EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT 4-5

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will understand how choreographers use performance as a platform for communicating concepts. By creating their own choreography, students will learn and teach their classmates about the scientific concepts they are investigating in class.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 4-5
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can use performance as a platform to inform audiences about important issues.

  • I can create a choreographic work about scientific concepts.

Essential Questions

  • How and why do choreographers create dances to inform audiences about important issues?

  • How can I demonstrate my understanding of scientific concepts through choreography and movement?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4

S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.

 

Grade 5

S5E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to identify surface features on the Earth caused by constructive and/or destructive processes.

 

Arts Standards

Grade 4

ESD4.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD4.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD4.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD4.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

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.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD5.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4

4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.

 

4-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and how their uses affect the environment.

 

4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.

 

Grade 5

5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.

 

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

  • Geosphere - The solid parts of the Earth, encompassing all the layers that make up the planet's structure

  • Biosphere - The global sum of all ecosystems, including all living organisms and their relationships with the environment, encompassing both land and water areas

  • Hydrosphere - All of the water found on, under, and over the surface of the Earth

  • Atmosphere - The layer of gasses surrounding the Earth, held in place by gravity

 

  • Constructive forces - The natural processes that contribute to the building up or formation of Earth's surface features or geological structures

  • Destructive forces - The natural processes or phenomena that cause the breaking down, wearing away, or erosion of Earth's surface features or geological structures

  • Weathering - The natural process by which rocks, soils, and minerals are broken down into smaller particles through exposure to the Earth's atmosphere, water, and biological organisms

 

  • Erosion - The process by which soil, rock, and other surface materials are worn away and transported from one location to another by natural forces such as wind, water, ice, and gravity

  • Water cycle - The continuous movement and exchange of water between the Earth's surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere (which includes oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, and ice caps)

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreographer/Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece

  • Levels - The vertical positioning of the dancer's body in relation to the floor (high, mid, low)

  • Shape - The visual configuration or arrangement of the dancer's body or limbs in space

  • Tempo - The speed or pace of the music to which dancers perform

  • Energy - The quality, intensity, and dynamic force behind movement

  • Pathway - The route that a dancer's movement takes through space; it can encompass the direction, shape, and pattern of movement as the dancer moves across the performance space

 

Materials

  • Dance/piece of choreography to watch (see examples in “Additional Resources”)
  • Music

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Using vocabulary from the current unit of study in science, ask students to show a movement to represent a vocabulary word or idea.  Ask students to explain why they chose their movement and how/why that movement would represent the definition/idea to an audience.
  • Tell students that choreographers are like authors except they don't use words and pictures to help the audience understand what they are communicating.  
    • Instead, they use their bodies and movement to teach the audience about the concept.  
    • Creating choreography about science is just like an author writing an informational text; our dance must inform the audience through movement.

 

Work Session

  • Watch a piece of choreography about an earth system or the environment/conservation (see “Additional Resources”).
  • Discuss choreographic choices/movements used to express thoughts and ideas to the audience.
    • Lead students in a movement exercise to introduce them to the following dance terms: Levels, shape, tempo, energy, and pathways. 
      • Begin by playing music. Help students find the beat by tapping their toes or patting their legs.
      • Prompt students to make shapes with their bodies to express the words that they hear, such as curved, straight, angular, twisted etc.
      • Next, have students explore pathways. Tell students that pathways are the route that a dancer's movement takes through space. Ask students to begin traveling through the room, moving from place to place, as you prompt them with different body shapes. Encourage students to think about how they can link their movements together fluidly.
      • Ask students to freeze in place. Bring students’ attention to levels (high, mid, low) with movements such as stretching up high and moving on tiptoes, crouching in a small ball close to the floor, and bouncing in place at a middle level. Provide prompts, such as, “Create a curved low-level shape”, to allow students to explore combining levels and shapes.
      • Now, direct students to explore energy variations with different movement qualities such as sharp movements–quick, precise actions like punches or snaps, and smooth movements–slow, flowing actions like waves or circles with arms. Prompt students with directions such as, “Crouch in a low-level curved shape and quickly burst into a high level straight shape”. Ask students what type of energy this shows. Then, ask them to slowly transition from a high-level straight shape to a low-level curved shape; ask students to identify what type of energy this shows.
    • Look at the dance performance again. Ask students where they see examples of these elements in the choreography. Ask students what the choreographer communicated by using the concept. 
  • Tell students that they will be using what they just learned about dance to communicate scientific concepts. Choose one concept from the unit to choreograph as a class, such as erosion. 
    • As a group, explore movement ideas to represent concepts (remember to cue students to use the elements of dance such as levels, shape, etc. to communicate ideas).
  • Arrange students into small groups. Assign each group a topic related to the current unit of study in science.
  • Tell students that they will be creating choreography about their assigned topic. Remind students that as choreographers, it is their job to communicate a concept through movement. 
    • Remind students that choreographers use levels, shape, tempo, energy, and pathways intentionally to communicate with the audience. Tell students to select three elements that they will use to choreograph their dance. Each element must be used intentionally to communicate the concept.
    • Tell students that their choreography must have a beginning, middle, and end that includes a starting pose, at least three movements, and an ending pose.
  • Circulate the room to work with students as they create their choreography.
  • Have students share their choreography with the class. 
    • The audience members should describe what they observed in the group’s choreography using both science and dance vocabulary.
    • Ask students to explain how the choreography choices contributed to the meaning of the dance.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Using the elements of dance as a guide, ask students how their choreographic choices helped the audience understand the content. This can be a written or oral reflection.

 

 

Assessments

Formative

Teacher will assess students by asking students about their choreographic choices and how they aid in the audience's understanding of the scientific concept.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Choreography:
    • Students can create choreography that has a beginning, middle, and end. 
    • Students can create choreography that correctly demonstrates scientific concepts and vocabulary.
    • Students can intentionally use three of the elements of dance to communicate a concept.
  • Audience: 
    • Students can discuss the performances of the other groups and identify how movements demonstrate scientific concepts and vocabulary.

 

*This assessment can be done as a class discussion or a written assignment.

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: Increase the expectations of the full choreographic work. Each part (beginning/middle/end) contains more than one movement idea.

Remedial: Have students create choreography for just one vocabulary word/concept.

 

 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: Melissa Joy

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

 

Back to Modules

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT 2-3

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will understand how choreographers use performance as a platform for communicating concepts. By creating their own choreography, students will learn and teach their classmates about the scientific concepts they are investigating in class.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 2-3
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can use performance as a platform to inform audiences about important issues.

  • I can create a choreographic work about scientific concepts.

Essential Questions

  • How and why do choreographers create dances to inform audiences about important issues?

  • How can I demonstrate my understanding of scientific concepts through choreography and movement?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2

S2E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how weather, plants, animals, and humans cause changes to the environment. 

 

Grade 3

S3L2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the effects of pollution (air, land, and water) and humans on the environment.

 

Arts Standards

Grade 2

ESD2.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD2.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD2.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD2.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

Grade 3

ESD3.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD3.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD3.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD3.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2

2-ESS1-1. Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur rapidly or slowly.

 

2-ESS2-1. Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.

 

Grade 3

3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climate patterns in different regions of the world.

 

3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the effectiveness of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather related hazard.

 

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

  • Weather - The atmospheric conditions present in a particular place at a specific time

  • Climate - The long-term patterns and averages of weather conditions in a particular region over a significant period

  • Environment - The surroundings or conditions in which an organism, species, or ecosystem exists and interacts

  • Pollution - The introduction of harmful substances or contaminants into the environment, causing adverse effects on living organisms, natural resources, and ecosystems

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreographer/Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece

  • Levels - The vertical positioning of the dancer's body in relation to the floor (high, mid, low)

  • Shape - The visual configuration or arrangement of the dancer's body or limbs in space

  • Tempo - The speed or pace of the music to which dancers perform

  • Energy - The quality, intensity, and dynamic force behind movement

  • Pathway - The route that a dancer's movement takes through space; it can encompass the direction, shape, and pattern of movement as the dancer moves across the performance space

 

Materials

  • Dance/piece of choreography to watch (see examples in “Additional Resources”)
  • Music
  • Poetry/text (optional)

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Using vocabulary from the current unit of study in science, ask students to show a movement to represent a vocabulary word or idea.  Ask students to explain why they chose their movement and how/why that movement would represent the definition/idea to an audience.
  • Tell students that choreographers are like authors except they don't use words and pictures to help the audience understand what they are communicating.  
    • Instead, they use their bodies and movement to teach the audience about the concept.  
    • Creating choreography about science is just like an author writing an informational text; our dance must inform the audience through movement.

 

Work Session

  • Watch a piece of choreography about an earth system or the environment/conservation (see “Additional Resources”).
  • Discuss choreographic choices/movements used to express thoughts and ideas to the audience.
    • Prompt students to make shapes with their bodies to express the words that they hear, such as tree, rock, circle, etc.
    • Next, have students explore pathways. Tell students that pathways are the route that a dancer's movement takes through space. Ask students to begin traveling through the room, moving from place to place, as you prompt them with different body shapes. Encourage students to think about how they can link their movements together fluidly.
    • Ask students to freeze in place. Bring students’ attention to levels (high, mid, low) with movements such as stretching up high and moving on tiptoes, crouching in a small ball close to the floor, and bouncing in place at a middle level. Say words such as river, mountain, and valley. Ask students to explore body shapes at the level that they think best expresses that idea.
    • Now, direct students to explore energy variations with different movement qualities such as sharp movements–quick, precise actions like punches or snaps, and smooth movements–slow, flowing actions like waves or circles with arms. Prompt students with weather-related words like hail, ice, sunshine, etc.
    • Lead students in a movement exercise to introduce them to the following dance terms: Levels, shape, tempo, energy, and pathways. 
    • Look at the dance performance again. Ask students where they see examples of these elements in the choreography. Ask students what the choreographer communicated by using the concept. 
  • Tell students that they now will explore movement ideas to represent scientific concepts.
    • As a class, choreograph a movement phrase to show a concept, such as water pollution. Ask students to think about what shapes they should make with their bodies? What pathways? What type of energy? Levels?
    • Allow time for students to brainstorm. Create and perform the movement phrase as a class.
    • Ask students to share a term from the unit, such as water pollution. 
  • Arrange students into small groups. Assign each group a topic related to the current unit of study in science.
  • Tell students that they will be creating choreography about their assigned topic. Remind students that as choreographers, it is their job to communicate a concept through movement. 
    • Remind students that choreographers use levels, shape, tempo, energy, and pathways intentionally to communicate with the audience. Ask students to select one or two that they will use in their choreography. 
    • Tell students that their choreography must have at least three movements showing a beginning, middle, and end.
    • Circulate the room to work with students as they create their choreography.
  • Have students share their choreography with the class. 
    • The audience members should describe what they observed in the group’s choreography using both science and dance vocabulary.
    • Ask students to explain how the choreography choices contributed to the meaning of the dance.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Using the elements of dance as a guide, ask students how their choreographic choices helped the audience understand the content. This can be a written or oral reflection.

 

 

Assessments

Formative

Teacher will assess students by asking students about their choreographic choices and how they aid in the audience's understanding of the scientific concept.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Choreography:
    • Students can create choreography that has a beginning, middle, and end. 
    • Students can create choreography that correctly demonstrates scientific concepts and vocabulary.
    • Students can intentionally use one or two of the elements of dance to communicate their scientific concept.
  • Audience: 
    • Students can discuss the performances of the other groups and identify how movements demonstrate scientific concepts and vocabulary.

 

*This assessment can be done as a class discussion or a written assignment.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: 

  • Increase the expectations of the full choreographic work. Each part (beginning/middle/end) contains more than one movement idea.
  • Have students research an environmental concern and create a choreographic work to demonstrate its causes and effects.

Remedial: Have students create choreography for just one vocabulary word from the unit of study.

 

 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: Melissa Joy

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

 

Back to Modules

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT K-1

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT

EARTH SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT & CONSERVATION THROUGH MOVEMENT

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will understand how choreographers use performance as a platform for communicating concepts. By creating their own choreography, students will learn and teach their classmates about the scientific concepts they are investigating in class.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & SCIENCE
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can use dance as a form of communication.

  • I can create a choreographic work about scientific concepts.

Essential Questions

  • How do choreographers use dance as a form of communication?

  • How can I demonstrate my understanding of scientific concepts through choreography and movement?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 1

S1E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate weather data to identify weather patterns.

Arts Standards

Grade 1

ESD1.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD1.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD1.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD1.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten: 

K-ESS2-1. Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.

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

  • Weather - The atmospheric conditions present in a particular place at a specific time

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreographer/Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece

  • Levels - The vertical positioning of the dancer's body in relation to the floor (high, mid, low)

  • Shape - The visual configuration or arrangement of the dancer's body or limbs in space

  • Energy - The quality, intensity, and dynamic force behind movement

 

Materials

  • Dance/piece of choreography to watch (see examples in “Additional Resources”)
  • Music

 

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Ask students to show a movement to represent a weather-related word such as rain or sunshine. Ask students to explain why they chose their movement.
  • Tell students that choreographers are like authors except they don't use words and pictures to help the audience understand what they are communicating.  
    • Instead, they use their bodies and movement to teach the audience about the concept.  
    • Creating choreography about science is just like an author writing an informational text; our dance must inform the audience through movement.

 

Work Session

  • Watch 'Weather' (2012, Lucy Guerin).
  • Ask students to describe how the dancers moved their bodies. 
  • Now, list several types of weather that are demonstrated through the dancers in the piece. Tell students that they will watch the dance again and see if they can identify where the dancers showed the type of weather.
  • Next, tell students that dancers have vocabulary that they use to describe types of movements. The words that they will learn about today are levels and energy. 
    • Tell students that they will explore weather using levels and energy. 
      • Say a weather word, such as, “rain” and demonstrate wiggling your fingers quickly while moving from a standing position to a crouching position. Ask students to copy your movements. Next, ask them how you used your body to show the concept of rain. 
      • Tell students that standing up is a “high level” and crouching down is a “low level” movement. 
      • Next, ask them to repeat the rain movement. Tell students that this time, the rain is barely falling, just a light sprinkle. 
      • Have them repeat the movement again. Tell them that this time, the rain is a thunderstorm, pouring down. 
      • Ask students how their finger movements changed depending on the type of rain. This is energy in dance. 
  • Arrange students into groups of two or three. Assign each group a weather-related concept.
  • Tell students that they will be creating choreography about their assigned topic. Remind students that as choreographers, it is their job to communicate a concept through movement. 
    • Ask students to either choose to show their concept by using levels or energy (or both).
    • Ask students to have a starting pose, a movement to show their concept, and an ending pose.
  • Circulate the room to work with students as they create their choreography.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Have students share their choreography with the class. 
    • The audience members should describe what they observed in the group’s choreography using both science and dance vocabulary.
    • Ask students to explain how the choreography choices contributed to the meaning of the dance.

 

 

Assessments

Formative

Teacher will assess students by asking students about their choreographic choices and how they aid in the audience's understanding of the scientific concept.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Choreography:
    • Students can create choreography that correctly demonstrates scientific concepts and vocabulary.
    • Students can intentionally use energy or levels to communicate a concept.
  • Audience: 
    • Students can discuss the performances of the other groups and identify how movements demonstrate scientific concepts and vocabulary.

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: 

  • Students can create choreography that has a beginning, middle, and end.
  • Students can describe their dance using writing and drawing.

Remedial: Create weather-related choreography as a class. Create one movement for each type of weather. Then, assign groups their concept. Groups will build upon the original movement that the class created together to create their choreography.

 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: Melissa Joy

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules

HAIKU CHOREOGRAPHY 4-5

HAIKU CHOREOGRAPHY

HAIKU CHOREOGRAPHY

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will explore and understand the structure of haiku poetry by using the structure of haiku to create choreography.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 4-5
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create movements/choreography to beats and patterns.
  • I can identify the structure, mood, and imagery in a haiku.
  • I can create choreography using the elements of dance that demonstrates the mood, imagery, and structure of a haiku.

Essential Questions

  • How can I show the structure and mood of haiku through dance and choreography?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4: 

ELAGSE4RL2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

 

ELAGSE4RL5 Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.

 

Grade 5: 

ELAGSE5RL2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

 

ELAGSE5RL4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. 

 

ELAGSE5RL5 Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.

Arts Standards

Grade 4: 

ESD4.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD4.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD4.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD4.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

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.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD5.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 4: 

ELA.4.AOR.2.1 Identify and explain an explicit or implied theme and how it is developed by key details in a literary text. 

 

ELA.4.AOR.8.1 Determine an author’s use of words and phrases in grade-level literary, informational, and multimedia texts: 

  1. distinguish between literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases (e.g., take steps); b. explain the meaning of commonly occurring similes, metaphors, and idioms; and c. demonstrate knowledge of relationships between words (e.g., synonyms and antonyms) to better understand each of the words

 

Grade 5: 

ELA.5.AOR.2.1 Explain the development of an explicit or implied theme over the course of a literary text. 

 

ELA.5.AOR.8.1 Determine an author’s use of figurative and technical language in literary, informational, and multimedia texts: 

  1. recognize and explain the meaning of figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context; and b. demonstrate knowledge of relationships between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to better understand each of the words.

 

*Additional content standards beyond ELA can be applied if the poem topic is related to a specific content.  i.e., weather patterns

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 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Poem - A genre of literature
  • Line - A sequence of words arranged in a specific order, typically forming a complete thought or phrase
  • Beat - The rhythmic pattern or meter of a poem
  • Mood - Emotion or tone
  • Imagery - The use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses to create vivid and evocative pictures in the reader's mind
  • Haiku - A traditional form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreographer/Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Beat - The rhythmic pulse or pattern of the music that dancers move to
  • Form - The overall structure or arrangement of movements, sequences, and choreography within a dance piece
  • Levels - The vertical positioning of the dancer's body in relation to the floor (high, mid, low)
  • Shape - The visual configuration or arrangement of the dancer's body or limbs in space
  • Tempo - The speed or pace of the music to which dancers perform
  • Energy - The quality, intensity, and dynamic force behind movement
  • Non-locomotor - This refers to a movement that does not travel through space
  • Locomotor - This refers to a movement that travels through space
  • Space - An element of movement involving direction, level, size, focus, and pathway

 

Materials

  • Several examples of haiku poetry
  • Music
  • Paint chip cards with paint color names - one per student (alternative could be a crayon, colored pencil, or marker–anything that shows color and has a name)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Give each student a paint chip card with a paint color name.
  • Place one mood word in each corner of the classroom. 
    • Tell students to move to the mood that they feel their color name best fits. Allow students to discuss why they selected that mood word.
  • Arrange students into groups of 3. Groups can be created at random or have students create their own groups by finding colors that they think work well together and fit the same mood.
    • Tell students to create a movement to express each color name.
    • Tell students to put the movements together to create a piece of choreography with a beginning, middle, and end.
  • Allow time for students to share their choreography with the class.

 

 

Work Session

INTRODUCE BEAT IN DANCE

  • Discuss beats and how dancers and choreographers use beats. Show students a video to demonstrate. 
  • Explore through movement the typical beat structures in dance: 8 counts/beats, 3 counts/beats.
    • Since students have already seen an example of a dance with 8 counts/beats, show them an example of a dance with 3 counts/beats.
    • Tell students that some dances use non-typical beat structures in dance such as 9 beats, 7 beats, and 5 beats.

 

INTRODUCE ELEMENTS OF DANCE

  • Engage students in a movement exercise that will allow them to learn about and explore several elements of dance.
  • Play music with a steady beat. Help students find the beat by tapping their toes on the ground or patting their legs. 
  • Element of Body: First, have students bring awareness to their bodies by leading them through gentle stretches starting from the head and moving to the toes (e.g., head circles, shoulder shrugs, toe touches, etc.). Then, ask them to make different shapes with their bodies.
  • Element of Energy: Now, direct students to explore energy variations with different movement qualities such as sharp movements–quick, precise actions like punches or snaps, and smooth movements–slow, flowing actions like waves or circles with arms.
  • Element of Space: Bring students’ attention to levels (high, middle, low) with movements such as stretching up high and moving on tiptoes, crouching in a small ball close to the floor, and bouncing in place at a middle level.
  • Element of Action: Locomotor/non-locomotor: Tell students that these movements they just performed were non-locomotor, meaning that they didn’t move to a new location. Direct students to perform a movement that requires moving from one place to another, such as step-together, step-together moving side to side.
  • Have students practice what they just learned by saying words such as “locomotor” and have students create a spontaneous locomotor movement.
  • Now, help students connect movement to meaning. Say mood-related words. Have students respond with movements to express the word.

 

LEARN ABOUT HAIKU

  • Discuss haiku poetry and read several examples.
    • As students listen to examples, invite them to close their eyes and visualize the poem in their mind. Ask them what mood each haiku evokes. Allow students to pair-share after they have listened.
    • Draw student’s attention to the structure of haiku poetry; ask students if they notice any patterns emerging. 
    • Discuss the 5-7-5 structure of haiku.
    • Share the origin of haiku poetry.
  • Discuss how dancers/choreographers can use poetry meaning and structure as a base for choreography. 
  • Display a haiku poem for students to see. Ask students, “If a dance followed haiku structure, how many beats would be in the beginning, middle, and end?”.
    • Students should arrive at 5-7-5.

 

CHOREOGRAPHING DANCE

  • Give each group a haiku poem. 
  • Allow time for students to identify the mood and imagery in the poem.
  • Tell students that they will be choreographing a dance that follows the structure of their haiku; encourage students to think about how their movements could show the mood and imagery in the poem. 
    • Tell students that they will use the elements of dance to reflect the mood and imagery of the haiku in their dance. They should choose two elements to use, such as energy and levels.
    • Students will create a 5-beat movement phrase, a 7-beat movement phrase, and a new 5-beat movement phrase.
    • Finally, students should put them together to make one cohesive dance. Ask students to consider how they will show the break between phrases.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Allow students to read their haikus and share their choreography with the whole class.
    • Ask the audience members how the movements demonstrated the structure, imagery, and mood of the haiku.
  • Students can write about or discuss their choreographic process and why they made the decisions they did in creating their movements.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teacher will assess students by asking students about their choreographic choices and how they aid in the audience’s understanding the structure and mood of their haiku.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can identify the structure, mood, and imagery in a haiku poem.
  • Dance assessment: 
    • Choreography:
      • Students can create choreography that has a beginning, middle, and end. 
      • Students can create choreography using the elements of dance that demonstrates the mood, imagery, and structure of a haiku.
    • Audience: 
      • Students can discuss the performances of the other groups and identify how movements demonstrate the structure and mood of the haiku.

 

*This assessment can be done as a class discussion or a written assignment.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: 

  • Have students write a haiku and create the choreography to match.
  • Have students create individual dances and haikus.

 

Remedial: 

  • Have students create choreography for one line of the poem in their groups. Put three groups who each have different lines of the poem together to show the complete haiku.

 

 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: Melissa Joy. Updated by: Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

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Haiku Choreography 2-3

HAIKU CHOREOGRAPHY

HAIKU CHOREOGRAPHY

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will explore and understand the structure of haiku poetry by using the structure of haiku to create choreography.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 2-3
CONTENT FOCUS: DANCE & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can create movements/choreography to beats and patterns.
  • I can create choreography to express themes and imagery.

Essential Questions

  • How can I show the structure, theme and imagery of haiku through dance and choreography?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2: 

ELAGSE2RL1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

 

ELAGSE2RL4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

 

Grade 3: 

ELAGSE3RL1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

 

ELAGSE3RL4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases both literal and non literal language as they are used in the text.

 

Arts Standards

Grade 2: 

ESD2.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD2.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD2.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD2.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

Grade 3:

ESD3.CR.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process.

 

ESD3.CR.2 Demonstrate an understanding of dance as a form of communication.

 

ESD3.PR.1 Identify and demonstrate movement elements, skills, and terminology in dance

 

ESD3.RE.1 Demonstrate critical and creative thinking in dance.

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2: 

ELA.2.AOR.1.2 Identify and explain the purpose of forms of figurative language to include similes, personification, and idioms.

 

ELA.2.AOR.2.1 Identify and explain an explicit theme in a literary text.

 

ELA.2.AOR.5.1 Describe the basic structure of a literary text (e.g., narrative, drama, and poem).

 

Grade 3: 

ELA.3.AOR.1.2 Identify and explain the purpose of forms of figurative language to include metaphor, hyperbole, and idioms.

 

ELA.3.AOR.2.1 Identify and explain an explicit theme in a literary text and how it is developed by key details.

 

ELA.3.AOR.5.1 Explain how sections of literary text (e.g., paragraphs, chapters, scenes, and stanzas) build on one another and contribute to the overall structure.

 

*Additional content standards beyond ELA can be applied if the poem topic is related to a specific content.  i.e., weather patterns

 

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 5: I can describe, analyze, and evaluate a dance.

 

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Poem - A genre of literature
  • Line - A sequence of words arranged in a specific order, typically forming a complete thought or phrase
  • Beat - The rhythmic pattern or meter of a poem
  • Theme - The underlying message, central idea, or insight into life that a story, poem, or other work of literature conveys
  • Imagery - The descriptive and figurative language an author uses to create vivid mental pictures and sensory experiences for the reader
  • Haiku - A traditional form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5

Arts Vocabulary

  • Choreographer/Choreography - The art of designing and arranging sequences of movements, steps, and gestures to create a dance piece
  • Beat - The rhythmic pulse or pattern of the music that dancers move to
  • Form - The overall structure or arrangement of movements, sequences, and choreography within a dance piece
  • Levels - The vertical positioning of the dancer's body in relation to the floor (high, mid, low)
  • Shape - The visual configuration or arrangement of the dancer's body or limbs in space
  • Tempo - The speed or pace of the music to which dancers perform
  • Energy - The quality, intensity, and dynamic force behind movement

 

Materials

  • Several examples of haiku poetry
  • Music
  • Paint chip cards with paint color names - one per student (alternative could be a crayon, colored pencil, or marker–anything that shows color and has a name)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Give each student a paint chip card with a paint color name.
  • Place one emotion word in each corner of the classroom.
    • Tell students to move to the emotion that they feel their color name best fits. Allow students to discuss why they selected that emotion word.
  • Arrange students into groups of 3. Groups can be created at random or have students create their own groups by finding colors that they think work well together and fit the same emotion.
    • Tell students to create a movement to express each color name.
    • Tell students to put the movements together to create a piece of choreography with a beginning, middle, and end.
  • Allow time for students to share their choreography with the class.

Work Session

INTRODUCE BEAT IN DANCE

  • Discuss beats and how dancers and choreographers use beats. Show students a video to demonstrate.
  • Explore through movement the typical beat structures in dance: 8 counts/beats, 3 counts/beats.
    • Since students have already seen an example of a dance with 8 counts/beats, show them an example of a dance with 3 counts/beats.
    • Tell students that some dances use non-typical beat structures in dance such as 9 beats, 7 beats, and 5 beats.

 

INTRODUCE LOCOMOTOR AND NON-LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENTS IN DANCE

  • Engage students in a movement exercise that will allow them to learn about and explore locomotor and non-locomotor movements in dance.
  • Play music with a steady beat. Help students find the beat by tapping their toes on the ground or patting their legs.
    • Levels: Bring students’ attention to levels (high, middle, low) with movements such as stretching up high and moving on tiptoes, crouching in a small ball close to the floor, and bouncing in place at a middle level.
      • Allow time for students to explore movements with different levels.
    • Energy: Direct students to explore energy variations with different movement qualities such as sharp movements–quick, precise actions like punches or snaps, and smooth movements–slow, flowing actions like waves or circles with arms.
      • Say emotion-related words. Have students respond with movements that match the energy-level of the word.

LEARN ABOUT HAIKU

  • Discuss haiku poetry and read several examples.
    • As students listen to examples, invite them to close their eyes and visualize the poem in their mind.
      • Ask them what emotion each haiku evokes. What imagery does the author use?
      • Allow students to pair-share after they have listened.
    • Draw student’s attention to the structure of haiku poetry; ask students if they notice any patterns emerging.
    • Discuss the 5-7-5 structure of haiku.
    • Share the origin of haiku poetry.
  • Discuss how dancers/choreographers can use poetry meaning and structure as a base for choreography.
  • Display a haiku poem for students to see. Ask students, “If a dance followed haiku structure, how many beats would be in the beginning, middle, and end?”.
    • Students should arrive at 5-7-5.

 

CHOREOGRAPHING DANCE

  • Divide students into groups of six.
  • Give each group a haiku poem. In their groups students should identify both the theme and the imagery in the poem.
  • Tell students that they will be choreographing a dance that follows the structure of their haiku; encourage students to think about how their movements could show the theme and the imagery of the poem.
    • Tell students that they will use levels and energy to reflect the theme and imagery of the haiku in their dance.
    • Students will create a 5-beat movement phrase, a 7-beat movement phrase, and a new 5-beat movement phrase.
      • Students should divide themselves into partners within their groups. Each group of partners will choreograph one line of the haiku.
      • Students will then put them together to make one cohesive dance.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Allow students to read their haikus and share their choreography with the whole class.
    • Ask the audience members how the movements demonstrated the structure, theme, and imagery of the haiku.
  • Students can write about or discuss their choreographic process and why they made the decisions they did in creating their movements.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teacher will assess students by asking students about their choreographic choices and how they aid in the audience’s understanding the structure, theme and imagery of their haiku.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can identify the structure, theme and imagery of a haiku poem.
  • Dance assessment:
    • Choreography:
      • Students can create a choreography that has a beginning, middle, and end.
      • Students can create a choreography that demonstrates the structure, theme and imagery of a haiku.
    • Audience:
      • Students can discuss the performances of the other groups and identify how movements demonstrate the structure, theme and imagery of the haiku.

 

*This assessment can be done as a class discussion or a written assignment.

 

 

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: 

  • Have students write their own haiku and create the choreography to match.
  • Have advanced students create choreography for the entire haiku instead of only one line.

Remedial: 

  • Identify the theme and imagery in a haiku as a whole class. Then, have groups create their choreography based on the class haiku. After performances, discuss how each group interpreted the theme and imagery of the haiku differently.

 

 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: Melissa Joy. Updated by: Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Back to Modules