Learning Unit

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring and integrating?

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire and integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Students will recognize the importance of appropriate personal and group conduct.

 Students will develop their own class rules of social behavior for dance.

 At various times, students will be asked to think about their own social behavior and how the behavior of their peers has made them feel.

Throughout the unit, students will be dancing and working with many other students. 

Students will show respect for and participate with students of various skill levels.

Students will dance and/or work with 12 different partners during the unit.

Round the Clock Dance Partners

Using the Round the Clock Dance Partner form, each student makes an appointment with 12 different people – one for each hour on the clock. When the teacher needs students to pair up for a dance or other activity, he/she will call a certain time on the clock. The students pair up with their partner that is designated for that time.

Students will identify and categorize dances.

Students will be taught and will dance to several styles of dances including mixers, folk, standard, line and current craze dances.

Teacher will point out and explain the differences among the various styles of dances.

Students will be taught one dance from each of the styles selected. The teacher will introduce a new dance and then ask the students to categorize it into the appropriate style.

 Students will analyze dances by learning to "read the music" and how to put dance steps to it.

The teacher will demonstrate how to "read the music" based on tempo, the count of the music, and verse and chorus discrimination. He/she will teach them how the dance steps fit to a song and dance that they have learned.

As a class, students will practice "reading the music" to a selected song and determine what dance steps would fit the music.

Students will dance to the songs based on the music they have "read".

 Students will appreciate dance as an activity for pleasure and/or fitness.

Students will learn various styles of dances that involve a variety of styles of music to help meet individual likes and dislikes.

 Students will be allowed to dance to their favorite dances or songs. The teacher will ask students to assess their level of physical activity during each class using the Perceived Rate of Exertion Chart.

 Students will actively dance during class.

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring and integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape and internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

… perform dances that are taught to them with fluency and rhythm.

 Teacher will teach the dances to the students by breaking down the steps and practicing them first without music. They will then practice them to the music with the teacher calling out the steps.

 After sufficient practice, the students will dance to the dances without the teacher calling or leading them.

… identify and perform various dance steps. 

 The teacher will teach the various dance steps for the dances selected. He/she calls out the dance steps during the dance.

Once the dances and steps have been learned, the teacher will ask the students to demonstrate various selected dance steps. 

 … put the dances learned to other selected music.

The students will dance a dance to a song that is different from the one that the dance was originally designed to be danced to.

Example: Dancing The Electric Slide to "Sold at the Grundy County Auction" by John Michael Montgomery.

 The students select a dance that is appropriate to the music that the teacher has selected.

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of …

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

 … appropriate social and personal behavior on the dance floor.

Deduction

Using the dance class rules that were developed by the students, they will evaluate themselves and others.

 … putting choreographed dance steps to various music selections.

Comparing

Students will be asked to bring in their own music to dance to. They will have selected the dance that is appropriate to the music. The class will dance to it.

 …. reading the music and putting dance steps to it.

Invention

Working in groups of three, students will select their own music, the dance style, and will choreograph a dance. They will video tape their dance and present it to the class.

 … learning dances by reading the instructions.

Investigation 

Working in groups of three, students will search the Internet for new dances. Following those dance instructions, they will learn the dance and video tape themselves performing the dance.

4

3

2

1

Performs finely coordinated rhythmic sequences in various types of dances almost automatically.

Dances have become almost automatic and can be performed successfully with concentration.

Dance movements appear less haphazard, conform more to intentions.

Is unable to repeat dance movements in succession, one attempt doesn’t look like another.

Ability to follow the dance leader is exceptional.

Ability to follow the dance leader is acceptable.

Needs improvement in ability to follow the dance leader.

Ability to follow the dance leader is unacceptable.

Integrates rhythmic sequences (dance movements) into various types of dances with a form of mastery.

Integrates rhythmic sequences into various types of dances with competency.

Needs practice in putting dance moves into various types of dances.

Is unable to put dance moves into any dances.

Is able to identify, analyze, and categorize various dance steps and types of dances with proficiency.

Is able to identify, analyze, and categorize most dance steps and types of dances.

Has difficulty identifying, analyzing, and categorizing dance steps and types of dances.

Is unable to identify, analyze, and categorize any dance steps and types of dances.

Is respectful, participates, is self-directed, motivated, cooperative, supportive, shows concern and is helpful.

Shows respect, participates, can work independently, cooperative and plans and carries out own responsibilities.

Shows minimal respect for others and only participates when he/she wants to.

May not participate or show much respect, skill mastery or improvement. Interferes with other students’ rights to learn.

4

3

2

1

Has mastered the art of recognizing the count of the music, the music change, and can divide the music into its parts.

Is proficient at recognizing the count of the music, the music change, and can divide the music into its parts.

Needs practice with recognizing the count of the music, the music change, and with dividing the music into its parts.

Is unable to recognize the count of the music, any music change, or dividing the music into its parts.

Has selected the correct type of dance for the music selected. Has put proper dance steps and patterns together to fit the music.

Either the type of dance, the dance steps or the pattern does not fit the music selected.

Has difficulty in selecting the correct type of dance for the music selected and putting the proper dance steps and patterns together to fit the music.

The type of dance, the dance steps or the pattern do not fit the music selected.

Worked with peers cooperatively and equally.

Had some difficulty working with peers cooperatively and equally.

Was uncooperative with peers and did not work with them equally.

Did not work with peers cooperatively or equally.

Video was done correctly and presented on time.

Video had some mistakes and was presented on time.

Video was done incorrectly and/or presented on time.

Video was done incorrectly and was not presented on time.

Day 1 – Corners activity

Teach the selected dance from the Corners activity (ex. "Mambo Number 5.")

Make class rules for dance etiquette.

Teach the mixer – "Sweet Georgia Brown".

Day 2 - Review and dance to "Mambo Number 5."

Teach "Cotton Eyed Joe."

Teach " Slap’n Leather."

Day 3 – Complete the Round the Clock Dance Partner forms.

Teach the "Jitterbug".

Dance the 4 songs already learned.

With a new dance partner from the Round the Clock Dance Partner format, dance the "Jitterbug" to a different song.

Day 4 – Self and Peer evaluation of social and personal behavior based on the class dance rules etiquette.

Compare the 5 dances learned based on their style (mixer, line, standard, folk, and current craze).

Teach "The Train".

Teach "Barn Dance Mixer".

Do Perceived Rate of Exertion.

Dance the "Jitterbug" and "Slap’n Leather" to other selected music.

Day 5 – Dance to "Mambo Number 5" and "The Train."

Teach "Scandinavian Polka". (Continue with Around the Clock Dance Partners).

Teach "The Hustle".

Dance "The Barn Dance Mixer" to a different song.

Assign homework. Students are to select their own music in which to dance a selected dance that they have learned. They are to practice the dance and be prepared to share it with the class.

Day 6 – Select from the students choice songs and dances and perform some of them.

Teach "The Twist".

Teach the "Virginia Reel".

Day 7 – Dance "The Twist" to a different song.

Dance the "Virginia Reel".

Select 2 more of the students choice of music and dance from Day 6.

Do the Read the Music activity.

Explain the Choreography assignment and form groups of 3 students.

Days 8 & 9 – Students work on choreographing their dances or their internet assignment.

Days 11, 12 & 13 – Students videotape their dances.

Day 14 – Dance to student selected music and dances.