National Center for Families Learning
The Summer Fun Summer Learning Dance Unit
Summer slide. Alas, not a term synonymous with a type of sliding board, summer slide refers to the fact that learning slips during summer break, especially in the areas of spelling and math facts. Enrich summer break with a...
Curated OER
Dancing Levels in Space
Young scholars practice mirroring human moves by performing a dance in class. In this physical education lesson, students utilize different spaces around them to perform a dance expressing their full motion. Young scholars cooperate in...
Curated OER
Add-On Line Dancing
This dance activity is exactly what the title says it is: add-on line dancing! Each dancer creates an 8-count piece of a line dance. They can pull from anything they have learned so far. After individuals have choreographed their...
Curated OER
Creating a Landscape Through Art, Music, Dance, and Poetry
A brightly-colored David Hockney landscape painting inspires poetry, dance, music, and paper sculpture in this multi-faceted activity. After brainstorming words inspired by the painting, the whole class collaborates on a cinquain poem,...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Friendship Line Dancing
Develop social awareness with a lesson that challenges scholars to properly communicate with their peers. Standing in two lines, participants practice introducing themselves, asking how their partner is feeling, asks if they want to...
Curated OER
March Madness
Get those boys dancing! Here's a dance activity that is choreographed around the use of a basketball. Teach them this line dance and see how they do. Watch the provided video yourself, or better yet, use the video to teach this dance....
Curated OER
Self and General Space in Dance
Students explore the different themes and strategies of dancing by performing in class. For this physical education lesson, students practice moving specific joints and muscles as they train to perform a dance. Students perform a dance...
Curated OER
Contra Dance
Contra dance was brought to America by French Soldiers after the Revolutionary War. Contra dancing is done in lines, but with partners facing each other. Some moves one partner is moving forward while the other moves backwards. Some...
Curated OER
Scattered Square Dance
Take a good, square look at this introductory square dancing lesson. Each square dance move has what is termed a "call." Teach some beginning calls to your young dancers. They can be scattered around so that their focus is on learning...
Curated OER
Swiss Ball Square Dance
Combine square dancing and a Swiss ball. There are quite a few square dance moves and how to do them while sitting on, or carrying a Swiss ball. Teach these square dance moves to the class. Then have them work together in small groups to...
Curated OER
Dancing in 3's
This dance makes me want to just get up and start moving right now. This dance is done to the song "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins. The lesson includes not only step-by-dance step instructions but also a video. There is a lot of movement in...
Curated OER
Swing your Partner: The Basics of Square Dancing
Students perform square dancing steps. For this square dancing lesson, students view a video to learn the basic steps. Students discuss the history of the dance and perform with partners.
Curated OER
Rainy Day? P.E. Anyway!
If your PE class is faced with bad weather and must stay indoors, try one of these activities to keep them engaged and moving! Activities involve working in teams, identifying sports or parts of the body, coordination practice, and/or...
Curated OER
La Raspa, Mexican Hat Dance, and Cinco De Mayo Celebration
Learn two dances that your class can perform at a Cinco De Mayo school celebration. This is really an outline and would be better used if there were plans for how to teach the dance steps. The idea is good to teach the cultural...
Curated OER
International Dance Day: Reading and Activities for ELD
A brief passage about International Dance Day, April 29, is accompanied by an array of language activities based in sound ELD practice: cloze exercise, phrase matching, word jumble, multiple choice, sequencing, interview, group...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride
Students participate in a partner dance. In this dance instructional activity, students listen to the song "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" and repeat dance steps according to the music.
Curated OER
Opposite Grapevines
There are really only four basic moves in this line dance. Those dance moves are: grapevine, slide, marching, and then dipping and clapping. Each 8-count is repeated twice, for a total of a 64-count dance. The unique addition to this...
Mr Gym
Square Dance
Great lesson on teaching some of the basics of square dancing. Ten basic moves are listed and described. The descriptions of these square dance moves are clearly explained. There are several pictures to show what a few of these moves...
Curated OER
Making a Dance Involving Balance
Students make choices about dance elements and organize them in expressive ways. They plan and present dance works for a familiar audience. They identify dance elements in their and classmates work.
Curated OER
Spark Line Dance - 5-6-7-8
Students learn a line dance. In this line dance lesson, students practice the indicated steps to perform a line dance to the SPARK CD. (not linked) They use the add on format while performing the dance.
Curated OER
Retell A Story Through Dance
Students tell stories through dance. In this ballet lesson, students learn pantomime dance skills and examine "The Nutcracker" ballet performances as they examine ballet as storytelling.
Curated OER
Lines of Symmetry - Mirror Dance
Fifth graders analyze how to divide space or shape into mirror sections to create lines of symmetry. In this lines of symmetry lesson, 5th graders discuss symmetry in dance, math, and living. Students participate in a dance warm-up and...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Cloud Sculpting
Dance is a fantastic way to communicate thoughts, feelings, and even science concepts. Make this activity a part of your next unit on weather and clouds. Kids will discuss types of clouds, how they look, and what they do. Then, they will...