Grade Six Arts Education - Lesson Thirteen

Learning Objectives
Activities

Lesson Thirteen: Dance-making
Component: creative/productive
The Warm-up
Time: 5 minutes

make decisions based on knowledge of own needs and interests
(CEL: IL)

As the students enter the dance space, ask them to take five minutes to warm up their bodies. In their warm-up, they should include some aerobic, stretching and strengthening activities. The aerobic activities should be done first.
Exploration and Development
Time: 20 minutes

develop abilities in the improvisation, exploration and development of movements

challenge and commit themselves physically in all their movement experiences

In their assigned groups, have students learn some of the movements shown by their peers in the last lesson. Ask the groups to continue to explore new movements through group improvisations. Play music in the background; for example, Listen to the Loons. When each group feels there is enough movement material, they are ready to continue.
Sequencing the Dance Composition
Time: 20 minutes

demonstrate co-operation and increased ability to work effectively in small groups

Tell students that they will now sequence the movements they discovered in their improvisations. As a whole group, discuss how students can work together in their smaller groups to sequence their movements. Their choices include having each student develop a dance phrase, assigning a choreographer, or developing the sequences as a group. Ask each group to choose the way they would like to work. If students are using accompaniment, they should begin working with it now.

begin to understand the process of developing and refining their dance compositions using ongoing reflection, decision-making and movement problem-solving

identify and explore the principles of composition and apply their knowledge of the principles in all their dance experiences

As students create their dance compositions, encourage them to refine and revise their work. Have them decide whether they like what they are doing and, if not, how their work can be made better. Ask them to examine their work to see if they are using their knowledge of the principles of composition and form. For example, do any movements seem to be out of place (unity)? Do the movements flow and develop (sequencing and development)? Does the form reflect their intentions?
Have students practice performing their dance compositions with clarity.
The Cool-down
Time: 5 minutes
Ask students to take the last five minutes of the lesson to cool down their bodies using slow, non-bouncing stretches.

develop their abilities to record their dance compositions with invented and/or traditional notation symbols, when appropriate

Homework: Remind students to record their dance compositions in their portfolios. Next week, students will show their dance compositions to each other as "works-in-progress". Students will comment and offer suggestions to help improve each other's work. This process is called "workshopping".

Learning Objectives	Activities
	Lesson Thirteen: Dance-making Component: creative/productive The Warm-up Time: 5 minutes
make decisions based on knowledge of own needs and interests (CEL: IL)	As the students enter the dance space, ask them to take five minutes to warm up their bodies. In their warm-up, they should include some aerobic, stretching and strengthening activities. The aerobic activities should be done first. Exploration and Development Time: 20 minutes
develop abilities in the improvisation, exploration and development of movements challenge and commit themselves physically in all their movement experiences	In their assigned groups, have students learn some of the movements shown by their peers in the last lesson. Ask the groups to continue to explore new movements through group improvisations. Play music in the background; for example, Listen to the Loons. When each group feels there is enough movement material, they are ready to continue. Sequencing the Dance Composition Time: 20 minutes
demonstrate co-operation and increased ability to work effectively in small groups	Tell students that they will now sequence the movements they discovered in their improvisations. As a whole group, discuss how students can work together in their smaller groups to sequence their movements. Their choices include having each student develop a dance phrase, assigning a choreographer, or developing the sequences as a group. Ask each group to choose the way they would like to work. If students are using accompaniment, they should begin working with it now.
begin to understand the process of developing and refining their dance compositions using ongoing reflection, decision-making and movement problem-solving identify and explore the principles of composition and apply their knowledge of the principles in all their dance experiences	As students create their dance compositions, encourage them to refine and revise their work. Have them decide whether they like what they are doing and, if not, how their work can be made better. Ask them to examine their work to see if they are using their knowledge of the principles of composition and form. For example, do any movements seem to be out of place (unity)? Do the movements flow and develop (sequencing and development)? Does the form reflect their intentions? Have students practice performing their dance compositions with clarity. The Cool-down Time: 5 minutes Ask students to take the last five minutes of the lesson to cool down their bodies using slow, non-bouncing stretches.
develop their abilities to record their dance compositions with invented and/or traditional notation symbols, when appropriate	Homework: Remind students to record their dance compositions in their portfolios. Next week, students will show their dance compositions to each other as "works-in-progress". Students will comment and offer suggestions to help improve each other's work. This process is called "workshopping".