Author - Megan Nickolette
Category - Lesson Plans, Art and Music, Dance
Lesson Plan Duration - 30 minute(s)
Grade Level - K-2,3-5,6-8

Lesson Plan Description

Students work in teams to design a dance using action words, or verbs.

Primary Learning Objective(s):

Students will create and perform a choreographic sequence using 3 action words with smooth transitions.  Students will demonstrate positive work habits and attitudes, working productively alone and in a group. Students will respect the work of others and constructively critique each other's work. Students will make connections between dance and other disciplines.

Additional Learning Objective(s):

Students will:

  • perform locomotor movement in combination and sequence, altering level, pathway, tempo and direction.
  • memorize and perform movement sequences with increased focus, coordination and skill.

Procedures/Activities:

  • Write the word DANCE on the chalkboard. 
  • After stretching ask students to Look at the word on the board.  What is another word for Dance? Movement.  Ask a volunteer who raised hand with that answer to write that on the board in white chalk underneath the word Dance.  How do we move?  In other words, how do we get from one place to the next?  Point A to point B?  As student come up with voc. Words like walk, run, skip, jump, slide, jog, leap, etc. ask them to write them on the board using color chalk.  Define these as action words, or verbs!
  • Define locomotor movements as those that move us from point A to B.
  • "We are now going to use those action words listed to create a dance sequence."  Ask two volunteers to come up next to you.  Have each student choose one word from the board and add a number under 10 to it.  Perform it as a team.  Ask the next volunteer to do the same.  Then you choose one and perform.  Now put all three together and perform in sequence.  There should be no stopping and transitions should be done easily and smoothly.  Assign the class to repeat this activity in a group of 3 and practice their movements. Students will show their sequence to the class and we will critique (modeling the use of constructive criticism).

Materials/Equipment:

  • Chalkboard and chalk
  • Open area in which to dance

Assessment Guidelines:

 Students will:
  • Perform a choreographic sequence using 3 action words with smooth transitions.
  • Demonstrate positive work habits and attitudes.
  • Work productively alone and in a group.
  • Respect the work of others.
  • Make connections between dance and other disciplines