Square Dance
UNIT PLAN
Square Dance UNIT
Grade Level
Length of unit: 3 Weeks

7th

8th
Graders
Written By: Diana Riggs
Graders

9th
Graders
Educational Objectives & Standards
Unit Objectives
State Standards
1. To learn a variety of square dances.
1PA-E5 PO 1 (6-8)
2. To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction with classmates.
5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2 (6-8)
6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2 (6-8
6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2 (6-8)
3. To be polite to other classmates.
5PA-E3 PO 1 (6-8)
6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2 (6-8)
6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2 (6-8)
4. To learn the fundamental vocabulary in Square Dance.
1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2 (6-8)
5. To learn the fundamental steps in Square Dance.
1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2 (6-8)
6. To listen to the Square Dance calls and process the steps in time to
the music.
1PA-E5 PO1 (6-8)
1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2 (9-12)
1PA-D3 PO 1 (Distinction)
7. To learn to move in rhythm to the music and the Square Dance caller.
1PA-E2 PO 2 (6-8)
8. To feel comfortable and competent performing Square Dances in a
group.
1PA-E1 PO 3 (6-8)
Mastery Elements
Grand March
Square Your Set
Couple #1, #2, #3, & #4.
Head Couple, Side Couple
Partner
Corner - left hand lady
Right hand lady, opposite lady
Star - right and left
Promenade: Couple, single file,
and Star.
Swing - right and left
Do-sa-do
Split the ring
Alllemande left
Ladies chain
Star promenade
All around left hand lady
See saw
Cirlce left or right
Lead to the right
Single file turn back
Forward and back
Honor your partner
Grand right & left
Back by the lelft
Inside out - outside in
Pass her by - pick up the next
Forward and back
Home
Sashay

Daily Overview
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Rules/Expectations
Do Grand March.
Explain how the Square
up.
Introduce basic Square
Dance Movements.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Review Square set up
and head couples.
Review: Oh Johnny
Review: Hot Time in the
Old Town Tonight.
Finish teaching
Texas Star.
Review: Hot Time
in the Old Town
Tonight.
Teach: Oh Johnny
Teach: Hot time in the
Old Town Tonight.
Teach: Texas Star
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes
in/out.
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Review: Oh Johnny,
Hot Time, & Texas
Star.
Teach: Just Because
Review: Just Because
Teach: Comin' round
the Mountain
Teach: Hurry,
Hurry, Hurry.
Review: Texas Star if
time.
Teach: Virginia Reel
Review: Virginia Reel
Rreview: Comin'
Round the
Mountain.
Rotate classes in/out.
rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes
in/out.
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Do Grand March.
Teach Alabama Jubilee.
Review: Alabama
Jubilee.
Explain to students how
they will be graded on
dances.
Test students on the
Square Dances they
have learned.
Review all dances at
least half way through.
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes in/out.
Review: Hurry, Hurry,
Hurry.
Rotate classes in/out.
Rotate classes in/out.
Day 15
Have students
take written test
on Square Dance.
DATE: _________EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Tape player with tape or record player with records, music for Grand March.
Students wear "clean" socks daily. NO jackets or sweat shirts worn, must pull up long sleeves.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
1
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1&2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness skills with classmates, while learning the fundamental
steps and vocabulary in Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Intro: Go over behavior rules and expectations with students on
bleachers (see attachment). Tell them how long doing unit and
why.
Fitness: Fitness will be done with students as they do the
Grand March and pracatice Square Dancing.
Grande March:
Have students line up in single file around the gym floor. Boys
on right side of music and girls on left side of music.
Lesson Focus:
Introduce and practice the following vocab. and steps:
1. Square Up
2. Partner
3. Corner
4. Couple #1, #2, #3, #4.
5. Allemande Left (with corner).
6. Allemande Right (with partner.
7. Do-sa-do
8. Honor your partner, corner, etc.
9. Put substitutes (boys and girls) into the squares you have
sat them by and have them practice the skills also. You can put
them in and out after every few skills if you want. Make sure
everyone gets a chance to practice the skills during the hour at
least once.
** Teachers should and can be in the center square (in middle
of gym floor) and take the place of a few of the students to
demonstrate the different skills to the students so that they will
know what they should look like. Each time you teach a new
skill you should have all the students sit down on the gym floor
in their squares, and the "teacher group" should demonstrate
what it should look like in the center square. Pretty soon all the
students want to be in the center group so they can help
demonstrate. They like to "show off" for their peers.
Students sit on bleachers.
Closure:
Do: allamande left, allemande right, do-sa-do, honor your
partner.
Ask: Which side of her partner does the girl always stand on? If
you are couple #3 raise your hands, couple #1, couple #4, &
couple #2. Which couple always has their backs to the music?
Students line up by class (7th grade boys/ girls, then 8th
grade boys and girls, and so forth.) Make sure the boys
are on the right side of the music and the girls are on the
left side, so that when they pair up the girl will always be on
the boys right side. (see attachment for Grand March.)
1. A square formation is composed of four couples. All
couples face the center of the square, the lady to the right
of her partner. The set is square when partners stand
shoulder to shoulder with outside arms extended to touch
fingertips with corresponding corner person. Each couple
in the set has a number in counterclockwise sequence.
Couple #1 is closest to but facing away from the music;
couple #2 is on the right of couple one; couple #3 is
opposite to and facing couple one; couple #4 is directly
across from couple #2. Whenever the lady changes
partners and dances with another man, she has the same
number as the man with whom she is dancing.
2. A couple standing next to each other with the girl on the
right side of the boy.
3. Girl standing on the left side of the boy.
4. Have each couple raise their hands to show that they
know who they are.
5. Corner is always the girl on the boys left side. An
Allemande Left is a left elbow swing with her and they both
go back to stand shoulder to shoulder with their partner.
6. Partners do a right elbow swing with each other once
around, and boy places girl back on his right side when
finished.
7. Two dancers face each other and walk forward until
they pass right shoulders. then each one moves to the
right as they pass back to back. Without turning, they pass
left shoulders as they move backward into their starting
positions.
8. A movement calling for two people to acknowledge
each other. It is performed by the boy bowing and the lady
curtsying.
DATE: _______________ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Tape player with tape or record player with records, music
for Grand March.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day: 2
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: Same as Day 1, and 1PA-E2 PO 2, 1PA-E5 PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO1.
OBJECTIVE: to learn and demonstrate proper social interactions & politeness with classmates, while learning
fundamental steps, vocabulary, rhythms, and process the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Intro: Do Grand March.
Line classes up in a different order today. So students
do not always get the same partners.
Fitness: Once students are in their squares, review
the steps and skills they learned yesterday.
Remind students to substitutes to sit quietly by their
squares and watch, so that they will be ready to go in
and perform when it is their turn.
Remind students once they learn the repetition of the
steps not to go ahead of the music, but to wait for the
caller to call the steps. This will help them to learn to
listen to the caller.
Lesson Focus:
Teach Dance: Oh Johnny
This is a very easy dance and repeats the steps over and
over.
Steps to Learn:
1. Join hands and circle to right.
2. Stop and swing partner with a right elbow swing.
3. Swing the girl behind you (your corner) with a leflt
elbow.
4. Swing Partner again with a right elbow.
5. Allemande left with your corner girl.
6. Do-sa-do your partner.
7. Go to corner girl and Promenade her.
8. Repeat entire dance.
Rotate students in and out with substitutes for their
square if they have any. If there are no substitutes for
that square let them continue to dance anyway so that
they can learn the dances better.
If there are "problem" groups that are just not getting the
dance, you can always move a few of the couples from
other squares who know it well and switch the students
around a little to help them learn the steps better.
Closure:
1. ASK: What was the name of this Dance?
2. SHOW ME: Get in the Promenade position and do it.
Do a do-sa-do for me.
7. Promenade - is a new skill not yet learned. A
promenade puts both dancers side by side, facing the
same direction. The girl on the right of the boy. The
couple join hands, with right hand in right, and left
hand in left. The right hands are above the left hands.
Once the hands are in promenade position, all four
couples walk around the square with the men's right
shoulder to the inside of the square until they come
back to the man's original home. He will now have his
corner as his partner, so he needs to make sure that
he places her on his right side facing into the center of
the square before he lets go of her hands. The girl
will now be at a new "home" because she has a new
partner.
Remind students that the boy always stays in the
same place (boy #1, #2, #3, or #4), he never moves to
a new position! But when they change partners, the
girl always moves with the new boy to his "home".
DATE: _____ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Tape player with tape or record player with records, music for Grand
March.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day: 3
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 1PA-E5 PO 1, 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-El PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1 PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PAE5 PO1, 1PA-P4 PO 1, 1PA-D3 PO1, 1PA-E2 PO2, 1PA-E1 PO3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interactions while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary,
rhythms while processing the calls to Square Dance, and to feel comfortable performing Square Dance while
learning a variety of Dances.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do Grand March.
Fitness: Once students are in their squares, walk through the
dance "Oh Johnny" with the instructor vocally saying what to do
over the microphone as the students do the steps.
Lesson Focus: Review: Oh Johnny
Teach Dance: Hot time in the Old Town Tonight.
This is an easy dance with only a few new skills to learn.
Steps to Learn:
Opener: 1. Join hands and circle left
2. Stop, do a right elbow swing with your partner (the girl you
love the best).
3. Promenade back home with your partner.
4. Head couple leads to the right and circles 4 hands round.
Break: 5. Allemande left with the lady on your left (corner).
6. Allemande right with the lady on your right (partner).
7. Allemande left with the lady on your left (corner).
8. Grand right and left around the ring.
9. Meet your honey (partner) and do-sa-do.
10. Swing your partner (right elbow swing).
11. Promenade your partner back home.
Closer: 12. Join hands and stretch the ring out (one big circle).
13. Rush into the center and everybody shout (with hands still
held everyone walks into the center of the circle).
14. Back right out and swing your partner (once with a right
elbow swing.)
The Opener is done once. The Break is done 4 times so that
every couple leads to the right once and picks up the next
couple to their right and circles until they have one big circle
each time, then they do the allemande's, the grand right and
left, do-sa-do, and promenade. Then the closer is done once at
the very end of the dance to end it.
Rotate substitutes into the squares after you have taught (talked
them through it) the the opener and the break with man #1
circling them all.
ASK: What is the name of this dance? Raise your hand if you
are couple #3, #1, #4, #2.
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Put students in a different order than the past two days.
You can mix 7th grade girls with 8th grade boys, and etc.
Sometimes the older group will pick up the steps faster, and
help the younger ones.
It is important for the instructor to always talk through the
steps of the dance over the microphone as the students or
teacher demonstration group does the steps as they are
talked through them. This shows the students what to do,
and also helps them understand how to do the dance by
going slowly with the instructor talking them through it
without the music yet.
3. For the Promenade: remind students to always have
right to right hand and left to left hand with the right over the
top of the left. And the girl is on the outside as they go
around, with the boy on the inside. They always promenade
clockwise.
4. Head couple is couple #1(with the music to their backs).
They join hands with each other and walk to their right to
couple #2 and join them so they have a circle of 4 people.
They circle once around to their left. Then, Man #1 only,
drops his had and picks up couple $3, so they are now
circling with 6 people to the left. Then Man "1 only, drops
his left hand and picks up couple #4, so they are circling
with all the couples in the square to the left.
5-6-7. As you listen to the music you will hear a drum beat
after each allemande. Have students do a stamp with their
foot with the drum beat, this will help them not to go too fast
in this section and get ahead of the music.
8. Grand right and left: facing partner in square or circle
formation, join right hands and move forward, passing right
shoulders (men counter-clockwise and ladies clockwise).
Each person then gives a left hand to the next, a right to the
next, and a left to the next and so on until each dancer
meets his partner and is then ready to follow the next call.
(You can count 5 handshakes, starting with your partner, or
3 right hand shakes starting with your partner.) These cues
sometimes help students find their partner again at the end
of the grand right and left.
Do not use the music until all students, including the
substitutes, have all had a chance to walk through the steps
a few times with the instructor talking them through it.
DATE: _____ EQUIPMENT: Square Dance Music and tape/record player.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
4
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 1PA-E5 PO 1, 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1 PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E2 PO 2, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interactions, while learning fundamenta steps, vocabulary,
rhythms, while processing the calls to Square Dance, and to feel comfortable performing Square Dance while
learning a variety of Dances.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do grand March.
Fitness: Once in squares review Hot Time In The
Old Town Tonight.
Lesson Focus:
Teach Dance Texas Star
This dance is of medium difficulty. They will learn some
new steps and change partners.
Steps to Learn:
Introduction :
1. Bow to partner.
2. Allemande left with corner.
3. Right and left grand around the ring.
4. Promenade your partner (when meet with right
hands), and go back home.
Figure:
5. Ladies walk into the center (3 steps) and out (3 steps).
6. Gents to the center with a right hand star.
7. Boys turn around and come back the opposite
direction and make a left hand star.
8. Skip your partner, pick up the next and star
promenade. (This is where the boys get a new partner.)
9. The inside out, the outside in, full turn round, and star
again.
10.When you get home, everybody swing (partners swing
with right elbows).
*This sequence will repeat about 7 times. So the girl will
move to a new partner each time.
*Remind students to be ready to go right into the
introduction each time they finish the figure.
*If students are having difficulty with the changing of
partners and remembering who their new partner is when
they do the grand right and left, talk them through it a
number of times until they get it.
Be sure to rotate substitutes in and out after they have
learned small sections of the dance.
Closure:
ASK: How many handshakes are there till you meet you
partner in the grand right and left? (Five handshakes,
starting with the right hand with their partner and ending
CUE PHRAZES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in a different order.
Remind students that the boy who is picking up the
couples to circle is the only boy who lets go of hands
to pick up.
The Figure is the new part students will learn.
5. Girls just walk into the center of the square 3 steps
and back out of square 3 steps. Then the girls stand
while the boys do the next part.
6. Boys walk into center of square and put their right
arm extended into the center. They turn so they can
walk around the inside of the square clockwise with
their arms extended (hands in a fist and can, but don't
have to touch in center of square). This should look
like a star.
7. Boys turn around and star back the opposite
direction with a left hand star.
8. As the boys star back to the left, they will walk past
their partner and meet the the next girl past their
partner. As they continue to star left, they will just put
their right elbow out and that girl will hook elbows with
them and continue doing the left hand star with the
boys. Now all boys and girls are walking in the star
with elbows hooked (with a new partner), and boys left
hand still into the center in the star formation.
9. While continuing to hold elbows, the boy and girl
stop. The boy backs up and the girl rotates around so
that the girl is now on the inside of the circle and the
boy is on the outside. They walk clockwise with the
girl making the star with her right arm.
10.They walk to the boys "home", do a right elbow
swing and put the girl on the boys right hand side so
they are squared up again to start the whole
sequence over again.
with the right hand with their partner.)
DATE: ____ EQUIPMENT: Square Dance Records and Tape/Record Player, Microphone.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
5
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 1PA-E5 PO 1, 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1& 2,1PA-P3 PO1 & 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 Po 1, 1PA-E2 PO 2, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interactions, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary,
rhythms, while processing the calls to Square Dance & to feel comfortable performing Square Dance while
learning a variety of Dances.
ACTIVITIES
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Intro: Do Grand March.
Fitness: Finish teaching Texas Star, if didn't finish
the dance with all students the day before.
Line students up in a different order.
Walk through steps without the music. Go over the
Introduction and Figure a couple of times with the
instructor talking them through it. Once it looks like
the majority of students know it, put the music on and
let them go through it once. Then put substitutes in
and do the same thing once more.
Lesson Focus:
Once students look like they have learned Texas Star
and the majority of squares can do it without mistakes,
review Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight with students.
Rotate substitutes in and out.
Closure:
Ask: What is the name of the first dance we practiced
today? What is the name of the second dance we just
finished working on?
DATE: _____ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
6
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 1PA-E5 PO 1,5PA-E5 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E5
PO PO 1 , 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E2 PO 2, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: to learn and demonstrate proper social interactions, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary,
rhythms, while processing the calls to Square Dance, and to feel comfortable performing Square Dance while
learning a variety of Dances.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do Grand March.
Fitness: Today will be a review day of all the
dances learned so far.
Lesson Focus:
Review the following dances:
1. Oh Johnny
2. Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
3. Texas Star
If you see the squares breaking down in some areas
of a dance because the students don't understand
how to do it, stop the music and walk them through
the steps with the instructor talking them through it.
These three dances lay a good foundation for the rest
of the dances, so it is important that they know how
to do the steps.
Closure:
Say: Show me how to do a promenade, a grand right
and left, a right hand star, a left hand star.
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in a new order.
Tell students you will be reviewing all the dances
learned so far today. Tell them you will have them
sit down in their squares. You will put the music
on and let them listen to it for about 30 seconds
so they can figure out which dance it is. Then
they will stand up, you will put the music back on,
and they will dance.
Be sure to rotate substitutes into the squares as
you do each dance so that all students have the
opportunity to learn the dances.
DATE: _________ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
7
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 1PA-E5 PO 1, 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E2 PO2, 1PA-D1 PO3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interactions, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary,
rhythms, while processing the calls to Square Dance & to feel comfortable performing Square Dance while
learning a variety of Dances.
ACTIVITIES
Intro: Do Grand March.
Fitness: Once in squares, start teaching Just
Because.
Lesson Focus:
Teach Dance: Just Because
This dance is of medium difficulty. The students will learn
a few new steps.
Steps to Learn:
Opener, Middle Break, and Closer:
1. Walk all around your corner. (Girls stand and boys
walk in front of her first and around her and back to their
position.)
2. See-Saw round your partner. (Boys walk in front of
their partner and around behind her and back to their
position.)
*These two steps should look like a "figure 8".
3. Boys star right around that hall.
4. And when you meet your corner, do a left allemande.
5. Walk around that circle with a right and left grand.
6. Meet your partner and do-sa-do.
7. Swing her high and low.
8. Then promenade the ring.
Figure:
9. The two head ladies chain right on over.
10. Same two ladies chain back again.
11. Side two ladies chain right on over.
12. Same two ladies chain back again.
13. Allemande left your corner.
14. Allemande right your partner.
15. Go back and swing that corner.
16. Promenade that corner. (Now gives you a new
partner.)
Closure:
Ask: Who are the head couples? ( #1 & #3).
Who are the side couples? (#2 & #4).
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line classes up in a different order.
Be sure to play different music for the grand march
every few days. Play something with a catchy beat.
Start out with a new dance first today. Be sure to use
the teachers as demonstrators in the center square
while teaching new information so students can see
what it should look like.
1. & 2. steps should look like a "figure 8" while boys
are doing it. The girls should just stand in place and
let the boys do the work here.
3. The boys do a right hand star around the middle of
the square.
4. Boys walk in the right hand star around until they
come to their partner. They do a left allemande (left
elbows) with her once.
5. Go straight into a right and left grand around the
ring.
6. Do-sa-do is right shoulders to right shoulders.
7. Swing partner with right elbows.
8. Promenade partner back home (go in clockwise
direction with boys right shoulder always into the
center of the square.)
9. Ladies # 1 & # 3 walk to center of square and
shake left hands. They pull each other past while
holding left hands and walk to the opposite boy across
from them and do a right elbow swing with him.
10. Same two ladies walk back, join left hands in the
center, pull each other past and swing right elbows
with their partner.
11. Ladies #2 & #4 walk to center of square and
shake left hands. They pull each other past while
holding left hands and walk to the opposite boy across
from them and do a right elbow swing with him.
12. Same two ladies walk back, join left hands in
center, pull each other past and swing right elbows
with their partner.
16. Swing your corner, and then promenade her to
the boys "home". (You now have a new partner.)
DATE: _____ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
8
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro: Do grand March.
Fitness: Review: Just Because. If the instructor
did not finish teaching the dance, finish teaching
the rest of the dance.
Lesson Focus:
Teach Dance: Virginia Reel
This dance is an easy dance to do. Many students have
done it before.
Steps to Learn:
*Students will start in straight lines facing their partner.
1. Bow to your partner.
2. Everybody go forward and back.
3. Forward again with a right hand swing, and back.
4. Forward again with a left hand swing, and back.
5. Forward again with a two hand swing, and back.
6. forward again with a do-sa-do, and back.
7. The head two (couple) sashay down the middle and
back up to the head of the set.
8. Reel with the right once and a half with an elbow
swing (use right elbow swing with partner), back to the
side the same old thing (swing first boy or girl on side
with a left elbow swing)
9. Back to the center, with elbow swing (use right elbows
with partner, left elbows on the side), left to the sides the
same old thing.
10. Back to the center, an elbow swing left to the sides
with the same old thing.
11. The head two sashay back to place and everybody
march.
12. The ladies go gee (right), the gents go haw (left)
13. Form an archway, don't be slow, duck right under
and here we go.
*Dance is repeated until dancers are back in their
original position.
Closure:
Ask: What is the name of this song? (Virginia Reel).
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in different order.
Remind students to shake left hand in the middle
during the chain and swing right elbows on the side.
*Put students in their squares first. Then tell the boys
to make a straight line on the right side of their square
(where couple #2 was standing), and the girls to make
a straight line facing their partner on the left side of
their square (where couple #3 was standing).
7. The couple closest to the music is the head couple
for this dance. They walk forward and join hands.
They slide down the end of their line and back up to
the head of the line.
8. The head couple does a 1 1/2 right elbow turn in
the middle of the lines so the boy is facing the next girl
in line and the girl is facing the next boy in line.
They go to that next boy or girl in line with a left elbow
swing. Then back to their partner with a right elbow
swing in the center again.
They continut to swing like this till they have gone all
the way down the line.
11. The head couple does one more 1/2 swing in the
center with right elbows. They then hold hands and
slide back up to the top of the line.
12. The girl turns right, and the boy turns left. They
walk down the outside of the line to the bottom of the
line. The other boys and girls in the line, follow that
boy or girl respectively.
13. The head couple join both hands above their
heads to make a bridge. The other boys and girls
hold hands with their partner, and go under the bridge
with their partner to form the straight lines again. The
second couple in line is now the new head couple.
DATE: _____ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
9
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do grand March.
_____________________________________________
Fitness: Start out class today by Teaching a new dance.
_____________________________________________
Lesson Focus:
Teach Dance: Comin Round The Mountain.
This dance is of medium difficulty. The chain will be
familiar because they learned how to do it in Just
Because.
Steps to Learn:
Opener:
1. Honor to your Partner, and to your Corners all.
2. All join hands and circle to the left.
3. Reverse back, go single file, when you're home and
swing a while.
Figure:
4. The head couples ladies chain, side couples swing.
5. The side couples ladies chain, head couples swing.
6. Now allemande left your corner, pass on by your own.
7. Swing that little lady on your right.
8. Then promenade that lady (girl on his right past his
partner) fair all the way back home. (They now have a
new partner).
Break:
9. Then allemande left that corner, and a grand old right
and left.
10. When you meed your partner, just promenade the
set.
Closer:
11. Now honor to your partners and your corners all, and
to your right hand lady, and the one across the hall.
12. Do-sa-do your corners, go back home and swing with
Ma (your partner)!
*Make sure Substitute's get a chance to go in and learn
the dance.
Review: Virginia Reel if there is time.
Closure:
Ask: What dance has couples chaining in it like this
dance? (Just Because)
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in different order.
___________________________________________
If all classes have not had a chance to learn the
dance from yeaterday, Virginia Reel, finish teaching it
first._______________________________________
3. Stop circling and drop hands. Turn to the right and
walk back in single file ( a large circle) to your "home"
and then swing your partner with right elbows.
4. Couples #1 & #3 ladies chain with left hand shake
in center and right elbow swing with boy opposite from
her. Then chain back and swing partner with right
elbow swing.
While couples #1 & #3 are chaining, the side couples
#2 & #4 are doing a right elbow swing instead of just
standing there.
5. Now Side couples chain while the head couples do
a right elbow swing.
6. Boys do an allemande left with their corner. The
girls stand still and the boy passes his partner by and
walks to girl past her on his right.
7. The boy swings his "right hand" lady with a right
elbow.
8. Boy promenades the "right hand" lady and takes
her back home. (New Partner).
*If don't have time to finish dance, finish it tomorrow.
Now that students are more familiar with the steps
they should be learning them more quickly.
DATE: _____ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
10
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do grand March.
_____________________________________________
_
Fitness: Start out by teaching a new Dance today.
_____________________________________________
Lesson Focus:
Teach Dance: Hurry, Hurry, Hurry.
This dance is of medium difficulty.
Steps to Learn:
Opener:
1. Everybody swing your corners.
2. Swing the next girl down the line.
3. Now go back and swing your own (partner).
Figure:
4. First old couple lead to the right, circle four hands
round.
5. Leave her there, go on to the next, circle three hands
round.
6. Take that couple on with you and circle five hands
round.
7. Now leave those four and join the line of three.
8. The ladies chain across the hall, but don't return.
9. Now chain again along that line, just watch them
churn.
10. Now turn and chain across the hall, don't let'em roam.
11. Now chain the line and swing your honey home.
Break:
12. Allemande left with the old left hand.
13. It's a grand old right and left.
14. And when you meet that gal of yours , just do-sa-do.
15. And then you promenade that pretty girl back home.
Repeat figure with second couple circling, then third
couple circling, and then fourth couple circling.
*Make sure substitutes get to go in to practice the dance.
Review: Comin' Round The Mountain if there is time.
Closure:
Have students show you what the chain looks like (in
figure) until they get all the way back to their original
partner.
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in different order.
___________________________________________
If students did not all learn the dance Comin round
The Mountain yesterday. Finish teaching it first.
___________________________________________
__
2. Boys go to the "right hand" lady (the girl to the right
of their partner) and swing her with a right elbow
swing.
3. Go back and swing your partner with a right elbow.
4. Like in the dance Hot Time in the Old Town
Tonight, boy and girl #1 join hands, walk to the right to
Couple #2, and circle right with them.
5. Leave Couple #2 and your partner in a straight line
where couple #2 were. Go to Couple #3 and circle
with them.
6. With Couple #3, go to Couple #4, and circle all five
people around.
7. Leave those two couples in a straight line where
Couple #3 were and go back and stand in line by your
partner.
8. All Girls chain (left hand in the middle, right elbow
swing with boy across from them) directly across from
them, and stay there.
9. Girls turn and face the girl in their line and chain
with her and right elbow swing their partner and stay
there.
10. Now girls chain back across the lines.
11. Now girls chain down the line so they go back to
their original partner.
DATE: _________ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
11
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Intro: Do grand March.
________________________________________
Fitness: Teach new Dance today. This Dance is the most
difficult, and last one they will learn. remind them to listen
carefully.
________________________________________
Lesson Focus: Teach Dance: Alabama Jubilee
Steps to Learn: Opener:
1. Bow to your partner, the gal by your side.
2. All join hands and circle left, circle out wide.
3. Walk all around that left hand lady, see-saw round your taw.
4. Back to the corner with you left hand, allemande left, go right
and left grand.
5. Right foot high, left foot low, meet your honey and you doda-do.
6. Do-sa-do on the heel and toe, then step right up and swing
her Joe.
7. You swing her once, and swing her again, then promenade
the ring, to the Alabama Jubilee.
Figure:
8. Four little ladies promenade, go round the inside ring.
9. Come back home, and swing your man.
10. Walk all around that left hand lady, bow down to your own.
11. Now swing your honey, round and round.
12. Four men promenade, go round the inside ring.
13. Come back home and do-sa-do, then corners you'll swing.
14. Swing that corner round and round, then promenade to
town to the Alabama Jubilee.
Middle Break:
15. Well, turn the left hand lady with the left hand round, back to
your honey with a right hand round.
16. Twice around the partners go, to the right hand lady with a
left elbow.
17. Back to your honey and swing her men, swing her quick,
we're gone again.
18. Allemande left with your left hand, here we go, right and left
grand.
19. Big foot high, little foot low,l meet your gal and do-sa-do.
20. One time around on the heel and toe, then step up and
swing her Joe.
21. You swing her once & swing her again, then promenade the
ring, to the Alabama Jubilee.
***You will not finish all of this dance today. Work on it again
tomorrow.
Closure:
Ask: What is the name of this dance?
Line students up in different order.
__________________________________________
Remind students they will be using all the skills they have
learned so far, also learning a few new skills.
___________________________________________
3. Stop in circle, drop hands and the girl just stands in
place. The boy walks around his corner (walking in front
first, then behind), then he see-saws his partner, by walking
around the front of her, and behind her, back to his "home".
(This "Figure 8" formation was learned in the dance Just
Because.)
*the Figure and the Middle Break are the most difficult part
of this dance.
8. & 9. Four girls step into the center of the square, put their
left shoulder into the inside and walk around the square
back to their home, then swing their partner with a right
elbow.
10. Girls stand now, and boys walk around their corner
(going in front of her first), come back and bow to their
partner.
12. Boys step to the inside of the square with left shoulder
in, and walk around the square.
13. The boys walk around to their partner and do-sa-do her.
Then they do a left elbow swing with their corner.
15. The girl stands while the boy does most of the moving.
The boy goes to his corner and swings her with a left elbow
once. Then the goes to his partner and does a right elbow
swing with her.
16. The partners do a right elbow swing twice around, then
the boy passes his partner and walks to the right hand lady
and swings her once with his left elbow.
17. Boy goes back and swings his partner once with the
right elbow.
18-21. Allemande left your corner, go into a right and left
grand. Meet your partner, do a do-sa-do, right elbow swing,
and then promenade her home.
Remind students to think about what they are going to do
next in the dance.
If their square makes a mistake. Tell them to square their
set up and wait for the next part of the music to start again.
DATE: _________ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
12
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do grand March.
_____________________________________________
Fitness: Students will review and continue to learn the
dance Alabama Jubilee.
_____________________________________________
Lesson Focus:
Review: Alabama Jubilee
The Instructor will need to walk the students through the
dance slowly while reading the steps as they do the
movements. Do all three sections and don't move on
until they look like they have each section.
Once students can walk through the dance with the
instructor talking them through it, let them try the dance
with the music.
Make sure all students have the opportunity to rotate in
and out of their squares so that they can learn the dance.
Closure:
Ask: What is the name of this dance?
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in different order.
___________________________________________
Remind students to listen carefully, and if their square
makes a mistake, to square their set back up and wait
for a part of the music, or the caller that they are
familiar with, to resume dancing.
___________________________________________
If you have a record player with a speed adjustment
on it, it wouldn't hurt to turn the speed a little bit slower
until the students can master the steps to this dance.
DATE: ___________ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
13
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do grand March.
_____________________________________________
Fitness: Students will review all dances learned today
and prepare for their Practical Dance Test tomorrow.
Tell them that they will do each dance tomorrow and it is
important that they are in class for the test. Let them
know that the instructor that taught the class will put the
songs on and grade from the floor. All other teachers will
be sitting in the bleachers watching their groups perform.
As a mistake is made the teacher will determine who in
the group is responsible for the mistake, and deduct 3
points from 100 points each time that person makes a
mistake. But no more than -6 points for any one dance.
_____________________________________________
Lesson Focus:
Review: All Dances Learned
Teacher will put on one song at a time. Students will be
asked to sit in their squares quietly by their partner and
listen to the first 30 seconds of the song. The students
will then be asked to stand and when the music is played
again the students should start dancing to that particular
song.
Most songs will only need to be played through about
half-way to see if the students know how to do the steps.
(If you have taught the students all of these dances, there
will not be time in one hour of testing or reviewing to play
all the songs through the whole way.)
Make sure all students have the opportunity to rotate in
and out of their squares so that they can practice the
dances.
Closure:
Ask: What are we going to do tomorrow? (Test)
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in different order.
___________________________________________
Remind students to listen carefully, and if their square
makes a mistake, to square their set back up and wait
for a part of the music, or the caller that they are
familiar with, to resume dancing.
The teacher can use their roll book for the practical
test. They can put a checkmark or dot, etc. next to
the students name each time a mistake is made.
Then they can times those marks by three, and give
the student their final Square Dance Grade in the
attendance area for that day.
__________________________________________
As students practice the Square Dances, remind them
to think about what steps are in the dance, and to do
them the best they can.
Have students sit and listen to each song rather than
stand and listen. They will pay more attention and be
quieter if they are sitting in their squares.
DATE: _________ EQUIPMENT: Microphone, Square Dance Music, Tape/Record Player.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
14
LOCATION: Gym
STANDARDS: 5PA-E3 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E1 PO 1 & 2, 6PA-E2 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E2, PO 2, 1PA-E5
PO 1, 1PA-P4 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-D3 PO 1, 1PA-E1 PO 3.
OBJECTIVE: To learn and demonstrate proper social interaction and politeness with classmates, and feel
comfortable and confident performing Square Dances, while learning fundamental steps, vocabulary, & rhythms
while processing the calls to Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro:
Do Grand March.
____________________________________________
Fitness: Students will be given their Practical Square
Dance Test today.
_____________________________________________
Lesson Focus:
Test on all Dances:
They can be played in any order the instructor wishes.
Oh Johnny
Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight
Texas Star
Just Because
Virginia Reel
Comin' Round The Mountain
Hurry, Hurry, Hurry
Alabama Jubilee
Most songs will only need to be played through about
half-way to see if the students know how to do the steps.
(If you have taught the students all of these dances, there
will not be time in one hour of testing or reviewing to play
all the songs through the whole way.)
Make sure all students have the opportunity to rotate in
and out of their squares so that they can be graded on
the dances.
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Line students up in different order, but have them all
be in their own class together. When they are
seperated to make their squares, send all the same
classes to one side of the gym. This will make it much
easier to find your class as you are grading them.
__________________________________________
Remind students to:
-Be on their best behavior to each other.
-No gum chewing.
-Sleeves pulled up.
-Hold hands with partner all the way through the
Grand March.
-Try their best.
-Go in and out quickly when they substitute, and sit by
their square quietly when waiting to substitute.
___________________________________________
Grading:
Minus 3 points for each mistake made. Only -6 points
per dance given.
The teacher can use their roll book for the practical
test. They can put a checkmark or dot, etc. next to
the students name each time a mistake is made.
Then they can times those marks by three, and give
the student their final Square Dance Grade in the
attendance area for that day.
Closure:
Ask: What are we going to do tomorrow?
(Take Written Square Dance Test).
DATE: ______ EQUIPMENT: Tests, Bubble Sheets, Pencil Sharpner.
UNIT: Square Dance
Day:
15
LOCATION: Auditorium
STANDARDS: 1PA-P3 PO 1 & 2, 1PA-E5 PO 1, 1PA-P5 PO 1.
OBJECTIVE: To learn a variety of Square Dances while learning the fundamental steps and vocabulary used in
Square Dance.
ACTIVITIES
Intro: Remind students they will need a sharpened
#2 pencil to take the test with and a bubble sheet
with their name on it.
CUE PHRASES/INSTRUCTIONS
Seat students at least one chair apart. This way they
won't be tempted to look on each others papers, or
talk to each other.
_____________________________________________
Fitness: Students will be given their Written Square
Dance Test today.
__________________________________________
Remind students to:
-Sit every other seat.
-No gum chewing.
-Raise hand if they have a question.
-Try their best.
-Sit quietly when finished after handing in bubble
sheet.
____________________________________________
Lesson Focus:
WrittenTest on Dance vocabulary:
_______________________________________
Grading:
Closure:
Ask: Now that we are through with the Square Dance
Unit, what do you need to have in your Locker for the
new unit we will be doing?
Test is worth 100 points.