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Telling Stories Through Dance

For Teachers K - 2nd
Examine the movement of characters in the story, Caps for Sale. Using the text, pupils invent gestures and movements for some of the actions and major events. They practice retelling a story by using the movements they developed. They...
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Lesson Plan
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Dance and Writing

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use dance moves to perform narratives. In this dramatic performing lesson, 4th graders use strong and soft movements to show what character's voice is portraying. Students also use movement to show the feelings in the...
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Lesson Plan
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Dance: Water Dancing

For Teachers K
Examine the way water moves, drips, and splashes with an expressive dance. Learners discuss the ways in which water moves, then create dance sequences that show or describe water. There are several suggestions to adapt this instructional...
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Lesson Plan
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Mallard's Wetland Olympics

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students observe plants and animals of a wetland and then compare their ability to move with different animals by undertaking the exercises on a downloadable page.
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Lesson Plan
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Music: Caterpillars, How They Grow!

For Teachers 1st
Put on some music and get moving as a way to represent the life cycle of a caterpillar. Kids listen to the story The Very Hungary Caterpillar, discuss the life cycle, then create vocal expression that represent each stage of the cycle....
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Lesson Plan
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Dance: Discovering the Culture of Gullah

For Teachers 5th - 7th
It's wonderful to see a lesson 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 paintings, listen...
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Lesson Plan
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Mexican Culture “La Raspa”

For Teachers 1st
Here are three lessons that work together to engage learners in a cultural and musical exploration. In lesson one the listen to the Mexican folk song, "La Raspa" and discuss cultural context. In lesson two they dance along to both "La...
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Lesson Plan
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Israel

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The class creates and performs a movement performance of the creation story found in the Jewish tradition. This lesson begins with the research of Israeli culture and culminates in a performance of the narrated creation story....
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Lesson Plan
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Mirror Exercise

For Teachers K - 6th
Kids get up and act! To promote inventiveness, timing, and clowning, they pair up and act as though they are looking in a mirror. Child A does a move while child B attempts to mimic it as closely as possible. This is a fun activity that...
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Lesson Plan
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CREATIVE PRINCIPLES

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Jr. high learners review the basic principles of design (balance, unity, movement, rhythm, pattern, contrast and emphasis) by watching a video by Gerald Brommer. Then they provide "aerobic exercise" for the right side of their brains by...
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Lesson Plan
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Dance Sequences and Phrases

For Teachers 8th - 12th
A series of lessons about dance would be a great addition to your physical education class. Straightforward as well as creative, it teaches the basic skills of dance movement. A rubric helps guide the dancers to let them know what steps...
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Lesson Plan
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What A Feeling ... Just Dance!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Hopefully your students have had some introduction already to dance movement before you do this lesson. If they have, then giving them ribbons and instructing them to make up a little routine should be a fun activity. Encourage your...
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Lesson Plan
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Deck Tennis

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study deck tennis. In this lesson that can be adapted to teach movement, passing and positioning in any sport, 7th graders toss and catch a rubber ring, students of varying abuilities will be able to participate in this...
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Lesson Plan
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Go for the Gold!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young athletes practice various locomotor movements. They use locomotor skills as directed by the teacher to move between "Olympic rings" (hula hoops). Students participate in a discussion about Olympic events prior to playing the game.
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Lesson Plan
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Imitation

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Young children can learn quite a bit by imitating. And here is a simple lesson that allows them to do just that by playing some follow-the-leader games. First, they all sit on the floor and imitate the way you slap your thighs and clap...
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Lesson Plan
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Exploring Nature: Powerful Forces

For Teachers K - 5th
Students observe samples of artwork which use line, shape, and form to show movement and depict natural forces of nature. They create their own piece of artwork that shows a natural force and movement and then write a descriptive...
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Lesson Plan
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Shape In Dance

For Teachers K - 5th
Students engage in a lesson that is about the concept of shapes. They practice moves that are used to illustrate different types of shapes. Students participate in body movements that are focused around the directions of the body like...
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Lesson Plan
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Dance Showing Science Contexts of Movement: States of Matter

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders dance in different ways to show movement of states of matter. In this matter lesson plan, 5th graders make connected shapes with a partner, make flowing movements, travel rapidly, and more. 
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Lesson Plan
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Creating Character

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students engage in a lesson that is about searching the attributes of characterization. They practice some of the basic moves involved in acting out a certain character while focusing upon basic skits like "the freeze". The exercise...
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Let's Dance

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
One of the best ways to explore other cultures is through experiencing their dances. That's exactly what happens in this sweet lesson on cultural dance. In it, learners dance to The Mexican Hat Dance, Skip to My Lou, and other classic...
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Be a Cat, Be a Tree

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Yoga is a wonderful form of exercise. Here, pupils engage in two creative movement exercises. They make two yoga poses; the cat and the tree. The cat is actually sometimes known as the cobra in yoga terms. Both of these movements will...
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Using Bean Bags

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Here is useful lesson plan which demonstrates how bean bags can be used to develop manipulative skills. Young learners gain awareness of their bodies by taking part in this exercise. They also respond to a whistle, and focus on following...
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Lesson Plan
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Posing Pets

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students observe living animals and the movements they make. They exaggerate the positions taken by animals in their daily activities. Students sculpt a paper mache animal in an interesting position. They are asked if they ever notice...
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Lesson Plan
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Space Concepts and Movement Drills

For Teachers K - 6th
Students identify and practice how to develop a greater understanding of direction, speed and relationship to movement. They travel through the open space at the centre of the grid marked by the teacher on the floor and reach the safe...