Curated OER
To Travel or Not to Travel: Locomotor andNonLocomotor Movement
Students develop dances. In this movement lesson, students play action and stillness games and learn motif writing symbols that communicate dance moves. Students use locomotor and non-locomotor movement to create their own movement phrases.
Curated OER
Sharp and Smooth Movements: The Nutcracker
Students explore sharp and smooth movements. In two groups, students perform dances using sharp and smooth movements. They are asked to discuss the differences between the movements and how they felt when you watched or performed.
Curated OER
Cultural and Historical Meaning: Little Johnny Brown
Students perform a folk dance and discuss its cultural and historical meanings. They review the dance and perform it, beginning with four individuals who dance with confidence right from the start.
Curated OER
Rock and Roll with Music and Movement
Fourth graders improvise music and dance to express their analysis of types of rocks. They discuss the three classes of rocks, list describing words, and create a short musical piece and dance to symbolize the rock they are dancing.
Curated OER
Vivaldi, The Time Period and Dance Procedure
Students become acquainted with the characteristics and major events of the Baroque era. They will demonstrate knowledge of movement in high, middle, and low space, and will choreograph short movement patterns to accompany selections
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Chance Art: Pollock, Cage and Cunningham
Students clearly identify commonalities and differences between dance and other disciplines with regard to fundamental concepts such as materials, elements, and ways of communicating meaning.
Curated OER
Multicultural Music: Israel
Do a grapevine to the left, lift your hands in the air, and sing out, "Hey!" These are the steps second graders will do when they sing and dance the Israeli folk song, "Achshav.” They will explore the concept of multicultural music and...
San Francisco Symphony
Washington Portrait
Fifth and second graders pair up to create mini dance scenes based on the image Washington Crossing the Delaware. Second graders create the movements while their fifth grade partners play the musical accompaniment. Leadership skills,...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Body Movement
Second graders interpret and transform drawn lines into locomotive movements. In this improvised movement lesson, 2nd graders draw a line on a piece of paper and use the elements of dance to interpret and transform their draw line into...
Curated OER
Plodding Along: The Dan Wagoner Experiment
Learners research Dan Wagoner and apply his choreographic ideas in "Plod" to dance study. In this art lesson plan, students discuss Dan Wagoner. Learners select four shapes from "Plod" and connect in a dance.
Curated OER
Choreographic Variations on "Plod"
Young scholars examine the choreography of Dan Wagoner. In this art lesson plan, students create their own choreography based on the work of Dan Wagoner's dance "Plod."
Curated OER
Collaborative Choreography, Contrasting Emotions
Middle schoolers demonstrate choreographic principles, processes, and structures.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Choreography Project
Students produce a short choreography composition. Specific guidelines and choice of music are provided. The grade/evaluation takes place in the form of video documentation and a teacher-created rubric.
Curated OER
Abstractions/Gestures
Students examine and display the differences between literal, and non-literal movement and abstraction using a creative project in movement. This project originates as an individual item, culminating in a small group performance.
Johnny Mercer Foundation
The American Musical
General music students learn about the history of popular American music by creating and performing a one-act musical. After researching and creating an American Musical timeline, class members write a song with lyrics using Jam Studio,...
Curated OER
Lesson Plans for 2nd grade Japan Unit
Second graders explore the music and dance of Japan in this five lessons unit. Aspects of Janpanese and American culture are compared. The food, holidays, clothing, and the school day of the two countries are discussed.
Curated OER
Japanese Noh Masks
Learners examine Japanese theatre and create their own face masks which display certain emotions, props, costumes and perform in improvisational theatrical games.
Curated OER
Plodding and Breaking Through:Walking and Carrying
Learners analyze and describe the contributions of various dance artists, performers, teachers, and choreographers. In this dance lesson, students fill in any gaps of knowledge they have in regards to dance training and choreographic...
Curated OER
It's All Part of the Story
Students explore storytelling through pantomime, improvisation, and dramatization. They watch an online video, discuss Native American earth stories, role-play various situations, explore websites, and present an oral story to the class.
Curated OER
Cinquain
Students create an original Cinquain (five-line poem) and choreograph movement to their poem, performing movement for class and video. This lesson addresses standards in the arts and requires a video recorder.
Curated OER
Music
Fourth graders are introduced to the ABA form of music through singing and playing instruments. Using music, they practice reading the notations and improvising melodies. They also sing in duets and trios in various keys to end the...