#3430. Dance

Phys Ed, level: Kindergarten
Posted Wed Mar 9 15:25:16 PST 2005 by Alicia ().
Activity Time: 4 lessons

Dance -- I Can Dance
Elements of Dance Action, Dynamics, Time, Space, Relationships, Structure Unit Duration: 4 lessons

OverviewThis unit of work focuses on the elements of action, time, space and relationships. Students make short movement phrases in response to ideas, moods and kinesthetic stimuli, which they may share with their peers. Students learn to respond in movement to a variety of accompaniment (sounds, voice, music and percussion). They learn to respond spontaneously (improvise) with maturity, and reflect and refine movement at their particular stage of development.
Outcomes and Indicators:DAES1.1 Participates in dance activities and demonstrates an awareness of body parts, control over movement and expressive qualities• Performs basic movements demonstrating control over body parts.• Performs movements in unison with a partner.DAES1.2 Explores movement using the elements of dance in response to a stimulus to express ideas, feelings or moods• Explores movement in response to stimulus, for example tapping a hot surface or tapping with one foot or two.DAES1.3 Responds to and communicates about the dances they view and/or experience• Discusses their movements and the movements of other groups.
Content: Students in Early Stage 1 will:
learn to:• move safely and expressively in a dance with control and sensitivity to sound accompaniment• explore the elements of dance expressively in the composition of dances• use memory and imagination to explore a range of familiar and fantasy movement ideas for dance• show their dance ideas to others, watch other people dance, and think and talk about themselves and others dancing learn about:• the importance of moving safely, as an individual and with others, in a designated dance space• the basic elements of dance: actions of the body, dynamic qualities of movement, timing, spatial aspects and relationships• the use of everyday and fantasy movement ideas as active and physical starting points for creating dances• the basic components of dances -- dancers, movement, sound and physical settings -- and how they and their classmates can think about dance ideas

Sequence of Learning Experiences
• Have students warm up as a whole group with bending and stretching movements and body isolations.• Have students as a whole group apply strong and sustained dynamics to non-locomotor movements.• Have students explore locomotor movements such as walking, running, hopping and skipping, with instruction to apply aspects of tempo (moving as fast and slow as they prefer, as well as moving to a set beat).• Have students individually 'feel' the space around them with different body parts to establish their personal space.• Have students move freely in the space (using locomotor patterns that encourage the use of movement at high, medium and low level) to establish sharing of the general space.• Have students sit informally with their feet in a position that allows them to move easily.• Have students begin by tapping their feet on the floor, then alternate between tapping their toes andheels in their own sequence.• Introduce 'stillness' into the tapping and vary the time relationship between movement and stillness. Have students develop simple movement sequences by guiding the students to accent the lifting section of the movement phrase, for example: (i) Tap toes Tap toes Tap heel Tap heels Tap toes Hold lift Tap heels Hold lift ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4(ii) Tap toes Tap toes Hold lift Hold lift Tap heels Tap heels ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 1 2 3 1 2 3(iii) Tap heels Hold lift Hold lift Tap toes Hold lift Hold lift ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 1 2 3 1 2 3• Have students 'find' different positions when they lift their feet, and accent the lift by making it as high as possible.• Have students find one sequence of movement that they like and repeat it three times.• Have large groups of students show their dances to the class, who then comment upon the parts they enjoyed watching.*• Have students keep their hands and feet on the floor as they lift different body parts away from the floor and then return, keeping the movement fluid and continuous (sustained), leading the movement with particular parts of the torso.• Have students free their hands, then find many ways to move away from the floor and back again (rising and sinking), using different bases.• Have students select one of their movement sequences and repeat it.

Sequence of Learning Experiences
• Have students think about visual imagery -- for example: the sun rising and setting; waves building and curling; kites lifting, flying and landing -- to assist the quality of the performance and to think imaginatively (with intent).• Have students, as a whole group, choose one of the above visual images to make a dance; for example, kites lifting in flight and landing.• Have students find a partner and perform their kite dance beside their partner -- independently and simultaneously -- in their own personal space, showing regard for their partner's work. Have students choose to be the first or second dancer.• Have the class divide into two groups to allow the students to view each other's movement responses. Have student express what they liked most, and why.

Resources
Links with other artformsVISUAL ARTSVAES1.1 MakingVAES1.2 MakingVAES1.3 AppreciatingVAES1.4 AppreciatingLinks with Visual Arts Early Stage I About Me unit in Creative Arts K--6 Units of Work Support Document p 6.Links with other Key Learning AreasPDHPEGDES1.9 Growth and DevelopmentDiscuss similarities and differences in appearance.Body parts, senses and basic needs.Changes in appearance.Values -- likes and dislikes, uniqueness.Suggested links with I Am Special module in PDHPE K--6 Modules p 141.

Assessment

Evaluation