EXPLORING SYLLABLES THROUGH DANCE
Learning Description
In this lesson, students will work in groups to identify and label syllable types in words. They will then arrange their words into a sentence or phrase and use the elements of dance to choreograph a syllable dance representing their sentence.
Learning Targets
"I Can" Statements
“I Can…”
- I can identify syllable types.
- I can use elements of dance to choreograph a dance sequence to represent a sentence or phrase based on syllable types.
Essential Questions
- What are different long vowel syllable types?
- How can you use your body and movement to represent different syllable types?
Georgia Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 2
ELAGSE2RF3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.
- Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
- Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.
- Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.
- Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
Grade 3
ELAGSE3RF3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and suffixes.
- Decode words with common Latin suffixes.
- Decode multi-syllable words.
Arts Standards
Grade 2
ESD2.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.
ESD2.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance.
ESD2.CN.3 Identify connections between dance and other areas of knowledge.
Grade 3
ESD3.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.
ESD3.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance.
ESD3.CN.3 Identify connections between dance and other areas of knowledge.
South Carolina Standards
Curriculum Standards
Grade 2
Standard 3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding words.
3.1 Use knowledge of r-controlled vowels to read.
3.2 Use knowledge of how syllables work to read multisyllabic words.
3.3 Read irregularly spelled two-syllable words and words with common prefixes and suffixes.
3.4 Use and apply knowledge of vowel diphthongs.
3.5 Use and apply knowledge of how inflectional endings change words.
3.6 Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Grade 3
Standard 3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding words.
3.1 Produce one-to-one letter-sound correspondences for each consonant.
3.2 Associate long and short sounds of the five major vowels with their common spellings.
3.3 Read regularly spelled single-syllable words.
3.4 Distinguish between similarly spelled consonant-vowel-consonant patterned words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.
3.5 Read common high-frequency words.
3.6 Recognize grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
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.
Key Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary
- Syllable - A unit of pronunciation that typically contains a vowel sound, and may also include surrounding consonants
- Open syllable - A syllable that ends with a vowel sound; the vowel usually has a long sound
- Closed syllable - A syllable that ends with a consonant sound; the vowel usually has a short sound
- Magic “e” syllable - A syllable that contains a single vowel followed by a consonant and an "e" at the end
- Vowel team syllable - A syllable that contains two or more vowels that work together to produce a single sound
Arts Vocabulary
- Position - The placement of the body or limbs in a specific arrangement
- Closed position - A dance posture where the arms are typically held close to the body, often with the hands placed near the chest or waist, and the legs are usually together
- Open position - A posture where the dancer's arms are extended away from the body, creating space between the arms and torso, and the legs may be apart
- Choreography - The art of creating and arranging dance movements, sequences, and patterns to form a cohesive performance or routine
- Body - The physical form and movements of the dancer, including posture, alignment, gestures, and overall expressiveness
- Space - The area where movement occurs, including the dimensions, levels, pathways, and relationships between dancers and their surroundings
Materials
- Word cards
- Instrumental music
- Student reflection rubric
- Teacher rubric
- Sentence strips (one per group, 6-8 for class of 24)
- Glue sticks (one per group)
Instructional Design
Opening/Activating Strategy
- Lead students in a dance warm up, modeling a variety of open and closed body positions. Have students copy the movements. Identify open versus closed positions as they are demonstrated.
- As students demonstrate that they understand open and closed positions, invite a few students up to lead the class in different movements.
Work Session
- Tell students that they will be identifying multiple syllable types, with mixed vowel sounds. They will use their body and dance positions to represent the syllables within a sentence/phrase.
- Review the syllable types including closed syllables, open syllables, magic “e” syllables, and vowel team syllables.
- Discuss “body” as an element of dance. Remind students of the open and closed positions from the opening strategy.
- Practice identifying syllable types in individual words and adding a body position/movement to represent it.
- Encourage students to think about how a closed versus open position could represent different types of syllables.
- Divide students into groups of three to five.
- Provide each group with a set of word cards.
- Students should label each word card, marking vowels with a dot, splitting the syllables, and noting the syllable type.
- Next, students should arrange several of the word cards to form a sentence or phrase. Students will glue their labeled word cards onto a sentence strip.
- As a group, students will choreograph a dance that represents their sentence and demonstrates the different types of syllables through body positions.
- The dance movements and body position should coordinate with the open, closed, or magic “e” syllables.
- As students choreograph their dance, they should be aware of body shape, positions, and space to accurately represent their sentence.
- Play instrumental music for groups to practice their syllable choreography.
- Invite groups to perform their syllable choreography for an audience (the class).
- Discuss appropriate audience participation with students.
- Ask the class if they can identify the types of syllables based on the movements.
Closing Reflection
To close, students will reflect on their syllable choreography through the use of the student self-reflection rubric. Students should mark the appropriate emoji to share how they feel about their learning experience.
Assessments
Formative
Teachers will assess student learning by observing students’ use of open and closed positions in the opening strategy, students’ discussion about syllable types, students’ participation in the choreographic process, students’ ability to work with group to identify syllable types in words, and students’ ability to work with group to arrange their words into a sentence or phrase.
Summative
CHECKLIST
- Students can demonstrate total control of both open and closed body positions.
- Students can accurately identify open, closed, and magic “e” syllables.
- Students know and perform all of the movements to their choreography.
*See teacher rubric.
Differentiation
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Accelerated:
Remedial:
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
*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: Tara Mande
Revised and copyright: May 2024 @ ArtsNOW