of a melody created by the way its pitches repeat and move up and down in steps and skips.
- Iconic notation: Representation of sound and its treatment by using lines, drawings, pictures.
- Rhythm: Duration or length of sounds and silences that occur in music; organization of sounds and silences in time.
- Motif/motive: Brief rhythmic/melodic figure or pattern that recurs throughout a composition as a unifying element.
Notes on sources and limits
- Codes and wording were read from the NYSED At-A-Glance PDFs. Those pages are a grid of grade columns, so the kindergarten column was extracted by position and checked against a picture of each page; words from neighboring columns were removed.
- Kindergarten Music uses the General Music strand. NYSED also publishes ensemble and other music strands that start in later grades; they are not used here.
- No NYC arts curriculum is mapped; Astor did not check one.
- Astor's own choices: unit order, timing, minutes, activities, materials, sample days, and checklist tasks.
- Read-alouds were checked against Open Library (title and author). Titles not found there were dropped.
Sources
All links were opened or downloaded on October 20, 2026 (America/New_York). Standard codes and wording were copied from the NYSED documents (local copies in src-cache/). Numbers continue the English and Math source list (1-23).
- NYSED. New York State Learning Standards for the Arts: Visual Arts At-A-Glance Standards (Aug 2017). Kindergarten column, pp. 4-12. https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/nys-visual-arts-at-a-glance-final-8-2-2017-high-res-v2.pdf
- NYSED. New York State Learning Standards for the Arts: Music At-A-Glance (Aug 2017). General Music, Kindergarten column, pp. 5-19. https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/nys-music-at-a-glance-final-8.2.2017-high-res-v2.pdf
- NYSED. NYS Music Glossary (2017). Entries: beat, tempo, dynamics, pitch, melodic contour, iconic notation, rhythm, motif. https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/nys-music-glossary-final-high-res.pdf
- Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Color creative activity sheet (Summer 2019): primary colors red, yellow, blue; red + yellow = orange, blue + red = violet, blue + yellow = green. https://www.okeeffemuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Activity-Color.pdf
- Cincinnati Art Museum. Mixing It Up! lesson plan: primary colors (red, yellow, blue); secondary colors made by mixing two primaries (orange, green, purple). https://cincinnatiartmuseum.org/media/iizmuumb/mixing-it-up-lesson-plan.pdf
- NYC Public Schools. 2026-2027 School Year Calendar (holiday names and dates used in the Social Studies plan: Yom Kippur Sept 21; Italian Heritage/Indigenous Peoples' Day Oct 12; Election Day Nov 3, remote; Veterans Day Nov 11; Thanksgiving Recess Nov 26-27; Winter Recess Dec 24-Jan 1; Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan 18; Midwinter Recess Feb 15-19; Eid al-Fitr Mar 9; Good Friday Mar 26; Spring Recess Apr 22-30; Eid al-Adha May 17; Memorial Day May 31). Same document as source 13. https://www.schools.nyc.gov/calendar/2026-2027-school-year-calendar
- Open Library search API, checked October 20, 2026, for every new read-aloud title and author pair (titles not found there were dropped). https://openlibrary.org/search.json