Elementary School Lesson Plan

Relevant outcomes: Students will:

• make choices about dance elements and organize them in expressive ways
• plan and present dance works for a familiar audience
• identify dance elements in their and classmates work

Task: Students are required to make a dance that includes several balancing positions.

Background: Students have explored the concepts of space, time and energy. They have worked with partners, and in groups to explore the elements of dance.

Preparation: Show the students several balancing positions. Have them imitate the positions, then, in pairs, explore different balancing positions experimenting with low, middle and high levels.

Activity: Have students mirror each other's shapes and use them to make a short sequence of shapes and balances. Be certain they explore different levels while balancing and in between their balance positions. Have students present their dances to the class.

Assessment: Develop a rubric with the students for them to assess their work, e.g. I found a variety of non-locomotor and loco-motor movements to create my dance. I worked with my partner to select and practice movements for our dance. I positively responded to my classmate's work and correctly identified their movements.

Adapted from a draft of Delaware's "Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Framework"