Lesson Overview
Estimated Time: 90 minutes
Subject/Course Code/Title/Curriculum Policy: Grade 7 - 10 Dance
Connections to Financial Literacy
Grade 7 Dance
A2. Reflecting, Responding, Analysing
- A2.1: construct personal interpretations of the messages in their own and others’ dance pieces, including messages about issues relevant to their community and/or the world (e.g., dance pieces on topics such as … poverty, … homelessness), and communicate their responses in a variety of ways (e.g., through writing, class discussion, oral reports, song, drama, visual art)
Grade 8 Dance
A1. Creating and Presenting
- A1.2: use dance as a language to communicate messages about themes of social justice and/or environmental health (e.g., possible solutions to … poverty, … homelessness, …oppression, ...)
A3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts
- A3.1: describe how social, political, and economic factors influenced the emergence and development of a dance form or genre of their choice (e.g., factors: funding to artists, the commercialization of dance, support for dance programs in schools; …)
- Teacher prompt: “What social factors led to the emergence of this dance (e.g., hip hop, Celtic dance, the waltz)?” “Why do you think swing developed during the Depression in the 1930s (e.g., escapism)?”
Grade 9 Dance
Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing
B3. Connections Beyond the Classroom
- B3.1: identify knowledge, skills, and personal qualities/attitudes they have acquired or strengthened through dance studies that can be applied in other settings and to a variety of careers (e.g., personal qualities such as willingness to take risks, discipline, cooperativeness, empathy, willingness to take responsibility)
- Teacher prompt: “Is the behaviour expected of you in dance class the same as or different from your usual behaviour outside of class? What situations outside dance class might have behavioural expectations similar to those in the class?”
Grade 10 Dance
Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing
B3. Connections Beyond the Classroom
- B3.1: identify physical, intellectual, and artistic skills that are developed through dance and explain how they can be applied to a variety of careers (e.g., with a partner, research and report on possible summer volunteer or employment opportunities where their learning in dance could be helpful)
- Teacher prompt: “What skills that you’ve learned in dance class are required for employment in any field?”
Curriculum Expectations
This lesson can be linked to various subject curriculum expectations depending on the grade level of the students, and the subject(s) being covered during a “Needs versus Wants” unit. Specific curriculum expectations for other subject areas will need to be identified by the individual teacher in accordance with the grade they are teaching.
Learning Goals
At the end of these lessons, students will be able to…
- express their understanding of the differences between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ through movement
- express their ideas and feelings about ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ through movement
- use the elements of dance (energy and time) and tools of composition to to create a dance phrase inspired by the concept of ‘needs’ and ‘wants’
- participate in whole-class choreography
- create and share creative movement
- reflect on their financial literacy learning through creative experiences
Instructional Components and Context
Readiness
Students should have previous experience with the elements of dance and should be able to use vocabulary associated with the elements of dance. If students have no previous experience with the elements of dance, consider doing some work on the elements before beginning this unit. See "Take Five" or "Creating a Word Wall" activities from Think Literacy: Drama and Dance, or the “Dance - Elements Review” lesson posted on EduGAINS.
Some previous experience with choreography may be of some benefit to students. They should be comfortable working in small groups, creating movement pieces, presenting in front of the class, and receiving feedback from the teacher and/or peers.
Terminology
Elements of Dance
Energy: sharp/smooth; sudden/sustained; firm/light; soft/strong; weak/heavy; free/bound; percussive; delicate; vibratory; erratic; explosive; collapse
Time: fast; slow; increasing; decreasing; long; short; underlying; pulse
Bodystorm
Phrase
Choreography
Unison
Materials
Lyrics to “If I had a Million Dollars” by The Barenaked Ladies
Lyrics to “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors
Highlighters (different colours)
Chart paper
Markers
Instrumental music (~2 minutes) with a moderate pace and changing energies (suggestion: Cirque du Soleil soundtracks)
Various musical/percussion instruments (optional)
BLM #1 Needs versus Wants Activity
BLM #2 Choreography Framework
BLM #3 Elements of Dance Checklist
Lesson Plan
Minds On (10 minutes)
Whole Class > Review and Setting the Context
Briefly review the Elements of Dance: body, energy, relationship, space, and time. Introduce the focus for this lesson: energy and time.
As a class, generate a small list of synonyms for love and hate, or like and dislike.
Pairs > Contrasting Movements
Put students in pairs. Have pairs pick two words, one from each list, and body storm each word in the contrasting pair. Once they have had a chance to experiment with movements, ask them to choose a second pair of words and repeat the activity. This is an exploration activity, and does not need to be shared with the class.
Invite two pairs to join to form a group of 4. Have pairs show their contrasting word movements with each other. Prompt: What kind of energy do you think corresponds with each of these words? (e.g. detest has a sharp energy, whereas admire might have a smooth energy).
Connections
Connections: Use the Elements of Dance anchor chart (see CODE Lesson: Cyberbully.ca BLM #11) as a coaching tool and assessment guide. Post anchor chart in a prominent area of the room for the students to use as reference. Have students generate key vocabulary terms to describe various energy movements (e.g. sharp, smooth, …).
Differentiation: Encourage Visual Learners to write down their contrasting words on large cue cards to use as a visual guide. Provide Musical Learners with percussion instruments to match their poses/movements to a sound.
Assessment for learning: Use sidecoaching to direct students to the Elements of Dance anchor chart when creating their poses/movements. Encourage students to also refer to it when watching their partnered pair present their poses/movements.
Action! (60 minutes)
Whole Class > Understanding “Needs” and “Wants”
Clarify the difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ with your students; "Needs" are what we need to live. "Wants" include everything else we might like to have, but we don't need to survive. Distribute BLM #1: Needs versus Wants Activity to students, and ask them to complete this brief activity. Take it up.
Pairs > Identify Words for Needs and Wants
Provide half of the pairs of students with a copy of “If I Had a Million Dollars” by Barenaked Ladies and two different coloured highlighters. Provide the other half of the pairs of students with a copy of “Two Princes” by Spin Doctors and two different coloured highlighters. Ask students to skim the lyrics for words that reflect ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ (e.g. million, buy, house, furniture, you, hang out, food, dress, green dress, father, talk, etc...). Request students highlight words that are associated with a ‘need’ in one colour, and words associated with a ‘want’ in another colour.
Whole Class > Expressing “Needs” and “Wants” through Movement
Post two pieces of chart paper: one titled ‘needs’ and the other titled ‘wants’. Invite students to share with you the ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ words identified in the songs. Record words onto the respective chart papers to generate a master list.
Collect papers and highlighters and ask students to stand up. Request students individually choose one word from the ‘needs’ list and represent that as a pose. Then request students to individually choose one word from the ‘wants’ list and represent that as a pose. Now ask the students to stand beside their partners and simultaneously present their pose for ‘need,’ hold for 4 counts then simultaneously present their pose for ‘want’. Instruct students to go back to a neutral position. Inform students that these will be their two opening poses for the class movement piece on ‘Needs vesus Wants.’
Play pre-selected music for the class movement piece for the students to hear.
Ask students to move to any wall in the room to start, and to walk to their starting spot to meet their partner for a count of 8. Have them hold the ‘need’ pose for 4, then hold ‘want’ pose for 4. Now teach the students an 8 count phrase that you have choreographed. All students should copy your movements in unison. Rehearse with the music two or three times. (See BLM #2 for guidance).
Ask individual students to choose one word from either list and to assign an energy (sharp, smooth etc) to that word. Using a count of 8, ask students to travel across the room, to a new location, as that energy. Find a new partner. Request pairs choose a second word from the ‘needs’ list and represent that as a mirror image pose. Then request students to individually choose a second word from the ‘wants’ list and represent that as a mirror image pose. Each pose should be held for a count of 4. Repeat the whole class-in-unions movements for a count of 8, and ask students to copy movements in unison.
Ask individual students to choose one word from either list and to assign an energy to that word. Using a count of 8, ask students to travel across the room as that energy then form a group of four.
Rehearse with the music two or three times.
Teachers may opt to follow a dance recipe:
8 counts - Transition: walk to meet partner
4 counts - pose for needs with partner
4 counts - pose for wants with partner
8 counts - whole class unison phrase
8 counts - transition: movement to meet new partner
4 counts - mirror image pose for ‘needs’ with new partner
4 counts - mirror image pose for ‘wants’ with new partner
8 counts - whole class unison phrase
A - transition: formation of 4
and so on...
Note: the choreography for the remainder of this lesson could 1) continue to be a blend of teacher directed moves and student inspired moves or 2) be entirely student driven with given criteria. This will depend on the needs of the students. Refer to BLM #2 Choreography Framework for choreographic suggestions.
Perform the piece, polished or unpolished, for another class.
Connections
Connections: Ask students what public services are wants and needs. For example, the police department, agencies that provide parks, buses, help to individuals and families, and libraries, stores and banks. Have students begin to rank these services as most important to them and their community.
Differentiation: Ask Mathematical/Logical Learners to generate a chronological list of what happens when people overindulge and/or try to buy other’s affections. Guide the Visual Learner to incorporate a prop(s) that represents ‘needs’ and/or ‘wants’ into the movement piece.
Assessment for/of learning: Observe the various movement poses, phrases, etc. incorporated by the students. Use side coaching and student-teacher conferences to assist students’ development. Ask student(s) to give a rationale of their choices using dance vocabulary. Note students’ willingness to take risks as well as their use of energy and time. Use BLM #3 Elements of Dance Checklist to provide individual students with feedback.
Consolidation (20 minutes)
Small Group > Identifying the Long-Term Effects of ‘Needs’ and ‘Wants’
Request students return to their original partner from the lyrics activity. Return the lyrics to each group. Ask each pair to read the lyrics and to summarize, in two sentences, the message about ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ that is conveyed in each song. Request pairs also identify and record, using a mind map, the connection between the lyrics and the movements created in the previous activity.
Have pairs share their summaries with a group of 4.
Invite students to prepare a short call and response piece, focusing on energy and time, using their four summary sentences. Have each group present these to the class, and ask the class to examine how the students used energy and time to convey their messages about ‘needs’ versus ‘wants’.
Connections
Connections: Ask students to write a paragraph in response to one or some of these questions;
Questions for Reflection:
If a new piece of sporting equipment, or technology, or clothing came onto the market and was considered a ‘must have’, would this be a ‘need’ or a ‘want’? How would you know? Who would pay for it and why?
How has the learning of wants and needs, through dance, impacted your view about yourself, others, and the economy?
How are the two songs presented in this lesson a reflection of society's current view about money and possessions?
How has the learning of wants and needs, through dance, impacted your view about yourself, others, and the economy?
Now that you have had the opportunity to produce a dance based on social and financial literacy issues, work individually to create a plan for who you might share this information with at the school or community level.
Differentiation: Ask Naturalistic Learners to skim through weekly-flyers classifying needs and wants onto a chart. Suggest the Intrapersonal Learner give a talk about what is must feel like to indulge a person who just wants and wants more.
Assessment of learning: Read the lyric summaries to elicit students’ compassionate awareness about ‘needs’ and ‘wants’. Teachers may opt to use the connections activity with a paragraph writing rubric, that is grade appropriate, to assess students’ understanding of ‘needs versus wants’. Evaluating use of Dance vocabulary and terminology is also recommended.
