Lesson Overview
Curriculum Expectations / Learning Goals
1. Creating and Presenting: Apply the creative process to the composition of short dance pieces using the elements and techniques of dance to communicate feelings and ideas.
1.1 Translate into movement images andideas from other classroom subjects, including the arts.
1.3 Use the choreographic form of Call and Response in a variety of ways when creating dance pieces.
1.4 Use the element of relationship in dance pieces to communicate an idea. / By the end of the lesson students will be able to:
- use the elements of dance (body, space, time, energy and relationship) to create a movement vocabulary that shows a solid, liquid or gas
Context
Prior Knowledge & Skills
Students will have been taught the Scientific concepts of States of Matter (solid, liquid, gas) and Changes of State (evaporation, condensation, freezing, melting).
In previous grades, students will have had experience working in the creative/critical process and using the elements of dance (in grades 1-2 the focus is on body and space, grades 3-4 the focus is on time and energy).
Students should be familiar with building movement vocabulary.
Accommodations/Modifications
Teachers can accommodateall movement activities as necessary for students with physical limitations (i.e in a wheelchair, on crutches etc) Some examples of accommodations include: having students do the movements while seating, or while holding onto the back of a chair if balance/stability is an issue). Students can also work on the floor, extending arms and legs, but keeping their bodies in a sitting or lying down position.
/ Assessment Tools
- observation
- questioning
- oral feedback
- written feedback
Materials
Soft background music (optional)
Teaching and Learning
Minds On (Elicit & Engage) Approx. Time (5 min)
Whole Class-Warm Up Game: Atom!
Explain tostudents that they will be playing a game which will allow them to begin to explore body movement by moving into spaces, changing speed, changing direction, etc. In doing so, they will use elements of dance.
Game:
- Have students walk around the room.
- Call out a number- students are to form a group with that many people in it. For example: The teacher calls out "Atom 3" and students race to create a group of 3.
Variation 2: Students who do not get to a group in time are out and the
gamecontinues until there are only two students left.
Follow this with a checkfor understanding by askingquestionsusinga think-pair-share:
a. On your own,
- explain how this relates to dance?
- what things did you do that make it like dance?
c. Teacher checks for understanding by doing a "thumbs up": How manysaid it relates to dance becausemovement was involved? Change of speed? Change of Direction?
d. Tie ittogether by stating that these thingsare"elements of dance", and prominently display this title with the elements beneath it (energy, space, time, body). / Teacher tips: you may want to coach them to explore all the space in the room, change directions, walk faster, slower etc throughout the game.
Action! (Explore & Explain) Approx. Time (30 min)
Whole Class-Review
Review of Science concepts
- What are the states of matter?
- What are the changes of states of matter?
- What role does heat play in the changes of state?
- Ask students topair up with someone who is of similar height. Then ask them to find another pair opposite to their heights (this is only an example, group students however you see fit)
- In their groups, ask studentsto come to consensus regarding the following: demonstrations:
- Displayan ice cube and ask: "is this a solid, liquid or gas?:
- Take a hot plate, and warm the ice cube ask: "what form is it taking now?"
- Pour the water from the ice cube into a kettle and let it boil (with other water if needed) and ask:"what form is it taking now"?
- Does any one know the scientific term we use to describe the "form" of a substance? (state of matter).
Repeat the same process, but this time ask them to identify the name given to the change from one "form" to another (change of state).Add words to word wall if it is being used.
Finally, ask the groups whathas been added in order to change the state (form)?
A good question to then check for understanding is this: Can these processes be reversed? How would you do it?
Whole Class-Identifying learning Goals
Identify with the class that the objective for the lesson is to create a movement vocabulary, using the elements of dance, based on the states of matter (solid, liquid, gas). This goal should be writtenon the board, so students can be reminded of it throughout the lesson, andmakea connection between it and the previous two activities. It is important that students understand their task, as this movement vocabulary will form the basis of their later work.
A useful exercise to clarify the learning goal, and to have students take ownership of it, would be totransform the learning goal into student friendly language. Write the learning goal on the board and then spend some time working with the students to change it into student friendly language. For example, a student version might look like this:
"By the end of the lessons I will be able to use my body, space in a room, time, and energy all in different ways to show an audience - using dance -what a solid, liquid or gas are like"
The next four exercises are designed to have students connect their understanding of elements of dance with their understanding of states of matter. You might consider having examples of solids, liquids, and gases present -and perhaps even changing state -while doing these activities so thatstudents have a visual. For example, you might havewater boiling, or a kettle on, and a large block of ice on display.
Whole Class-Call and Response
Use the choreographic form Call and Response to model the building of movement vocabulary for a SOLID:
- Class stands in a circle and they briefly discuss (using their prior knowledge of the elements of dance and the scientific concept of states of matter) what types of movements they would use to convey a solid state of matter (e.g. a student might say "I would use a non-locomotor movement and be frozen because solids have molecules that are close together and their shape and volume cannot change.").
- Once the class has discussed what types of movements would be appropriate to convey a solid (with teacher input and guidance), choose one movement that you think conveys a solid and show the class (this is the Call) the class then repeatsthe movement (Response)
- Students go around the circle each creating one movement (it does not have to travel) that represents a solid. After each student the whole class repeats the student's movement.
- After each student has shared his/her movement, have students reflect in writingwhattypes of movements they saw and why those movementswere effective in communicating the idea of a solid.You might ask them to do this byconnecting it explicitlyto the concept of "movement vocabulary". For example,have students create a "movement log". The log could be a simplechart withthe heading "Elements of Dance" and four columns: time, energy, space, and body. Students can then fill in their logswith descriptors of what they observed during the activity under the relevant columns. This information can be reviewed by the teacher as a check for understanding and to give feedback to students.
- Add the elements of dance to a word wall.
Whole Class-Body Storming
Lead body storming to build a movement vocabulary for a LIQUID:
- The students stay standing in a circle and briefly discuss what types of movements they would use to convey a liquid state of matter. (i.e. a student might say "I would using free flowing, fluid movements because the shape of a liquid can change depending on its container"). Lead students through a brief discussion of how creating a movement vocabulary for a solid is different than creating a movement vocabulary for a liquid (e.g. there is more movement in a liquid, the shape can change, a solid will have one static shape, etc.)
- Select one move that you think conveys a liquid and show the class.
- Students then go around the circle each demonstrating one move they feel represents a liquid. In body storming, the class does not mirror the movement as they would in a Call and Response. (Although students are standing in a circle to facilitate them being able to see each other, they should feel free to move around as necessary).
- After each student has shared his/her movement, have students reflect, in writing,whichmovements were effectivein communicating the idea of a liquid.Once again, the movement log fromthe previous activity could be used to do this in order to make connections to "movement vocabulary". For example under the column energy, a student might say " Jack's movements wereslow but not jerky". Again, this information can be reviewed by the teacher as a check for understanding and to give feedback to students.
Lead Guided Improvisation to help students explore and build a movement vocabulary that conveysGAS as a state of matter.
- Lead students through a brief discussion of how Gas can be convey through movement. How is this different from a solid? a liquid?
- Have students walk around the room (music can be playing softly, but is not necessary) and ask them to find a spot in the room and stop.
- Guidestudents through their exploration of the state of Gas by walking them through some of the elements. Some sample prompts:
- Try using non-locomotor (non travelling) moves to convey GAS
- Now, try locomotor (travelling) moves, be aware of the space around you
- What shape are you making with your body to show the state of gas? Is the shape going to stay the same as you move or will it be changing?
- Think of your use of space: what level or levels should you be using?
- Should you be taking up a little bit of space or a lot of space
- How fast are you moving? Do gas molecule move quickly, or slowly?
- Think about the quality of your movements. Do you think the gas molecules are moving in soft, circular movements, or wild, jerky movements?
- After students have gone through this activity they couldself reflect, in writing,as to whichmovements were effectivein communicating the idea of a gas. Once again, the movement logcould be used to do thisand students continue building the idea of a "movement vocabulary". For example under the column space, a student might say " my movements filled up a large area, as a gas would in a room". Again, this information can be reviewed by the teacher as a check for understanding and to give feedback to students.
Call and Response: A choreographic form in which one soloist or group performs, followed by a second soloist or group whose performance responds to the first.
If one student had a particularly successful movement have him/her repeat it for the class and they can discuss why it was so effective. Or, have students pick the movement they thought was the most effective and explain why.
During bodystorming: if students' moves are very similar (which is often the case if they are new to bodystorming) take the time to point out that the movements are very similar (all at the same level, all facing the same direction etc) ask the students how they can change their moves to make them different and have a few demonstrate. Side-coach them if necessary ("Can you repeat your move facing away from the circle? Can you repeat your move, but change your level-go from high to low."
Guided Improvisation: A movement or series of movements created spontaneously by a dancer, with teacher guidance.
Encourage students to focus on themselves and how their bodies are moving and not on what everyone else is doing
Consolidation (Elaborate, Evaluate, Extend) Approx. Time (15 min)
Whole Class-Extended Guided Improvisation
Now that students have explored all three states of matter in very structured and guided exercises, they are ready to try to explore each state on their own.
Lead students through a Guided Improvisation exploring all 3 states of matter
- Have students find a spot in the room facing any direction and at any level (i.e. standing, kneeling etc)
- Call out one of the states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and have them move and explore that state.
- Observe and call out prompts when necessary ("I see everyone is exploring liquid at a high level, how can you change your movements?")
- After the students have had a chance to work through that state, call out a different state of matter.
Extension: When students have a solid movement vocabulary based on the three states of matter, they are ready to start specifically exploring relationship.
- As a class, briefly discuss the relationship between the molecules in each state (solid-molecules are close together, liquid-a little further apart, gas-very far apart)
- Take them through the same guided improvisation as above, but this time, they not only have to think about their own movements, but where they are in relation to the other people in the room (i.e. when you call solid, students should be in fairly static shapes that don't change and should be fairly close to each other)
As the students get more comfortable with their explorations and their movement vocabulary gets bigger, you can vary the length and timing of when you change the states (Call Solid, then wait 10 seconds, then call Gas, wait 5 seconds and then back to solid) By avoiding a pattern in which state you are calling it keeps the students alert.
Next Steps
Once students are comfortable conveying the three states of matter using the elements of dance, including relationship, they are ready to begin exploring the changes of state in the next lesson.