Unit Overview

Context:

In this unit, the foundational layer is the act of kindness. Students will explore the exchange of these empowering acts through reflection on a personal level, within the workplace and at a societal level. The importance of this unit is that it provides students with the opportunity to experience the power of giving to others (e.g.: each other, the audience, a not-for-profit organization and the community in its entirety) through the medium of dance.  It is recommended that this unit entitled "A Cause for Applause" be situated within the course midway or close to the end of the semester. By this point in the course, students will have gained the background knowledge related to safety principles, established trust within the class community and invested in the exploration phase of a variety of techniques, choreographic forms and presentational opportunities, which will be infused and developed in this unit. 

Summary:

The organized shifts within this unit take the students from an internal study, to the connection with a fellow peer, to a small group dynamic, to the realm of media and to the surrounding community. By the end of this unit, students will understand their ability to affect change within the various facets of their lives.  They will also gain further experience with creating dance from the basis of a stimulus (in this case, via an article) and they will further explore the concept of performing for purpose. At the end of "A Cause for Applause", students will recognize that their actions (e.g.: the act of connecting with charities and the act of creating dance) affect change in themselves and those around them. They will learn and experience the ways in which their dance artistry contributes to the betterment of society. 

Expectations

A1. The Creative Process: use the creative process, the elements of dance, and a variety of sources to develop movement vocabulary

A2. Choreography and Composition: combine the elements of dance in a variety of ways in composing individual and ensemble dance creations

A4. Performance: apply dance presentation skills in a variety of contexts and performances

B1. The Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis process to reflect upon and evaluate their own and others' dance works and activities

B2. Dance and Society: demonstrate an understanding of how societies present and past use or have used dance, and of how creating and viewing dance can benefit individuals, groups and communities

B3. Connections Beyond the Classroom: demonstrate an understanding of the purpose and possibilities of continuing engagement in dance arts

C3. Responsible Practices: demonstrate an understanding of safe, ethical, and responsible personal and interpersonal practices in dance activities

Unit Guiding Questions

How can dance be utilized as a medium through which the facets of life can be positively affected?
How can the actions of giving, sharing and receiving on a personal and an artistic level connect to experiences within the workplace?

Lesson Guiding Questions

Lesson 1:  The Ripple Effect

How have random acts of kindness affected you?  

How can these actions translate into movement?

Lesson 2:  Giving, Sharing and Receiving

How does contact improvisation relate to the concepts of giving, sharing and receiving?

Lesson 3:  Finding the Source

How can your choreography, driven by a media source make a positive impact on your life and upon the lives of others?

Lesson 4:  Community Outreach

How can dance be utilized as a medium through which performers can give back to communities at a local, provincial, national and/or international level?

Lesson 5:  Final Performance and Closure

How will your work and personal lives and your role in the community benefit from your performance?

 

Assessment and Evaluation: How will students demonstrate their learning?
Assessment of learning

Culminating Performance Activity

Students will be evaluated using co-constructed criteria when they present their article-inspired creations at the event entitled "A Cause for Applause".  The scale of the venue is to be determined by the teacher and the students (i.e. in-class showing, school gymnasium, theatre). 
Assessment for Learning

Five Checkpoints and evaluation of their final dance piece

Check Point #1/Lesson 1

Self-reflection via the ripple effect maps

Teacher feedback throughout improvisational study and action-word movement sequences

Check Point #2/Lesson 2

Teacher feedback during the partner studies and contact improvisational tasks

Written feedback based on portfolio responses

Check Point #3/Lesson 3

Teacher feedback evident both in written form (the process rubric) and verbally throughout the article exploration

Self assessment upon the completion of the process rubric related to the rehearsal of the article-based compositions

Check Point #4/Lesson 4

Teacher feedback via group and individual conferences throughout the continued rehearsal process, related to the roles of production and the connection with charities

Written feedback based on portfolio responses

Self-assessment via videotaping of the "Works in Progress"

Check Point #5/Lesson 5

Self assessment related to the ways in which this unit and its accompanying experiences have affected change

Written feedback based on portfolio responses

 

Unit Lessons: How will assessment and instruction be organized for learning?

 Approx. Duration 1 class=70 minutes
Lesson 1

The Ripple Effect

Students will explore positive contributions that they have made in their daily lives through class discussions, individual improvisation, collaborative movement studies and self-reflection.  They will use the concept of the "ripple effect" to guide small group movement creations.

 2 classes
Lesson 2

Giving, Sharing and Receiving

Students will experience how the foundational elements in personal relationships such as giving, sharing and receiving can be reflected in dance forms such as contact improvisation.

 2 classes
Lesson 3

Finding the Source

In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to work collaboratively in both the rehearsal and the negotiating processes. They will explore a literary source (e.g.: an article) and then use it as a stimulus to create a choreographic work.

 3 classes
Lesson 4

Community Outreach

Students will connect with a chosen not-for-profit organization that will benefit from the upcoming performance of the article-based composition. Within this unit, students will continue to rehearse their creations, to acquire and act upon production roles and to make connections to their act of creation positively affecting those around them such as the audience and the chosen not-for-profit at an event such as "A Cause for Applause."

 4 classes
Lesson 5

Final Performance

Within the chosen venue, students will showcase their article-based creations for evaluation and follow through with their assigned roles of production. In this lesson, students will also learn that closure to an experience can occur in a variety of ways, including movement-based activities and verbal forums.  Students' on-going portfolio responses will also be collected for evaluation.

 2 classes