Grade 4, Unit 1: Dance (Ontario Arts)

The Grade 4 Dance activity packet is aligned with the Ontario curriculum expectations for Grade 4 - The Arts. This packet introduces students to what movement is, and what dance is. With this unit an emphasis is placed on the elements of body and space. Students build on the element knowledge they have gained from Grade 3. Students are asked to initiate movements found in the natural environment and use these movements into a dance phrase. Students also use dance as a language to represent ideas from a diverse span of literature sources.

Elements of Dance:
The elements addressed in this packet are:
A. Body - symmetry vs asymmetry, organic vs geometric shape, angular vs curved shape, gesture, body zones.
B. Space - positive vs negative space, pathways.
C. Time - tempo, rhythm, pause, stillness, with music, without music, duration.
D. Energy - effort, force, quality.
E. Relationship - meet/part, follow/lead, groupings.

What lessons are included in this packet?
This packet includes 18 lessons. You can split each lesson into multiple lessons depending on how well students work with the elements and movement concepts, as well as the time each dance class allows. The lessons included in this packet are:
Lesson 1.1: Introducing Dance
Lesson 1.2: Ways to Move
Lesson 1.3: Symmetrical vs. Asymmetrical
Lesson 1.4: Body Shapes
Lesson 1.5: Body Shapes
Lesson 1.6: Reviewing Shapes
Lesson 1.7: Body Zones
Lesson 1.8: Moving in Space
Lesson 1.9: Pathways
Lesson 1.10: Tempo
Lesson 1.11: Moving with Emotion
Lesson 1.12: Changing Rhythm
Lesson 1.13: Effort and Force
Lesson 1.14: Quality of Movement
Lesson 1.15: Working with Elements
Lesson 1.16: Movement in Nature
Lesson 1.17: Exploring Dance
Lesson 1.18: Exploring Dance

This packet includes 7 rubrics and 17 anecdotal records that can be used throughout this unit to assess student understanding of the elements of dance, as well as their ability to follow directions and choose appropriate movements. There are also 20 posters included in this packet that help to address the elements of dance and the different ways in which students can move.

What assessments are included in this packet?
This packet has students work on providing feedback to their peers. Students are often asked to work together with small groups of students to create dance sequences. Students, in other groups, are provided with feedback tools that they can use to help give feedback to their classmates. There is also a final activity included in this packet where students create a dance sequence using the elements of body and space, as well as a third element of their choice.

Is this packet very different than the other dance packets?
This packet is more in-depth than the other packets. This is because students are capable of understanding more of the purpose of each dance element. While some of the activities (movement activities) might be the same, there are a majority of them that are different.

Questions? Concerns?
I am here to help! If you have any questions about this unit, or any of my units, please leave me a question under the Q&A tab below. Or, you can email me at teachingthroughthelookingglass@gmail.com.

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