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Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Baila! Latin Dance in the Spanish Classroom

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
One, two, three. One, two, three. Invite your language learners to practice the steps for researching and presenting information. Each small group has the task of explaining one Latin dance in full detail.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students study weather and focus on specific dance concepts. They are introduced to different ty es of clouds and how they are formed. Next, they study wind and why it occurs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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
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
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Poems That Dance

For Teachers 5th
Combine the elements of dance with the actions in a poem. Learners review basic grammar, write an action-packed cinquain poem, and then choreograph a dance based on their cinquains. After the dances are done, they'll discuss the elements...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Dance Involving Balance

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make choices about dance elements and organize them in expressive ways. They plan and present dance works for a familiar audience. They identify dance elements in their and classmates work.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clerihew Dances II

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore rhythm and quality of word and phrased to that of dance. They move to the rhythm of poetry.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identify the Element of Line

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Young scholars explore the element of "line." In this beginning art lesson, students listen to the book Harold and the Purple Crayon, then describe the types of lines Harold drew. Young scholars identify straight lines,  jagged lines,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The 'Language of Dance'

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students choreograph dances. In this dance choreography lesson, students evaluate musical selections, then create a dance that capture the emotion of the music.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planet Dance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine Anna Halprin's philosophies and choreography and perform one of her Planet Dances. They find a site that inspires them to create a dance based on the environment's design, levels, textures, and atmosphere.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Force: The Nutcracker

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explore basic dance element of force, compare and contrast the use of force as it distinguishes the expressive qualities of a given dance, and explore the use of force in several of its many expressions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hispanic Arts: Visual Arts, Dance and Music

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students observe global cultures by listening to music and watching videos. In this Latin American dance lesson, students define merengue, salsa and other dances from the Hispanic culture while listening to Latin rhythm music. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Celebration and Satire- Beginning Level

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine art elements in a late-19th-century self-portrait painting. In this visual arts lesson, students analyze the painting "A Centennial of Independence" and identify the color, shape, and symbols in the art piece. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Character Traits in Fables

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Combining art, music, dance, and reading comprehension, this lesson is geared to reach all ability levels. After reading a variety of fables and discussing story elements and character traits, class members select a moral to use as the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

-Body in Motion - Axial and Locomotor

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students practice increasing their movement and dance vocabulary through axial motion and locomotor step skill-building. They work with a partner and create and perform short sequences utilizing the vocabulary their practicing. Each...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solo Dance Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chance Dance Compositions

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create dances through a randomly generated process (such as throwing a dice) and perform their dances for the class. Class work is based on Merce Cunningham's "Chance Dance" and includes walking, skipping hopping, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dancing Hands, Abstract Drawings

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars discover African musical rhythms by performing Ancestral Spirit Dances.  In this musical instructional activity, students research Willis "Bing" Davis and the abstract work he created.  Young scholars listen to Yoruba drum...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Locomotor Dances

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students explore and perform locomotor movements. With partners, they combine the locomotor movements into a simple dance. The partner identifies three movements they observed. Students may be grouped into dancers for a performance.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Nutcracker

For Teachers 1st
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.
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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

Create-A-Line Dance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students demonstrate knowledge of the processes, principles, and structure of line dance. In groups students choreograph their own line dance, implementing moves learned from previous dances taught in the line dance unit.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Space and Time in Dance

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners move with control in general space. They move with three different spatial distances and tempi. Students demonstrate understanding of the distance and speed of particles in matter: solid-close and slow; liquid-medium distance...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ribbon Wand Dancing

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Pupils construct a ribbon wand which, through the use of line, color, contrast and shape can be used to better express a given emotion. Students improvise a brief dance created through manipulation of ribbon wand using three distinct...