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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Tango

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the music of Buenos Aires as they hear and then dance the Tango. They practice basic Tango rhythm, learn to sing the song, "Any Turkey can Tango," then practice a few Tango-riffic dance steps with a partner. What a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Appalachia

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the benefits of dance and participate in dances. In this dance lesson, students investigate a number of dances such as square dancing and clogging that are native to Appalachia. They use math concepts to determine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nureyev: After Petipa

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Maps Through Dance

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students are introduced to the key concepts of maps; direction, pathway/line, shape and symbol. They create the pathways and shapes they have "mapped" out on paper on the floor. They dance along the paths.
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Lesson Plan
Sargent Art

Kandinsky - Inspired by Music

For Teachers K - 4th
Who is Wassily Kandinsky? Introduce your young artists to the wonders of abstract nonobjective art through music. They'll listen to music as they cut, paste, and paint emotional works of art. The activity suggests the use of soothing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

True Spin: Music

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Upper graders take a critical look at art criticism, music, and politics. They watch one segment of "True Spin," produced by VH1 music television and then discuss myths that relate to art and music. Several modern songs are analyzed...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Two Dances and Making a Dance Map: The Nutcracker

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students discuss dance elements and create a dance map. They choose a dance theme and incorporate movement into their dance maps and choreography. They also experiment with different types of music.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carerrs in Song And Dance

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students write a job posting for a career in the performing arts. They view a Discovery Channel video as an introduction to the types of performing art careers are possible. They choose one that they are most interested in to research on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graffiti Project

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students inspect performing arts by participating in a class presentation. For this art collage lesson, students examine the graffiti art created on New York subways and discuss the life of Keith Haring. Students create their own images...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gotta Dance

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students share dance moves that reflect their personalities or depict how they are feeling, explore popularity of recreational and competitive social dancing by reading and discussing the article "Follow the Flying Feet," present...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look in the Mythic Mirror: I've Got Rhythm!

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners explore the relationships between music, poetry, and visual art. Using the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, pupils develop an awareness of the compositional elements of the Classical style, and the aesthetic effects of those...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art and Sole

For Teachers 1st
A series of four lessons encourages learners to engage in all sorts of artistic activities. They participate in creative movement, serve food, sing songs, recite poems, and create a bust of themselves. What a fun and exciting series of...
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Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

The Sounds of an Island: Jamaican Music for the Classroom

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Introduce young explorers to the music and history of Jamaican culture through game songs and dances. As a bonus, class members get to play simple songs transcribed for the recorder.
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Unit Plan
BBC

The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky

For Teachers K - 5th
Over the course of six lessons, scholars try their hand at composing and dancing after a thorough examination of the famous ballet, The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky. Participants watch and discuss the performance of two dances, create and...
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Activity
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

West Side Story Suite and In The Night Fancy Free

For Teachers 8th - 12th
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 &...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dancing Silhouettes

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students study the art of Keith Haring and attempt to replicate it. In this art lesson, students work on a series of dance lessons where they learn to be a statue in different positions. Students look at Keith Haring pictures, trace...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ballet, Modern, and Jazz Dance: Basic Positions

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners compare and contrast the basic vocabulary of ballet, modern, and jazz dance through observation and experience. This instructional activity correlates with the DanceSense Enhanced DVD.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creative and Cultural Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study dance as a way to communicate and represent oneself in the world. They perform and articulate movement skills from the "dancer's toolbox". They solve problems in dance using the "dancer's toolbox" composing, witnessing,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Monkey Dance: Exploring Balinese Culture

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore Balinese culture. In this Balinese integrated fine arts lesson, students listen to a podcast of "The Monkey Dance," taking notes about important features of the dance. Students participate in a jigsaw cooperative...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Traditional Japanese Dance

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study introductory history and cultural purposes of selected Japanese dance forms. They analyze the philosophical beliefs, social systems, and movement norms that influence the function and role of Japanese dance in the lives...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folk Dancing Fun

For Teachers 1st
First graders discuss different kinds of music they have heard. They listen to a short selection of folk music and discuss where they think it is from. Using a globe, the teacher shows students where the music is from. They spread out on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering Russian Folk Dance

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore the art of Russian folk dancing. In this cultural traditions lesson, 1st graders research the Troika and incorporate attributes of the Russion folk dance into their own renditions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creative Dancing

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students dance a Cossack dance.  In this dance activity, students learn to keep the beat and follow a movement sequence to dance a Cossack Dance. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fun Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students perform a dance step in physical education class. They move to the beat of the music, counting eight beats to a set of movements. Students walk forward four counts and do two jumping jacks. They walk backwards four counts and do...