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Locomotor Dances
Students explore and perform locomotor movements. With partners, they combine the locomotor movements into a simple dance. The partner identifies three movements they observed. Students may be grouped into dancers for a performance.
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Beyond the Notes
Students observe as the teacher introduced themself as a talent scout for a clothing company for teenagers who is looking for a choreographer for a commercial for a new line of clothes called, "The Wrap". They work alone or in groups of...
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Planting a Garden Through Dance
Students create a dance study based on the growth cycle of a flower. They improvise movements that relate to each stage of growth. They create artwork on the growth cycle of a flower. They perform their dances for the whole class.
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Tempo Contrasts in partner Dances
Students explore the differences in tempo through movement. In groups, students create an original dance phrase and illustrate both fast and slow movement. They share their observations and evaluate each dance according to originality...
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Geometric Shape Dances
Students use movement and dance in order to strengthen mathematical understanding of different geometric shapes. The movements are imitating the drawing of shapes and they pick one to make into a dance. Upon beginning the dance music can...
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Spatial Relationships: an Over/Under Dance
Students explore the relationships of space through movement. Two perform movement improvisation based on over/under. The activity improves hand-eye coordination, cooperation, and communication skills. The timing of the dance also...
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Graphs of the Heart
Students study Greek literature. In this Greek tragedies lesson, students explore the dance-dramas of Martha Graham. Students study the choreography that brings ancient Greek literature to life.
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The Hamsterdance
It's unbelievable that there really is a dance that goes with a song called "The Hamsterdance!" This is not a lesson plan per se, but rather steps to the dance. They include head bobs, slide steps, thigh slaps, and clapping. Short dances...
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Dance Team/ Collaborative Fitness Routines
Students experience the process of creating a "dance team" type routine by following a set procedure.
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"Performance Qualities" Dance Lesson Plan
Eighth graders move across a space practicing a dance as they work on focus and energy.
Education Closet
West Side Shifts
Combine math, language arts, music, and dance with an activity focused on "America" from West Side Story. After listening to the song, learners compare the film to Romeo and Juliet, analyze the song's meter, design choreography, plan...
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Nureyev: After Petipa
Incorporating the arts into regular classroom practices isn't an easy task. Learners will research background information regarding Russian culture, history, and conflict then see how those things have applied to the rigors of Russian...
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Arts Impact and Math
Third graders incorporate math into dancing. In this algebra lesson, 3rd graders identify different shapes and patterns using dance movements. They relate the different creations to polygons as they incorporate the use of stretchy bands...
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Music and Interdisciplinary Connections
Students examine the interconnectedness of different art forms. They listen to music and watch a video while determining the similarities of the themes. They make connections between books, movies, opera, dance, and music.
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Walk Like an Egyptian
The singing group The Bangles produced a music video for their song, "Walk Like an Egyptian" in 1985. Students watch the video, then work in groups in order to come up with the choreography for their own "Egyptian Dance." A fun lesson is...
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From Broadway: Fosse
Students examine the life and contributions of choreographer and director Bob Fosse. They analyze reviews, write a review after watching one of Bob Fosse's films, and view and compare Fosse dances to current music videos.
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Courage
Students become familiar with dance vocabulary and, with their bodies, create shapes and transitional movements to depict emotions related to the theme of 'courage.' They coordinate their movements to music and critique each others'...
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Create-A-Line Dance
Students demonstrate knowledge of the processes, principles, and structure of line dance. In groups students choreograph their own line dance, implementing moves learned from previous dances taught in the line dance unit.
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Rhythmic Dancing
Fourth graders practice expressing themselves through the art of dance. In this physical education lesson plan, 4th graders discuss choreography and how moving specific ways at certain times can be artistic. Students create and perform...
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Just Dancing Around? Trisha Brown
Students view a video clip highlighting the work of choreographer Trisha Brown and read her biography. They complete a table to summarize her work and they discuss their answers.
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Moving Rhythms
Young scholars explore the elements of tempo, beat and rhythm. They create rhythm patterns and an original dance. In groups, students perform their phrases for their peers. As a class, they explore choreographic principles, processes...
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Shadow Dances
Students explore the physical phenomenon of shadows through movement improvisation and dance. They create an original dance phrase based on this imagery. All students then reproduce accurately the movement choices of another dancer.
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THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale :Interpreting the music of Raphael Mostel's Dance/Movement exercise
Students explore how dance/movement tell a story. They analyze the elements of dance through interpretation of the story. Students exercise how the feelings and moods of the music suggest certain body movements and actions.
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High and Low Tones
Students perform movements to trigger high and low tones in music produced by percussionists.