DANCE
DANCE DANCE 3-5
Characteristics of the Upper Elementary School Student
The upper elementary student is more comfortable in the structure of the school environment. At this age, students appear confident and eager to take on new tasks and challenges. One of the greatest challenges involves group dynamics. Charged with the task of defining their roles, students begin to recognize how groups interact. The 3-5 dance program provides opportunities for students to explore dancing alone and as part of a group.
The Learning Experience
The 3-5 dance program is designed to reinforce the experiential learning of the primary grades, as well as to create a foundation for further dance study as children progress to middle school. Students refine the use of space, time, and energy in grades 3-5. Greater emphasis is placed upon problem solving and working cooperatively with others in the dance process. Lessons may have a thematic focus based on content from other subject areas and/or related to the children's individual interests or developmental levels. Students continue to create, perform, analyze, and evaluate their work, and begin to understand dance as an art form.
Content Integration
Content integration is a natural way for children to organize and understand their world. The elementary dance program provides rich opportunities for students to study dance in relation to other content areas. Dance can also be a vehicle for helping children understand major concepts such as patterns, cycles, and processes. Dance can help students understand cultural diversity, the writing process, mathematical reasoning and concepts, the scientific process, character traits, and the impact of technological advances on dance.
Presentations
Presentation of work is a natural progression in the study of dance. Students will have opportunities to demonstrate their work in many venues in the elementary school. Presentations may take place in the form of informal sharing within the classroom for partners, small groups, the whole class, or in the form of formal stage presentations for a larger audience. The learning experience is the focus of these presentations even though a final product may be produced. Informances may demonstrate the process for how students arrive at the product or performance as a result of instruction. These experiences provide opportunities to define the roles of performers and audience members, teach students to respond to and critique dance appropriately, and help children to build confidence and pride in their work.
Program Continuity
Throughout the curriculum key objectives progress from one grade level to the next using a similar succession: exploration, identification, utilization, and evaluation. Some objectives, which do not appear to follow the same progression, recur at different grade levels for the purpose of reinforcement and extension. In addition, the content, instruction, student outcomes, and evaluation methods should increase in sophistication at each grade level, or whenever differentiation is necessary. Teachers should modify objectives appropriately to meet the instructional and development needs of each student. The 3-5 dance program prepares students to continue dance studies at the middle school level.
DANCE - Grade 3
The study of dance is cumulative and sequential to include learning from previous grade levels. The focus areas for learning at this level include:
- Demonstrating increased kinesthetic awareness
- Utilizing the elements of dance
- Developing partner skills
- Utilizing the basic components of choreography to create and perform dance sequences
- Expressing ideas, feelings, or stories through movement
- Continuing to make connections between dance and other content areas
- Participating appropriately during cooperative and movement activities
- Critiquing and evaluating the work of self and others
Strands: Creating, Performing, Responding, Understanding
COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will identify and demonstrate elements and skills in dance. (National Standard 1)
Objectives
1.01 Demonstrate increasing kinesthetic awareness.
1.02 Utilize and elaborate on the element of space in dance.
1.03 Utilize and elaborate on the element of time in dance.
1.04 Utilize and elaborate on the element of energy/dynamics in dance.
1.05 Observe and describe the inter-relatedness of dance elements in a brief movement study.
COMPETENCY GOAL 2: The learner will understand choreographic principles, processes, and structures. (National Standard 2)
Objectives
2.01 Compare and contrast the differences between spontaneous and planned movement.
2.02 Create a sequence with a beginning, middle, and end both with and without accompaniment.
2.03 Demonstrate and develop the following partner skills: copying, leading and following, mirroring.
2.04 Improvise, create, and perform dances based on own ideas and concepts from other sources.
2.05 Create a dance phrase and accurately repeat it.
COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will understand that dance can create and communicate meaning. (National Standard 3)
Objectives
3.01 Create movements to express ideas, feelings, or stories.
3.02 Discuss interpretations of and reactions to a dance.
3.03 Create dance movements from pedestrian movements.
COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will apply and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in dance. (National Standard 4)
Objectives
4.01 Create and explore multiple solutions to a given movement problem.
4.02 Discuss and explore movement similarities and differences in dance sequences.
4.03 Evaluate dance in multiple ways.
COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will demonstrate and understand dance in various cultures and historical periods. (National Standard 5)
Objectives
5.01 Compare and contrast dances from various cultures and historical periods.
5.02 Perform dances from various cultures and historical periods.
5.03 Identify various ways in which people respond to their environments through dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 6: The learner will make connections between dance and healthful living. (National Standard 6)
Objectives
6.01 Demonstrate safe and respectful practices during movement activities.
6.02 Identify at least one personal goal to improve oneself as a dancer.
COMPETENCY GOAL 7: The learner will make connections between dance and other content areas. (National Standard 7)
Objectives
7.01 Investigate connections between dance and other content areas.
7.02 Use technology as a tool for exploring and creating dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 8: The learner will understand dance as an art form with a range of opportunities for involvement.
Objectives
8.01 Define the role of an audience and performer in dance.
8.02 Define and demonstrate appropriate behaviors while watching, creating, or performing dance.
8.03 Identify and explore various opportunities for involvement with dance.
DANCE - Grade 4
The study of dance is cumulative and sequential to include learning from previous grade levels. The focus areas for learning at this level include:
- Exhibiting increased kinesthetic awareness
- Utilizing the elements of dance to choreograph dance sequences
- Discovering how people in various cultures and historical periods have communicated through dance movement
- Using dance to illustrate concepts or ideas from other content areas
- Working effectively within a group in the creation and performance of dance compositions
- Critiquing and evaluating the work of self and others
Strands: Creating, Performing, Responding, Understanding
COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will identify and demonstrate elements and skills in dance. (National Standard 1)
Objectives
1.01 Exhibit kinesthetic awareness: control, concentration, focus, and clarity of movement.
1.02 Combine more than one element of dance to create dance sequences.
1.03 Observe and describe the dance elements in various dance movement studies.
COMPETENCY GOAL 2: The learner will understand choreographic principles, processes, and structures. (National Standard 2)
Objectives 2.01 Use improvisation to discover and invent dance.
2.02 Create and perform a sequence with a beginning, middle, and end both with and without accompaniment. Identify each of these parts in the sequence.
2.03 Demonstrate the ability to work independently and cooperatively.
2.04 Improvise, create, and perform dances based on own ideas and concepts from other sources.
2.05 Create a dance phrase, accurately repeat it, then vary it by making changes in the elements of dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will understand that dance can create and communicate meaning. (National Standard 3)
Objectives
3.01 Create and present simple dance sequences that convey meaning.
3.02 Explain interpretations of and reactions to a dance.
3.03 Demonstrate ways to create dance movements from pedestrian movements.
COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will apply and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in dance. (National Standard 4)
Objectives
4.01 Create and explore multiple solutions to a given movement problem.
4.02 Choose one solution to a movement assignment and justify the reasons for that choice.
4.03 Devise and employ various ways to evaluate dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will demonstrate and understand dance in various cultures and historical periods. (National Standard 5)
Objectives
5.01 Investigate the impact of historical events and significant contributors on the development of dance.
5.02 Investigate aspects of dance in various cultures and historical periods.
5.03 Reproduce a dance using available resources; describe the cultural and/or historical context.
COMPETENCY GOAL 6: The learner will make connections between dance and healthful living. (National Standard 6)
Objectives
6.01 Explain how health and safety practices enhance a dancer's ability to dance.
6.02 Identify at least three personal goals to improve oneself as a dancer.
COMPETENCY GOAL 7: The learner will make connections between dance and other content areas. (National Standard 7)
Objectives
7.01 Identify concepts which occur between dance and other content areas including English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Music, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts.
7.02 Create a dance sequence that demonstrates understanding of a concept or idea from another content area.
7.03 Respond to a dance using another art form; explain the relationship between the dance and the response.
7.04 Use technology as a tool for exploring and creating dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 8: The learner will understand dance as an art form with a range of opportunities for involvement.
Objectives
8.01 Define the role of an audience and performer in dance.
8.02 Identify and explore various opportunities for involvement with dance.
DANCE - Grade 5
The study of dance is cumulative and sequential to include learning from previous grade levels. The focus areas for learning at this level include:
- Applying and utilizing kinesthetic awareness
- Combining the elements of dance in composition
- Creating and performing movement sequences that convey meaning
- Recognizing the inter-relatedness of dance, cultures, and historical periods
- Producing choreography that illustrates concepts or ideas from other content areas
- Understanding dance as an art form
- Selecting and utilizing evaluation tools for dance
Strands: Creating, Performing, Responding, Understanding
COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will identify and demonstrate elements and skills in dance. (National Standard 1)
Objectives
1.01 Apply and utilize kinesthetic awareness in development of movement skills and dance techniques.
1.02 Combine the elements of space, time, and energy/dynamics to create dance sequences with a variety of themes and concepts.
1.03 Observe and describe the dance elements in various dance movement studies using appropriate movement/dance vocabulary.
COMPETENCY GOAL 2: The learner will understand choreographic principles, processes, and structures. (National Standard 2)
Objectives
2.01 Use improvisation to create dance sequences.
2.02 Identify and utilize transitions in dance sequences.
2.03 Demonstrate the ability to work alone and cooperatively in a small group during the choreographic process.
2.04 Improvise, create, and perform dances based on own ideas and concepts from other sources.
2.05 Identify and explore various compositional structures and/or forms of dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will understand that dance can create and communicate meaning. (National Standard 3)
Objectives
3.01 Create and perform movement sequences that convey meaning.
3.02 Identify and examine factors which can affect the interpretation of a dance.
3.03 Identify and demonstrate differences between gesture/pantomime/acting, and dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will apply and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in dance. (National Standard 4)
Objectives
4.01 Compare, contrast, and demonstrate multiple solutions to a given dance movement problem.
4.02 Examine multiple solutions to a dance movement problem and choose one solution based on given criteria.
4.03 Analyze a dance composition in terms of more than one element of dance.
4.04 Select and utilize ways to evaluate dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will demonstrate and understand dance in various cultures and historical periods. (National Standard 5)
Objectives
5.01 Explain the impact of historical events and significant contributors on the development of dance.
5.02 Explain aspects of dance in various cultures and historical periods.
5.03 Create a dance reflecting characteristics of a particular culture or historical period.
COMPETENCY GOAL 6: The learner will make connections between dance and healthful living. (National Standard 6)
Objectives
6.01 Summarize multiple examples of healthy practices in dance.
6.02 Select and monitor a personal goal to improve oneself as a dancer.
COMPETENCY GOAL 7: The learner will make connections between dance and other content areas. (National Standard 7)
Objectives
7.01 Summarize two or more concepts which occur across dance and more than one other content area.
7.02 Create a dance project that integrates understanding of a concept or idea from another content area.
7.03 Respond to dance using another art form; justify the relationship between the dance and the response.
7.04 Use technology as a tool for exploring and creating dance.
COMPETENCY GOAL 8: The learner will understand dance as an art form with a range of opportunities for involvement.
Objectives
8.01 Define and explain the role of an audience and performer in dance.
8.02 Identify and explore various opportunities for involvement with dance.
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