Elementary School Unit (Grade 3)

DANCE LESSON 2

EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING BASED ON THE STANDARDS

Students will

• continue to explore and use the dance elements
  
• continue to create movement themes based on personal themes and ideas
  
• relate the rhythm and quality of words and phrases to the rhythm and qualities of dance
  
• work in groups to create brief dance studies
  
• improvise music for dance movement
  
• continue to be a respectful audience
  
• continue to act as critics

MATERIALS

• drum and mallet
  
• selection of hand held instruments
  
• chant from story displayed

VOCABULARY

Review:

• personal space
  
• general space
  
• locomotor
  
• non-locomotor or axial movement
  
• body parts
  
• space
  
• levels
  
• size
  
• shape
  
• improvisation
  
• choreography

New:

• tempo
  
• pattern/rhythm
  
• energy (smooth/sharp)
  
• gesture

WARM-UP (10 minutes)

1. Wiggle and Shake (reviews locomotor/non-locomotor movement, shapes, body parts, etc.) Begin balance on bottoms with legs and arms in the air. Each section is performed for 8 counts. Teacher accompanies first on drum; then students create accompaniment

wiggle and shake
slap and tap
body part circle (head, shoulder, wrist, etc.)
stand up and run in place, run to another place in the circle,
take little steps, take large steps
freeze in a shape, change levels, change size of shape
melt

2. Walka Walka (use voice as accompaniment for movement, begin sitting with legs stretched forward, with the back erect and the hands touching the floor on either side of the pelvis) Extension: Ask what would it sound like with instruments? Create and perform accompaniments with instruments.

"Walk" the hands forward, right-left-right-left, towards the feet (the torso will come forward, closer to the legs) while saying. "Walka, walka, walka, walka" in a normal voice. The hands stop at the knees.

"Run" the fingers forward while saying, "Deedle-de-deedle-de-deedled-de-de" in a high-pitched voice. This pulls the torso even further forward. The hands finish at the ankles.

Lower the elbows as close to the floor as possible while saying, "elbows." "El" is said in a low voice and "bows" is even lower. The torso is close to the legs.

Stay in this position and gently pulse (do not bounce!) while saying, "Stretch, stretch, stretch, stretch:" or "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!" Add facial expression.

In one count, pull back to balance on the bottom with arms and legs in the air and say, with great "Well?"

Shake everything and say, "Hellooooooooo!" in as wobbly a voice as possible.

Stop and drop back to the original position and say "Mom!"

EXPLORATION AND CREATION (45 minutes)

1. Machines-Divide the class in half. Have one group create a machine with moving parts where everyone is connected and which uses smooth energy. Have the other group create a machine which uses sharp energy. Discuss tempo of each machine. Experiment with making the movement faster or slower than the original. Is there a particular rhythm or pattern? Have each group create a pattern and determine a tempo. Add vocal accompaniment. Extension: Identify the instruments that would be best for each quality.

2. Name Gestures-Distinguish this activity from name dances created in the previous class. Demonstrate how the use of levels, tempo, size, pattern, and energy can change the way a movement looks. Example…Use the gesture of opening a book and demonstrate fast/slow, high/low, big/small, pattern with head, and sharp/smooth.) Discuss what each different way of performing the same gesture might be communicating. Ask students to find a gesture that communicates something about them. If necessary, the teacher can demonstrate further by selecting and manipulating a few through the dance elements. Discuss. Assign students a specific element to manipulate. Allow work and share/discussion time. Introduce instrumental/vocal accompaniment to the Name Gestures with examples and discussion. Students work in pairs. Share and discuss.

CLOSING (5 minutes)\

Talk about, chant, clap rhythm of and then move to the name poem from "Turtle Knows Your Name."

UPSILIMANA TUMPALERADO
That's my name.
I took my time to learn it.
Won't you do the same?