Lesson 4 - Community Outreach

This lesson reinforces the importance of dancing for purpose and further explores why each student is compelled to Dance. Students will also understand that Dance can be a medium through which they can truly make a positive difference by giving back to their community at a local, provincial, national or international level.

Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing

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

B1.1 use the critical analysis process to identify and assign roles within the group and to guide collaborative work

Foundations

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

C3.1 identify and follow responsible practices while creating, performing and viewing dance; and

C3.2 demonstrate collaborative skills in a variety of situations and settings.

Learning Goals

(Unpacked Expectations)

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• take on a variety of roles within the group setting
• experience the power of reaching out to charities

• assume various roles within dance production (i.e. backstage, rehearsal, liaison with charity, performing);

Readiness

Students will have learned about the various roles required for dance production. They will also have had time to practice and to rehearse their article-based creations and to receive feedback from both teacher and peers, which will drive the next phase of each group's creative process. They will be familiar with expectations regarding rehearsal etiquette (as built upon in this unit and in previous ones). In addition, from the commencement of the course, students have been reflecting upon experiences and recording personal discoveries. They have also been accustomed to using video footage of their creations as an assessment tool for their own learning.

Materials

Library/Research Facilities
Student portfolios
The four questions (listed in Minds On) on 8X11 paper
iPad/iPhone for filming

LCD Projector
 

BLMs

Small Group > 4 Corners

Post one of the following questions in each corner of the room:

1. Why do you dance?
2. How are not-for-profit organizations important?
3. What not-for-profit organizations are in the local community?, in the province?, in the country? in the world?
4. How can we use dance as a medium through which we can give back to the community?

Ask a member from each group (same groups as choreography from the previous lesson) will move to a corner of the room that has a question posted. Invite students to copy down the question into their portfolios and then to respond to it in their portfolios. Once students have completed this introductory task, they will turn to someone in their corner and share their answer. After this exchange, ask for volunteers from each corner to share their responses. The whole class discussion will solidify the importance of not-for-profit organizations and the power of dancing and creating with purpose. 

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Teacher Observation
Teacher Feedback
Whole Class Discussion

Assessment as Learning (AaL)

Portfolio (production roles)
Peer Feedback
Self Reflection

Differentiation (DI)

Utilize teaching strategies and tools that correlate to student learning styles inventory.

Quick Tip

Connect with local and global charities earlier in the course to obtain informative pamphlets for the students to peruse.
As a class, students may decide to focus on one not-for-profit organization to give all of the ticket proceeds to (instead of dividing the proceeds into separate organizations)

Link and Layer

Local not-for-profit
National not-for-profit
International not-for-profit
Roles of Production
Creative Process Driven By a Stimulus
Portfolio Responses

Hyperlinks in the Lesson

Small Group > Choosing a Not-for-Profit Organization

Ask students to move into their article-based creation groups and to brainstorm various not-for-profit organizations that they may want to give their portion of the ticket proceeds to. The money generated by the performance will be divided evenly amongst each groups' chosen organization. Groups will then decide on the one not-for-profit organization (local, provincial, national or international) that they are performing for. Direct students to retrieve contact information for the selected group not-for-profit organization and then encourage them to connect with a representative from the various organizations.

Small Group > Rehearsal

Circulate the studio as students continue rehearsing for the upcoming fundraising show. Reinforce to the students that they will continue to apply corrections from the peer feedback and teacher assessment. During the rehearsal time, distribute the Roles for "A Cause for Applause" (See BLM #6) and collect upon completion. Instruct students to brainstorm the roles that need to be fulfilled for the performance (whether it be an in-class showing or a formal evening show). Confer with groups throughout the process to ensure the production roles have been accounted for and followed through upon and that the charity connections have been made and sustained. As all of the roles are being met, ensure that groups are refining and adding to their article-based choreography.

Small Group > Dress Rehearsal

Conduct a dress rehearsal the day before the performance with all designated roles practised both in terms of technical elements and performance-based tasks. For each creation in dress rehearsal, have remaining students record comments (both positive and constructive feedback) in their portfolios. Delegate one or two students to film the dress rehearsal for "A Cause for Applause". Project the footage of the rehearsal and invite the students to watch the filmed version of the dress rehearsal. Provide time after the final rehearsal and the viewing of this show for students to share comments with one another related to their personal performances and each other's performances. 

Individual > Reflection

Individually, students will complete the handout entitled “The Power of Charity” (See BLM #7) and then direct students to put the responses into their portfolios. Choreographic groups will congregate at the end of the lesson to discuss last-minute details regarding the upcoming performance and to review the production roles for "A Cause for Applause".