Dance 6th Grade

Dance 6th Grade

Course Title: Dance 6th Grade (Click here for printable version)

Course Description

6th Grade Dance is a semester long course that meets every other day. The course is designed to provide safe exploration and exposure to many dance genres. In addition to moving and creating, students work toward developing a critical eye using the vocabulary of dance. 

History, culture  and entertainment are viewed through the lens of dance. Two comprehensive takeaways are 1) awareness of audience etiquette and 2) reinforcement of the benefits of an active body to create and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

Power Standards

  1. Student actively engages in the processes that constitute creation and performance in dance.
  2. Student is able to reflect, interpret, and evaluate a wide variety of dance works.
  3. Student can make connections between dance and healthy living.

Course Outline

Engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in dance

Guiding Questions Learning Objectives 
  • How do performers use movement to communicate emotion and characterization?
  • How does a performer maintain a character for an entire performance?
  • How does a dancer develop craft?
  • What are choreographic principles?
  • What does an effective rehearsal look like?
  • What are the obligations of a performer?
  • What are the obligations of the audience?
  • Understand and properly execute dance moves
  • Memorize and reproduce movement sequences
  • Apply improv skills
  • Choreograph small dance studies
  • Physicalize and articulate elements and qualities of dance
  • Apply critique and develop revision skills
Summative Projects: Improv, Musical Theatre Dance, Choreography, Dance phrases, Skills

Reflect, interpret and evaluate a wide variety of dance works

Guiding Questions Learning Objectives 
  • How do performers learn from their performances through reflection?
  • How does one identify strengths and weaknesses in a performance to offer feedback to peers and critique professionals?
  • How is technology used to assess and create performance?
  • What role does dance play in history?
  • How does dance inform about a culture?
  • Reflect on their performance to identify areas of strength and weakness.
  • Establish dance vocabulary
  • Critique a variety of performances done by professional performer to identify how the performer is using concepts explored in class.
  • Critique peer performances to provide feedback that will better future performances.
  • Articulate who and why people dance.
  • Assess the role of dance in a musical
Assessments: Self, Peer and Professional Critiques, Reflections, Journals, Class Discussion, Dance literacy

Healthy living and connecting to the world

Guiding Questions Learning Objectives 
  • How does dance connect to life outside the studio or stage?
  • How does preparing the body for physical endeavors, keep the body safe?
  • How does preparing the body for physical help enhance performance?

Students can…

  • Identify at least three personal goals to improve themselves as dancers and the steps that they are taking to reach those goals.
  • Explain strategies to prevent injuries.
  • Model and discuss discuss how warm-up prepares the body and mind for expressive purposes.
Assessments: Developing, leading and participating in warm-ups, and reflections

Career and Life Skills
Social and Cross Cultural

The student respects and contributes to the diverse learning community by:

  • Honoring the ideas and opinions of others and
  • Interacting effectively and appropriately with others
Productivity and Accountability

The student takes ownership of work and actions by:

  • Completing assignments on time
  • Arriving prepared and on time
  • Managing time
Initiative and Self Direction

The student demonstrates independence by:

  • Self-advocating for assistance or resources
  • Persevering through rigorous/challenging tasks
  • Utilizing feedback