Exploring Force: The Nutcracker

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...

'Tis the holiday season and the Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Nutcracker Prince come alive with a teaching and study guide for Tchaikovsky's famous ballet. Background information, activities, games and puzzles are all included in...

It's wonderful to see a instructional activity that incorporates art, movement, and writing. These three forms of creative expression are explored as learners dance to music from the Gullah people of West Africa. They analyze several...

Students explore how dance can be infused with mathematics. For this art and mathematics lesson, students recognize how the ABA dance form is similar to a math number sentence. Students create a dance choosing dance words to represent...

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.

Just exactly what is social dancing? What does social dancing have to do with the African American community and African American history? The narrator of this short video explains how social dancing can support the culture of a...

Students explore "The Nutcracker" ballet. They conduct Internet research, watch "The Nutcracker" performed by the Royal Ballet, tell the story to a younger child, and write a letter to the person who first reviewed "The Nutcracker" in 1892.

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.

Why do we dance? African-American social dances started as a way for enslaved Africans to keep cultural traditions alive and retain a sense of inner freedom. They remain an affirmation of identity and independence. In this electric...

In this lesson plan from ArtsEdge, students focus on the ballet, "Nutcracker," while learning about storytelling through dance and movement. Provides assessment criteria, a list of sources and links to use for references.