Lessons - Dance | Advancing Arts

Lessons - Dance

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Counting to Ten with Dance

For example, in this lesson the teacher would:

Assign each child a number 1-10
Have students hop, skip, or jump around the room
Call "Freeze!" and tell the students to strike a pose in the shape of their number using their arms and legs
Select three different students and have the class guess which number they are representing

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Bacteria and Fungi

For example, in this lesson the teacher would:

Introduce scientific concepts by leading students through a series of guided movement sequences without explanation.
Use dance to explore characteristics of bacteria such as size, shape, replication, and movement.
Help students embody different bacterial forms, including spherical, rod, and spiral shapes, through creative movement.
Connect movement patterns to scientific vocabulary as students repeat and refine the dance with key terms.
Guide students in creating and performing small group dances that represent fungi and their environments.

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Egyptian Pyramids

For example, in this lesson the teacher would:

Introduce key Egyptian artifacts and landmarks, including mastaba tombs, step pyramids, and the pyramids of Giza.
Guide students in sequencing historical structures by matching images to time periods and pharaohs.
Use movement to explore how pyramid structures evolved over time, from early burials to complex tombs.
Have students work in groups to create pyramid-inspired shapes and movement phrases using their bodies.
Connect historical understanding to performance by adding narration that explains how earlier structures influenced later designs.

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Beauty Beside Me

For example, in this lesson the teacher would:

Read Beauty Beside Me: Stories of My Grandmother's Skirts and guide students in connecting story moments to movement.
Teach dance elements such as body, energy, space, and time through short movement experiences tied to pages from the book.
Introduce Diné (Navajo) cultural knowledge and vocabulary in age-appropriate, tribe-approved ways.
Lead students through repeated transition movements (like swaying and spinning) to support focus and smooth classroom flow.
Invite students to create and share short dances that reflect teachings, traditions, and relationships highlighted in the story.

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Leaf Man

For example, in this lesson the teacher would:

Read Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert and guide students in noticing descriptive language, imagery, and movement ideas in the text.
Introduce dance concepts such as levels, pathways, space, and locomotor movement through structured warm-up activities.
Connect movement exploration to science concepts like wind, ecosystems, and life cycles.
Have students plan and compose a dance solo using movement maps, descriptive words, metaphors, or similes.
Provide opportunities for students to perform their solos and reflect on how movement and language convey meaning.

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