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

MAKING WEATHER MOVE K-1

MAKING WEATHER DANCE

MAKING WEATHER MOVE

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will integrate their knowledge of weather and dance to create movements that show different energies in dance. Students will use their understanding of temperature and moisture to create a movement representing one of the science terms learned focusing on a specific energy in dance.

 

Learning Targets

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

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can identify different types of temperature and forms of moisture.

  • I can create a movement that represents a temperature or form of moisture through dance energy.

Essential Questions

  • What are different temperatures and forms of moisture?

  • What type of dance energy in movement can represent a temperature or form of moisture?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 1

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

Arts Standards

Kindergarten:

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

dance.

 

ESDK.PR.2 Understand and model dance etiquette as a classroom participant, performer,

and observer.

 

Grade 1

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

dance.

 

ESD1.PR.2 Understand and model dance etiquette as a classroom participant, performer,

and observer.

 

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 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

  • Temperature - How hot or cold something is; temperature is a way to measure the amount of heat energy in an object or environment
    • Hot
    • Cold
    • Chilly
    • Warm
  • Moisture - The presence of water vapor in the atmosphere

  • Rain - A form of precipitation that occurs when water droplets in clouds become large enough to fall to the ground due to gravity

  • Snow - A form of precipitation that falls from clouds in the form of ice crystals

  • Fog - A meteorological phenomenon characterized by a dense concentration of water droplets suspended in the air near the ground

Arts Vocabulary

  • Energy - The quality and intensity of movement expressed by a dancer

  • Sustained - A type of energy in dance characterized by a continuous and controlled flow of movement without abrupt changes in speed or intensity

  • Vibratory - A type of energy in dance characterized by rapid and rhythmic vibrations or oscillations of the body often using quick and repetitive movements and involving isolated body parts such as the hands, hips, or shoulders

  • Swinging - A type of energy in dance with a rhythmic movement characterized by a back-and-forth motion of the body, often involving the hips, arms, or legs; typically involves a relaxed and fluid execution, with movements that flow smoothly from one direction to the other

  • Levels - The different heights or elevations at which movements are performed; low, mid-level, or high

 

Materials

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • Using the text Weather Words and What They Mean by Gail Gibbons, review different temperatures and forms of moisture. 
  • The terms hot, cold, warm, chilly, cool, rain, snow, and fog should be written on an anchor chart so students can refer back to them if necessary.
  • Involve a short movement break to support participation and focus. 
    • In this movement break, have students experiment with different movements by asking them to move like it’s cold, move like it’s raining, etc.

 

Work Session

  • The teacher will read the “I can” statement and discuss with students the important words and their definitions (create, represent, dance energy, movement, temperature, moisture, etc.).
  • Tell students to choose a movement. Once they have performed their movement, explain that each movement they just did had an energy.
    • The teacher will then introduce the three different movement energies that will be used in the lesson (sustained, vibratory and swinging) and will model what each energy looks like. 
    • Students will perform that movement energy along with the teacher. This can be done seated or standing.
    • The class will then stand and practice using these three energies again using their whole body. 
  • Divide students into small groups.
  • Introduce and model how each group of students will be receiving their own temperature or form of moisture and will communicate and collaborate together to create a movement that displays a specific dance energy (vibratory, swinging, sustained). 
    • Emphasize that the movement and energy should represent the temperature or form of moisture they were assigned. 
  • After being placed in groups, circulate and conference with each group to support when needed and to assess who is understanding the task. Modeling can be done to help support students.

 

Closing Reflection

  • Each group will perform their movement for the class.
    • Prepare students for performances by discussing appropriate audience participation with students.
    • Before performing, groups will share what energy their movement had and what temperature or form of moisture their movement represented.
    • Facilitate audience discussion after each performance asking students which type of energy they saw and how that type of energy is like the temperature or form of moisture assigned to the group.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teacher will assess student understanding throughout the lesson by asking questions to evaluate students’ knowledge of temperature and forms of moisture (i.e. “What is an example of a form of moisture?”), and by observing movement energies as they are working in small groups. 

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can identify different types of temperature and forms of moisture.
  • Students can communicate and collaborate effectively with their peers.
  • Students can create a movement with a specific energy that represents a temperature or form of moisture.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Accelerated: 

  • Allow the audience to guess what temperature or form of moisture the movement represents after students perform their movements. 
  • Students can be assigned multiple words to create a multiple movement choreography.
  • Incorporate levels into students’ movements.

Remedial: 

  • Students can be provided a peer mentor or teacher to support and assist. This would be most helpful during the small group work time.
  • Create a movement as an entire class before breaking into small groups.  

*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: Madeline Wilkes

Revised and copyright:  May 2024 @ ArtsNOW

Back to Modules

CREEPY CREATIVE CREATURE HABITATS 2-3

CREEPY CREATIVE CREATURE HABITATS

CREEPY CREATIVE CREATURE HABITATS

Learning Description

In this lesson, students will build on prior knowledge of animal adaptations by creating a habitat for an imaginary creature using found objects from nature.

 

Learning Targets

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

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"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can identify the inherited traits of my creature and explain how it adapted to survive and thrive in its habitat.
  • I can use found objects as my materials to make art.
  • I can use elements of art to construct an artwork.

Essential Questions

  • What traits do organisms inherit from their parents?
  • How have animals adapted to survive and thrive in their habitats?
  • What environmental factors might affect an animal’s survival?
  • How can you use artistic techniques and the elements of art to create a habitat for an imaginary creature?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 3:

S3L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the similarities and differences between plants, animals, and habitats found within geographic regions (Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau) of Georgia.

 

  1. Construct an explanation of how external features and adaptations (camouflage, hibernation, migration, mimicry) of animals allow them to survive in their habitat.
  2. Use evidence to construct an explanation of why some organisms can thrive in one habitat and not in another.

Arts Standards

Grade 3:

VA3.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

 

VA3.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

 

VA3.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 3:

3-LS3-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have inherited traits that vary within a group of similar organisms.

3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can thrive, struggle to survive, or fail to survive.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.

 

Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.

Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Habitat - A specialized ecological niche or environment in which a particular species or community of organisms resides
  • Organism - A living thing, like an animal, plant, fungus, bacterium, or protist
  • Adaptation - How organisms change or adjust to new conditions
  • Terrestrial - Related to land
  • Aquatic - Related to water
  • Offspring - The young of a living thing
  • Traits - The specific features that make each living thing unique
  • Environment - All external conditions, influences, and factors that affect and interact with living organisms

Arts Vocabulary

  • Assemblage - An artistic process in which a three-dimensional artistic composition is made from putting together found objects
  • Texture - One of the elements of art; how something feels or looks like it feels
  • Line - One of the elements of art; the path of a moving point
  • Shape - One of the elements of art; a two-dimensional object
  • Form - One of the elements of art; a three-dimensional object
  • Color - One of the elements of art; color is reflected or absorbed light; color can be organized into different categories such as primary, secondary, and neutral

 

Materials

  • Liquid glue
  • Small and large paint brushes
  • Found objects from nature (can be collected on the nature walk)
  • Cardstock or cardboard for the artwork

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

  • The teacher will share images of found art and nature art. Example artist is Andy Goldsworthy.
    • As a group, students will identify things that they recognize in the artwork and try to guess how the artist made the artwork.
    • Help students identify the Elements of Art such as lines, textures, shapes, and forms in the artwork.
    • Help students see how the artist used things from nature to create something new.
    • Explain to students that they are looking at examples of an “Assemblage”. An assemblage is “an artistic process in which a three-dimensional artistic composition is made from putting together found objects”.

 

Work Session

Teacher note: Prior to this lesson, students should have completed their creatures using the planning sheet for their habitat.

  • In small groups, students will share their creature’s physical traits and will explain how these allow the creature to adapt within an environment.
    • Students should brainstorm ideas for habitats of their “creatures”.
  • Explain to students that they will be going on a nature walk to collect materials to make a habitat for their creatures.
  • Take students on a nature walk to collect items for their habitat assemblage artwork.
  • After the nature walk, students will review their planning sheet to help with their habitat assemblages. They will use the rubric/checklist as a guide.
  • Show students techniques with applying liquid glue using a paint brush and assembling their found items together.
  • Allow students time to create their habitats.
  • Once completed, students will take a “gallery walk” to see the habitat assemblages.

 

Closing Reflection

  • In small groups, students will share their assemblages. They will explain how they depicted their creature’s needs, such as water, shelter, and food, in their habitat. Further, they will share why their creature would thrive in this habitat.
  • Have a whole-class discussion asking the following question:
    • Where did you see evidence of the elements of art during your gallery walk (line, shape, form, color, and texture)? Relate this to science content. For example, “Genesis used small pebbles in a curved line to show a stream in her habitat.”

 

Assessments

Formative

The teacher will assess students’ understanding through students’ planning sheets and conferring with students as they work on the project. For example, the teacher will provide feedback on the understanding shown on the planning sheet prior to students moving to the next step (creating habitats, for example.)

 

Summative

The rubric/checklist will be used by the student and teacher to assess each portion of the project.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: Students may research animals and a variety of habitats.

Remediation: Allow students to use differentiated planning sheet - page 2.

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:  Angela Stringer

Revised and copyright:  2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

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