1st Grade Dance Curriculum Standards

Standard 1.0 Elements and Skills

Students will identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills in performing dance.

Learning Expectations

The student will

1.1 Demonstrate non-locomotor movements such as bend, twist, stretch, and swing.

1.2 Demonstrate eight basic locomotor movements (walk, run, hop, jump, leap, gallop, slide and
skip) traveling forward, backward, sideward, diagonally, and turning.

1.3 Explore movement in personal and general space.

1.4 Explore personal space (far-reach, mid-reach and near-reach).

1.5 Create a variety of body shapes (straight, angular, curved, twisted) at low, middle and high
levels.

1.6 Demonstrate movements in straight and curved pathways.

1.7 Identify and move individual body parts.

1.8 Demonstrate kinesthetic awareness in stillness and movement.

1.9 Explore the qualities of energy through movement (smooth, sharp, free, bound, strong, light,
vibratory and swinging).

1.10 Demonstrate moving to a steady beat and explore responding to changes in tempo.

1.11 Demonstrate a basic understanding of spatial relationships (body part to body part and
individual to individual); i.e., beside, between, over, under, together and apart.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Recognize a selected group of non-locomotor movements.

 • Walk, run, hop, jump, leap, gallop and slide traveling forward, backward, sideward and
diagonally.
• Use movement in personal space.
• Identify far-reach, mid-reach and near-reach.
• Identify a variety of body shapes at low, middle and high levels.
• Identify straight and curved pathways.
• Identify individual body parts.
• Differentiate between stillness and motion.
• Explore smooth and sharp movements.
• Walk to a steady beat at a moderate tempo.
• Demonstrate spatial relationships body part to body part.

Level 2

• Practice a selected group of non-locomotor movements.

• Walk, run, hop, jump, leap, gallop, slide and skip traveling forward, backward, sideward,
and diagonally.
• Demonstrate movement in personal and general space.
• Demonstrate far-reach, mid-reach and near-reach.
• Demonstrate a selected group of body shapes at low, middle, and high levels.
• Demonstrate movements in straight and curved pathways.
• Identify and move selected body parts.
• Demonstrate stillness versus motion.
• Explore smooth, sharp, vibratory and swinging movements.
• Execute a selected group of locomotor movements in response to changing tempos.
• Demonstrate spatial relationships individual to individual (partners).

Level 3

• Demonstrate a selected group of non-locomotor movements.

• Walk, run, hop, jump, leap, gallop, slide and skip traveling forward, backward, sideward,
diagonally and turning.
• Perform movement in personal and general space.
• Create movement showing far-reach, mid-reach and near-reach.
• Perform a variety of body shapes at low, middle and high levels.
• Create movements in straight and curved pathways.
• Isolate individual body parts in movement.
• Perform still and moving shapes.
• Explore smooth, sharp, free, bound, strong, light, vibratory and swinging movements.
• Execute a selected group of locomotor and non-locomotor movements in response to
changing tempos.
• Create and perform spatial relationships, individual to individual.

Sample Performance Task

This lesson focuses on strong and light qualities of weight. Students will review smooth, sharp,
vibratory and swinging movements in an ABCD dance. The teacher will then introduce the
concept of weight (using the body strongly and lightly) giving examples and demonstrating
everyday situations in which both are used. Students will work with a partner to explore strong
and light movement in a “Magic Hands” dance. This is an AB dance. For A, students will
connect with the partner (finger tip to finger tip) and explore moving lightly to appropriate music
without losing the finger tip connection. For B, students will press palm to palm, pushing with
strength against the partner moving to appropriate music without losing the palm connection.
Next the students will separate from partners and perform the same AB dance alone transferring
the feeling of lightness and strength they experienced with a partner to their own movement.

Assessment: This activity can be done in small groups. The teacher will assess by observation.
(LE 1.9)

Integration/Linkages

Physical Education, Math, Language Arts (Vocabulary), Problem Solving, Music

Standard 2.0 Choreography

Students will understand choreographic principles, processes, and structures.

Learning Expectations

The student will

2.1 Use improvisation to explore and invent a sequence showing a beginning, middle, and end.

2.2 Demonstrate the following partner skills: copying, leading and following, and mirroring.

2.3 Show the ability to respond in movement to stories, poems, artworks and music.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Recognize beginning, middle and ending shapes.

• Demonstrate the partner skills of copying, leading, and following.
• Express music through movement.

Level 2
 • Explore beginning, middle and ending shapes.
• Demonstrate the partner skill of mirroring.
• Use movement to explore a given poem and music selection.

Level 3

• Create a beginning, middle and ending shape.

• Demonstrate the partner skill of mirroring with more than one partner.
• Use movement to respond to stories, poems, artworks and music.

Sample Performance Task

This lesson on mirroring can tie into a lesson on the exploration of body parts. After the students
have had the opportunity to explore moving different body parts from head to toe accompanied
by teacher-selected music, students should find a partner on the count of 7 and connect to the
partner at the elbow. If there are an uneven number of students, a group of three may be
included. The same exploration that was done individually in a large group is now done in pairs,
taking turns leading and following in the mirror dance. Students must face partners at all times.

Assessment: Teacher should stop the dance periodically to see which partners have a true mirror
image. This observation is the teacher’s assessment of the student understanding of the concept
of mirroring. (LE 2.2)

Integration/Linkages

Physical Education, Language Arts, Cooperative Learning, Communication Skills

Standard 3.0 Creativity and Communication

Students will understand dance as a way to create and communicate meaning.

Learning Expectations

The student will

3.1 Explain how dance is different from other forms of human movement (such as sports or
everyday gestures).

3.2 Present one’s dance to peers and explain its meaning.

3.3 Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior for dance performances.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• List examples of how dance is different from another form of human movement.
• Create a dance (short movement study).
• Identify appropriate audience behavior for a dance performance (classroom and school-
wide).

Level 2

• Explain how dance is different from other forms of human movement.

• Perform and explain one’s dance (short movement study) for a peer.
• Define appropriate audience behavior for dance performances (classroom and school-
wide).

Level 3

• Explain and show how dance is different from other forms of human movement.
• Perform one’s dance (short movement study) and explain its meaning to peers.
• Model appropriate audience behavior for dance performances (classroom and school-
wide).

Sample Performance Task

As a group activity, the students make a list of games they play on the playground. The teacher
chooses one of these examples to have the students explore through movement. (For example:
Swinging on the swings). Students first pantomime swinging. Then the teacher should
encourage students to try swinging their whole body covering more space, less space, slower,
faster with different body parts and on different levels.

Divide students into smaller groups so that they can watch each other explore swinging while
demonstrating good audience behavior.

Assessment: Have students describe the difference between swinging on the playground and the
swinging dances they observed. Teacher can document these differences in list form on a marker
board and assess student understanding of the differences. (LE 3.1)

Integration/Linkages

Problem Solving, Cooperative Learning, Physical Education, Communication Skills

Standard 4.0 Criticism

Students will apply and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in dance.

Learning Expectations

The student will

4.1 Explore multiple solutions to a given movement problem.

4.2 Observe dances and identify similarities and differences.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Investigate a solution to a given movement problem.

• Observe two dances and list the differences.

Level 2

• Show two solutions to a given movement problem.

• Observe two dances and list the similarities and differences.

Level 3

• Demonstrate multiple solutions to a given movement problem.

• Observe two dances and explain the similarities and differences.

Sample Performance Task

This lesson focuses on the concept of relationships. After the students have explored
relationships of body parts to body parts and individual-to-individual, they can compose a
movement study. The problem to be solved in this movement study is to find four ways to make
a shape with a partner that shows the relationship of “over and under”. This can be done with
any of the other relationships as well (between, around, through, beside). These duets may be
performed individually or in small groups.

Variations could include having each pair of students create a study on a different relationship or,
instead of shapes, create movement that shows the designated relationship.

Assessment: Assessment is done by teacher observation. (LE 4.1)

Integration/Linkages

Problem Solving, Communication Skills, Language Arts, Creative Thinking

Standard 5.0 Cultural/Historical

Students will demonstrate and understand dance in various cultures and historical periods.

Learning Expectations

The student will

5.1 Demonstrate a folk dance from a culture.

5.2 Identify one way in which people have used dance throughout history as a part of a
ceremony.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Practice a folk dance from a selected culture.

• Recognize and explore how dance is used in ceremonies to celebrate birth, marriage and
death.

Level 2

• Demonstrate a folk dance from a selected culture.

• Identify one way in which dance has been utilized in a ceremony throughout history.

Level 3

• Demonstrate two or more folk dances from a selected culture.

• Identify and illustrate one way in which dance has been utilized in a ceremony
throughout history.

Sample Performance Task

In a study of the continent of Africa, from the dry savannah plains to the rainforests, the students
will create “African Spirit Dances”. This lesson correlates also with mask making that may be
done in an art class. Students study why people of Africa create spirit masks (to control the
forces around them whether in nature or animal). Each family adopts a spirit such as a crocodile,
hawk, or buffalo that will protect them. In this activity, each student will 1) choose a spirit, 2)
create a mask, 3) create a dance to show the actions and importance of the spirit to the people,
and 4) perform the spirit dance for peers while wearing the mask they’ve created.
Assessment: Students and teacher will discuss what each spirit dance communicated. This
lesson could be adapted to Native American Spirit Dances. (LE 5.1)

Integration/Linkages

Social Studies, Communication Skills

Standard 6.0 Health

Students will make connections between dance and healthful living.

Learning Expectations

The student will

6.1 Identify the basic parts of the skeleton.

6.2 Identify healthy practices (such as nutrition and safety) that enhance the ability to dance.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Label two parts of the skeleton (skull and spine).

• Name one healthy practice that enhances one’s ability to dance.

Level 2

• Label four parts of the skeleton (skull, spine, ribcage, and pelvis).
• Name two healthy practices that enhance one’s ability to dance.

Level 3

• Label six parts of the skeleton (skull, spine, ribcage, pelvis, phalanges, and femur).
• Name three healthy practices that enhance one’s ability to dance.

Sample Performance Task

In a class discussion, the teacher introduces the concept of a “boney skeleton” as the structure or
foundation upon which the remainder of the body rests. Using a skeleton (or pictures if
necessary), teach the location and purpose of the skull, spine, ribcage, and pelvis. Have the
students locate their own skull, spine, ribcage and pelvis then label these boney parts on the
person next to them. Exploration: Have the students spread out into space and make a shape
showing (isolating) each of these parts. Then have them explore moving each part.

Assessment: Students point to the correct part of the skeleton on their partner’s body. As an exit
dance, each student comes to the skeleton, identifies a part and dances to the door with that part
of his body. (LE 6.1)

Integration/Linkages

Health, Problem Solving, Communication Skills

Standard 7.0 Interdisciplinary Connections

Students will make connections between dance and other disciplines.

Learning Expectations

The student will

7.1 Demonstrate how the same idea can be expressed in dance and in one other art form.

7.2 Explore the connections between dance and a minimum of two other academic disciplines.

Performance Indicators: Evidence Standard is Met

The student is able to

Level 1

• Identify how one idea is expressed in dance and one other art form.
• Identify connections between dance and math (lines, patterns, and shapes).

Level 2

• Create movement that demonstrates a common theme between dance and one other art
form.
• Identify connections between dance and math and dance and language arts (such as
sequencing, sentence structure, and parts of speech).

Level 3

• Create and perform movement that unites dance and another art form through a common
theme.
 • Identify and demonstrate connections between dance and math and dance and language
arts.

Sample Performance Task

Dance and Math: This lesson focuses on the concept of “Pathways” (such as curved, straight, or
zigzag). The teacher will introduce the concept and the students will explore painting each
pathway in the air and on the floor with different body parts. Next, the class will perform a
“Magic Painting Dance”. The structure of this improvised dance is that the teacher and all the
students circle around an imaginary pot of paint in the center of the room. One student will
choose a body part (such as elbows), another will choose a color (green) and a third student will
choose a pathway (such as curvy). The entire group will dip elbows into the green paint and
paint curvy lines in the air and on the floor. At the instruction from the teacher to “return to the
paint”, the process begins again.

Assessment: Assessment is by teacher observation. (LE 7.2)

Integration/Linkages

Problem Solving, Creative Thinking, Language Arts