Dance standards in WA

Dance in Washington state can incorporate contemporary, creative movement, world dance, ballet, jazz, tap, modern, break dance, hip-hop, ballroom, choreography, dance notation, dance history, musical theatre, improvisation, folk, ethnic, step, historical, and square dance. For these standards, I focused on the first grad standards. The first section focuses on the understanding of space, time, technique, and styles of dance. GLE 2 and 3 focus on the creative process of dance, performance and expression of feelings, communication, vocabulary, concepts and cultural aspects of dancing. 

I knew that knowledge of dance vocabulary as well as the historical and cultural aspects. However, I was surprised that the emotional expression of performance is assessed. To me, this is a good thing because if they are going to require students to dance, they should get into the performance, making it more fun to watch and carry out. Another thing I was surprised that is a standard is, GLE: 3.2.1, uses dance to communicate for a specific purpose. This is unexpected to me because usually schools focus on communication through writing, not dance. 

Standard 4.2.1 remembers skills, concepts, and vocabulary that dance has in common with other content areas can be incorporated into social studies. If students are performing a cultural dance, they can use what they studied to make outfits, and background more authentic. Standard 4.4.1 can also be used in that example, remembers specific attributes of a dance that reflect its cultural and historical context.

Some standards that would have to stand by themselves are 3.1.1 Remembers and understands that dance expresses feelings and presents ideas and 1.2.1 recognizes, understands, and applies the technique and skills of dance.

When I teach about Native American studies, I can teach about the natural elements: water, fire, wind, and earth. Students can use their bodies to demonstrate each element. Then, after they have done each element, they can use these to make a story about what is happening in the nature. I watched a video on the Teaching Channel for idea. 

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/integrating-dance-into-lessons.
http://www.k12.wa.us/Arts/Standards/pubdocs/DanceStandards.pdf

My learning stations

Movement - 100 Day Exercises
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By-shMcWLLvqOVo1STUtV00xamc/view?usp=sharing

Art - Origami Cranes
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By-shMcWLLvqWnd5V3ozQS02MVU/view?usp=sharing

Music - 50 Nifty United States
 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By-shMcWLLvqcmo1eWFra2F4cXM/view?usp=sharing

Crayola’s Champion Creatively Alive Children

When students are engaged in arts, they do better in literacy and math. Making school fun, students enjoy what they are learning. Communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity are 21^st century skills that students need to have. Arts infused education ignites students learning and helps them develop.

Crayola’s Champion Creatively Alive Children grant opportunity is available for elementary schools who have creative leaderships within their building. 20 grants of $2,500 as well as $1,000 worth of Crayola product is given each year. To apply, you must form a combined team of collogues with the principal planning to include innovative ways of using creativity within the school. A brainstorm of the leadership program that will be used to enhance creative opportunities in the class and community must be submitted. The principal must also be an NAESP (National Association of Elementary School Principals) member. 

Applications are due by June 22, 2015. However, early applications turned in before midnight on June 8^th, 2015 received a Crayola product classpack. Applications should be sent to creativelyalive@crayola.com or faxed to 610-515-8781, Attn: Anita DeChellis. 

Integrating multiple subjects is a great way to get more students learning and engaged. I have always struggled with science and math when I was a student. For this assignment I wanted to challenge myself to come up with a lesson that incorporate both of these along with movement, art or music.

My students will be creating structures with toothpicks and marshmallows. At first I will give them 5 toothpicks and 10 marshmallows and let them play around with that to see what they can make. Then they will get 5 more toothpicks and 10 marshmallows by joining another student. The pair will have a task of creating the tallest structure and measuring it.

This lesson will incorporate movement (and art?) science, and math. There are many ways I could take this lesson mathematically. We could make graphs for each pair’s structure height. Then we could compare those with fractions or add literacy by writing reflections about what they would do different next time.

Math

3.MD.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step “how many more” and “how many less” problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs. For example, draw a bar graph in which each square in the bar graph might represent 5 pets.

3.MD.6 Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).

Science

PS 4 2-3 APPA: Simple problems can be solved through a technological design process that includes: defining the problem, gathering information, exploring ideas, making a plan, testing possible solutions to see which is best, and communicating the results

Dear concerned parent,

It has been my hope this year that the parents of my 3rd grade students are involved in their education. Your contribution with Johnny’s education is wonderful, he has benefited greatly as a result of you being an active parent. With that being said, I would like to explain some of the research behind incorporating arts, movement and music in the classroom and clarify my educational goals for the students. 

Art has become an isolate subject with math and literacy taking its place in the classroom. As adults, we know that soft skills such as creative thinking, evaluation and providing rationale for responses are useful skills to have. In my art lessons the students are responding to works of art to develop these skills. Brain development is a dynamic process that needs to be nurtured. Your child is gifted academically, by incorporating art into the math he is doing, it will solidify the skills he is learning. Our brains are capable of a limited amount of information in one sitting. We need a break from learning to process the information so that it can go into our long term storage and we can retrieve it later. Time spent not learning is just as important (Pelligrini, Huberty, & Jones, 1995). Overloading our brains with information creates a crash and this will result in no new learning. 

Whenever children can use multiple senses they will understand a concept better. Ideas and feelings start in the body before they are translated to words (Minton 2003, 37). If you’ve ever played Simon Says, and someone tells you to touch your head, but they have their finger on their shoulders, chances are you touched your shoulders as well. This physical response helps learners’ process information better (Coulter, 1995). Movements and art is a beneficial tool to help develop intellectual intelligence. I can assure you, Johnny is a strong learner and by incorporating arts and movement into our learning process is only aiding in understanding. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. 

Thank you,
Ms. Weinman

References

Coulter, D. 1995. Music and the making of the mind. Early Childhood Connections: The Journal of Music and Movement Based Leaning 1: 22-26.

Minton, S. 2003. Using movement to teach academics: An outline for success. Journal of Physical Education, Recreating & Dance 74 (2): 36-40.

Pelligrini, A.D., Huberty, P.D., & Jones, I. (1995). The effects of recess timing on children’s playground and classroom behaviors. American Educational Research Journal. 32(8), 845-864.