Education 351
Lesson Topic: Dancing the Macarena
Grade Level: 1st
Thoughts in Planning:
-This activity includes a fun way for children to learn the months of the year in form of a dance/ song.
-Prior knowledge includes knowing how to keep a beat/ rhythm.
-A challenge that may arise could be the speed of the song and space for the students to safely participate.
Goals/ Objectives for the learner:
-Students will be able to correctly name the months of the year.
-Students will be able to perform the Macarena.
Assessment: The teacher will visually check to make sure students are performing the dance correctly. Teacher will ask questions at the end. What is the first month in the year? What is the last? Can anyone say all of the months in order?...
Materials/ Media:
- Computer/internet; Macarena music
- White board or chalk board
Introduction: Write the months of the year in order across the board. Greet the students. Ask them if they know how many months are in a year. Explain that they will be learning a dance to help them learn and remember the months of the year. Ask the students if they like to dance. Ask if they have heard of the Macarena. Tell them it was a song and dance that originated in Spain and became popular in America in the 90s.
Procedure: Introduce the months of the year that are written on the board. Introduce the steps to the dance. Hands, shoulders, head, waist, hips, Hey, Macarena! Have the students perform the dance several times to the music without saying the words. Then, once the students have the dance step down, have the students say a month of the year for each step while singing the song. The students may use the cheat words on the board. As the students repeat the dance and months of the year, gradually start erasing the months on the board until there are no cheat words on the board. Have the students perform the dance and say the months of the year.
Closing:
Ask the students if anyone can name the first month of the year; the last month. Ask if there is anyone who can name the months of the year in order. Tell them how good they did and encourage them to share their new dance moves with a friend now.
Resources:
“Standards- Indiana Standards and Resources.” STN Application Center Moved. Web. 22 January 2009.
“YouTube- How to Dance the Macarena. “YouTube-Broadcast Yourself. Web. 13 February 2010.
IN State Standards:
1.1.7
Chronological Thinking, Historical Analysis and Interpretation, Research: Explain that clocks and calendars are used to measure time. (Core Standard)
Students will learn the months of the year
1.3.2
Respond to dance movement from various sources/styles.
Students will learn the steps to the Macarena dance