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Ballet and Classical Music
Fourth graders explore ballet. In this dance and music humanities instructional activity, 4th graders practice ballet positions and play a card game using French ballet vocabulary. Students count beats in rhythm patterns and listen to...
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The Influence of Latin Music in Postwar New York City
Music has often been called the international language that transcends cultures and regions. Scholars analyze the impact of Latin American music on New York City culture in the years following World War II. They research music, video,...
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Appreciating the Men of Ballet from Dance in America: Born to be Wild: The Leading Men of the American Ballet Theatre
Students examine the role of men in the American Ballet Theatre. In this ballet lesson, students watch segments of the Great Performances video "Dance in America: Born to be Wild: The Leading Men of the American Ballet Theatre." Students...
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Exploring Music and Movement
Students explore a variety of music types and movements with an emphasis on moving "with" or "against" the music. They move with and against the music, complementing or contrasting the music, and discuss their connections with the music...
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Theater Arts/Creative Movement Lesson Plan
Here is a series of five exercises intended to bring movement, dance, and theater into the classroom. Intended for special ed classes, but appropriate for any grade, learners will pantomime, play pretend, dance, move, and create...
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Dance: Personal Soundtracks
Students create a musical autobiography. In this fine arts lesson, students explore the emotions that music can express by listening to and discussing a variety of music. Students construct a personal timeline and a collection of music...
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Music and Emotions
First graders examine how certain types of music can evoke emotions and mental images. They fold a piece of paper into four equal sections, and create a picture of what they are visualizing in each section while listening to four...
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Chance Dance Compositions
Fourth graders create dances through a randomly generated process (such as throwing a dice) and perform their dances for the class. Class work is based on Merce Cunningham's "Chance Dance" and includes walking, skipping hopping, and...
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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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Locomotor Dances
Learners 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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Spatial Relationships: an Over/Under Dance
Learners 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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Study Guide for Lelavision's Physical Music
Students complete activities for physical music analysis. In this physical music lesson, students read the biography for Lelavision musical sculptures, complete a sound and motion activity, and a making music activity. Students also...
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A Closer Look
Students observe an ordinary scene and look for elements of design, dynamics, spatial elements, and music. they then create their own everyday dance.
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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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Who’s on First? Cultural Heritage
Young scholars explore their own heritage as they learn more about Roger Clemente. In this social studies and music lesson plan, students study cultural heritage through a study of Puerto Rican music and instruments.
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Sing a Song of Indiana
After hearing John Mellencamp's song "Small Town," 4th graders are introduced to a brief biography/history of John Mellencamp. They will perform the entire song at the annual 4th grade program at the school.
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Theatre Prop Design and Construction
Fourth graders construct individual props. In this theatrical arts lesson, 4th graders use the elements of art to create various props using paper mache. Students construct objects such as logs, fruit, and a picture frame.
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Israel
The class creates and performs a movement performance of the creation story found in the Jewish tradition. This instructional activity begins with the research of Israeli culture and culminates in a performance of the narrated creation...
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Arts have Emotional Impact
Students explore how various artists use color, line and composition to create a mood. In comparison, students explore various elements of specific art forms that affect the viewer's emotions in dance, theater music and the visual...
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Meet Antonin Dvorak
Students engage in a activity that is related to the history of Antonin Dvorak. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students listen and identify some of the basic elements of music. The activity includes background...
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Flamenco And Its Origins
Middle schoolers discuss the role Islamic culture had on the development of Flamenco music in this General Music lesson for the middle-level classroom. Resource links are provided. The lesson emphasizes the creation of group posters.
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Enhancing Peer Relationships
Students work in pairs while addressing the social dilemma of who gets to be the leader and who follows, a common strain in relationships. They, in pairs, dance to a variety of music, each taking turns being the "leader" of the dance.
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Being in the Noh: An Introduction to Japanese Noh Plays
Students analyze the conventions used in Noh plays and write an introduction to a Noh play of their own. In this Noh play lesson, students identify the conventions of the Noh form and analyze the realizations the main character achieves....
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Multiplication Movement
Third graders experience multiplication facts through movement and music. They view the Multiplication Rock video, choreograph a movement or dance to teach the multiplication facts of threes, and perform their dance.