Smithsonian Institution
Braiding Rhythms: The Role of Bell Patterns in West African and Afro-Caribbean Music
Africans transported to the Caribbean as part of the transatlantic slave trade brought with them a rich tradition of music and dance. Four lessons teach young musicians the rumba clave rhythm, cascara rhythm, and the 6/8 bell patterns...
Lesson Plans
Photosynthesis Activity
When is the last time pupils did a happy dance in class? Scholars act out photosynthesis and dance excitedly in front of the class. The resource also comes with a worksheet for those waiting or who have already completed the activity....
Curated OER
Dance Production
Students go through the experience of creating a dance. They use the correct vocabulary when creating the dance in writing. Students choreograph the steps needed to perform the dance in sequence. Then they perform the dance for final...
Curated OER
Solo Dance Composition
Students conclude the semester with an individual movement study utilizing basic elements of dance and choreography previously covered in class. They will choose from three choreographic prompts presented a few days before giving them...
Curated OER
And You Don't Stop - 30 Years of Hip-Hop - Lesson 3
Students discuss the importance of dance within the Hip Hop genre and the dance moves which grew out of the Hip Hop style. They perform an original dance routine or demonstrate their instrument for the class.
Curated OER
Same and Different Through Music and Art
This lesson is intended for a music class but would be a great way to teach compare and contrast to any class. Kindergarteners dance the Hokey Pokey to four different styles of music and examine two paintings of Humpty Dumpty, then...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Native American Music: Section 2
Take a look into the many facets, purposes, and styles of Native American music. Each slide in this well-organized presentation provides clear introductory information on the forms and functions of American tribal music. Use it to...
Curated OER
Using Rhythm to Teach Patterns and Directions
Introduce young learners to line dancing. Here are some simple movement patterns to teach them. First teach, repeat, and repeat again without music. Then when they have a pretty good grasp of the movement patterns, add music and practice...
Curated OER
Dance Research Essay
Students discover and appreciate the history, characteristics, and significance of a specific dance style. They to pick a dance style that they are interested in and would like to research.
Curated OER
Caribbean Music: National Dances
For this Caribbean national dance songs worksheet, learners read information pertaining to the merengue, the calypso, and the mento. Students then respond to 12 short answer questions regarding the dances.
Curated OER
Hispanic Arts and Culture Unit: Visual Arts, Dance, and Music
Young scholars learn about Latin American dance and rhythm in different forms and participate in dancing. In this Latin American lesson plan, students also analyze Latin American paintings.
Curated OER
Language Arts: Guided Reading with Fancy Dance
Young scholars participate in a guided reading of Leslie Johnson's, Fancy Dance and discover how to sequence events. This lesson plan stresses word recognition, suffixes and prefixes, and sentence structure. Cross-curricular activities...
Curated OER
Dance Through the Ages
Students integrate the study of the Revolutionary War through dance. They study many dances such as The Waltz, Charleston, Swing, Fox Trot, 50's and 60's dances all the way to the current Cha Cha Slide. They study the social aspect,...
Curated OER
The Nutcracker
First graders define a ballet as a story told through dance. They listen to melodies and demonstrate beat and accent through body movement. They watch the ballet.
Bowland
DanceStar
Express dance moves mathematically. Scholars dissect dance routines and express them using mathematical notation, such as translations and rotations. They use video clips to investigate seven different dance genres.
Quaver
World Percussion — Latin America Project Book
What's the most popular music style in Brazil? What about Cuba? Or the Dominican Republic? An immersive project teaches young learners about the salsa, the samba, and the merengue with research assignments and dance performances.
Curated OER
Great Gatsby's Jazz
As Nick wanders the grounds of Gatsby's mansion, he observes the behaviors of the rowdy guests and listens to the music pouring over the lawn. Bring the music of the jazz age into the classroom with Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues,"...
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
West Side Story Suite and In The Night Fancy Free
West Side Story and Romeo & Juliet—two classics in their own rights that help young literature lovers better analyze different works. Learners research and compare the characters and story elements of West Side Story and Romeo &...
Anti-Defamation League
Role Models and Stereotypes: Misty Copeland's Story
A lesson points the spotlight at Misty Copeland, the first African American Principal Dancer. A thoughtful discussion prompts pupils to think of their career aspirations and identify ways role models and stereotypes influence young...
Curated OER
Millionaire Game: Life Since 1930 Britain
Life in the UK changed a lot during and after WWII. Review major events, pop icons, and life during wartime with a game. Kids play a Millionaire-style game to test what they know about rationing, blackouts, The Beatles, and British...
Curated OER
EXPRESSIVE QUALITIES
Students create a dance that expresses a specific mood. They describe the composition in writing and explain how they would alter actions, movement qualities and spacing to convey a new mood. They perform the dance they created...
Curated OER
I Can Dance to the Music of Everything
Young scholars examine Keith Haring's art work. They apply visual imagery to rhyming, rhythmic words with Haring's "Dance" book. They make impressions on styrofoam plates to explore printmaking process.
Curated OER
"Stomp"-Style Sequences
Students develop patterns and combinations of movements into repeatable patterns. The video "Stomp Out Loud" with the percussive/dance group Stomp, is used to show students an example of the sequences they are going to create.