DANCE WITH VERTEBRATES AND INVERTEBRATES
Learning Description
In this lesson, students will use movement and dance composition to aid in the understanding of vertebrates and invertebrates.
Learning Targets
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
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I can create movements and choreography using the elements of dance/movement qualities that accurately demonstrate characteristics of animals, including whether they are vertebrates or invertebrates.
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I can accurately classify animals according to their attributes, including whether they are vertebrates or invertebrates.
Essential Questions
- How can dance/movement aid in differentiating between vertebrate and invertebrate animals?
Georgia Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 5:
S5L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to group organisms using scientific classification procedures. a. Develop a model that illustrates how animals are sorted into groups (vertebrate and invertebrate) and how vertebrates are sorted into groups (fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, and mammal) using data from multiple sources.
Arts Standards
Grade 5:
ESD5.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.
ESD5.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.
ESD5.CN.3 Integrate dance into other areas of knowledge.
South Carolina Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 4:
4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function together in a system to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
Arts Standards
Anchor Standard 1: I can use movement exploration to discover and create artistic ideas and works.
Anchor Standard 2: I can choreograph a dance.
Anchor Standard 3: I can perform movements using the dance elements.
Anchor Standard 7: I can relate dance to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.
Key Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary
- Vertebrates - An animal that has a backbone or spinal column
- Invertebrates - An animal without a backbone or spinal column
Arts Vocabulary
- Body - The physical instrument used by dancers to express movement, emotion, and artistry
- Levels - The height of the movement, which can be low (close to the ground), middle (midway), or high (elevated)
- Directions - The direction of movement, such as forward, backward, sideways, diagonal, up, and down
- Pathways - The patterns made in space, like straight, curved, zigzag, or circular
- Dynamics - The quality of movement, which can be smooth, sharp, sustained, percussive, swinging, or collapsing
- Tempo - The speed of movement, which can be fast, moderate, or slow
- Choreography - The art and practice of designing and arranging dance movements and sequences
- Movement phrase - A sequence of movements that are connected and form a coherent unit of motion, much like a sentence in language
Materials
- Sound source and music
- List of animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates
- Chart paper
- Sticky notes
- Markers
- Pencils
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
- Begin the lesson by practicing a typical call and response with students. Continue the call and response adding body movements.
- Incorporate some of the aspects of the elements of dance/movement qualities such as levels, pathways, direction, changes in tempo, dynamics, etc.
Work Session
- Review vertebrates/invertebrates and their movements. Discuss examples and characteristics of vertebrates/invertebrates.
- In groups, have students identify types of animals that would be in each category.
- Have students assign adjectives that describe each type of animal. Students should write these on sticky notes and then place them on chart paper posted around the room with the animal’s name.
- Discuss some of the elements of dance/movement qualities such as dynamics, tempo, levels, pathways, etc.
- Select an animal to explore and create movement qualities/shapes for as a whole class.
- Using the poster paper as reference, brainstorm how elements of dance/movement qualities, such as dynamics, tempo, levels, pathways, etc. can be used to express characteristics of the animal, including whether it is a vertebrate or invertebrate.
- Assign each group a different animal.
- Tell students that they will be assigned an animal and will choreograph a three-movement phrase with their groups to express characteristics of their animal.
- Students should create shapes with their bodies that reflect whether the animal is a vertebrate or an invertebrate.
- Students should use what they learned about the elements of dance/movement qualities in their choreography (dynamics, tempo, levels, etc.).
Closing Reflection
- Students will perform their dances for the class. Discuss audience etiquette with students prior to performances.
- After each group performs, the audience should discuss how the shapes and movement qualities express the characteristics of the animal and whether it is a vertebrate or invertebrate.
Assessments
Formative
Teachers will assess students’ understanding of concepts by observing students’ discussions of animals and their characteristics in small groups, students’ use of the elements of dance/movement qualities to demonstrate characteristics of animals, and students’ contributions to group choreography.
Summative
CHECKLIST
- Students can create movements and choreography using the elements of dance/movement qualities that accurately demonstrate the characteristics of their assigned animals.
- Students can accurately classify animals according to their attributes.
DIFFERENTIATION
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Acceleration:
Remediation:
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*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.
Ideas contributed by: Melissa Dittmar-Joy. Updated by Katy Betts.
Revised and copyright: June 2024 @ ArtsNOW