Dance Lesson Plan
Grades
5-12
DANCE VOCABULARY LEARNING
GAMES
Materials
Dance Glossary
Game On! scoring
handout
Length
Concept/Objective
Activities
Toolkit Resources
1 class session
Students will learn
dance Core Content
vocabulary.
Students review
dance vocabulary by
watching video, then
play games to
practice using the
terms.
DanceSense
Program 1:
Understanding
Dance, Program 4:
The Elements of
Dance, Program 5:
The Moving Body,
and Program 6:
Making Dance—all
found on the
DanceSense
Enhanced DVD
Length of Segment:
00:15:00 each
Technology
TV/DVD player
Optional: computer with
internet access
Vocabulary
alignment
artistic dance
balance
call and response
compositional
duration
elements
elevation
flow
force
forms
general space
initiation
isolation
kinesphere
landing
locomotor
narrative
nonlocomotor
phrase
pulse
purposes
relaxation
rondo (high school)
rhythm
shape
space
tension
time
theme and
variations (high school)
weight
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Introduction
Achieving a high comfort level with dance Core Content vocabulary is essential to student success on the state arts and humanities assessment. One way to develop student
mastery of dance terminology is through learning games.
Any vocabulary-oriented learning game that has been implemented successfully in
other content areas can almost certainly be adapted to the arts and humanities area.
This lesson offers models based on television game shows adapted for classroom use,
which are often very appealing to middle school students and are engaging to all levels of learners. In addition, other traditional games adapted to dance vocabulary are
offered. Just plug in the desired vocabulary to adapt the games for individual and class
needs.
Games can be used at any point in the learning process—initially, incrementally, or as
review for a unit test or culminating activity.
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 1
Planning Activities
Each of the learning games in this lesson can take various forms, but the simpler they
are constructed, the easier to manage and play. Whether teachers desire to use electronic formats or low-tech versions will vary from situation to situation. Possibilities
for both options are offered in this lesson.
In addition, all of these games can be played in small groups, large groups, teams of
various sizes, or individually. All are adaptable to whole class or partial class participation. All can be used in a tournament format as well, with grade-related bonus points
awarded to finalists and/or winners.
When using a tournament bracket like the example provided as a supplement to this
lesson, adapt to the needs of the class. More or fewer slots can be added; an odd
number of teams (or individual players) can be evened out with a “bye” in one slot;
several brackets can be used as semi-final rounds with the winners of each entered
into a championship playoff.
Using the Video
Because it is important not only to be able to recognize the terminology but also to
embrace its meaning and context, students should view DanceSense Programs 1, 4,
5, and 6, as well as become familiar with vocabulary in the Dance Glossary. In this
way students will begin to learn (or expand prior knowledge of) much of the dance
Core Content terminology. This will prepare students to feel some success in the
learning games. By extension, playing the games will enable them to improve their
dance Core Content vocabulary.
Assuming you use vocabulary games primarily for review, you might begin the study
by providing students with the vocabulary list and the glossary and ask students to
look up and define the specific dance terms you’re emphasizing in the lesson. Then
show the four programs and have students watch for the use of these terms in each.
Two lesson plans—Elements of Dance: Language Intensive and What Is Dance?—are
examples of lessons that use one or more of these programs and help students gain a
deeper understand of the terminology.
TV Game Shows
Computer versions of learning games based on popular television game shows are
readily available.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Hollywood Squares, Jeopardy, Weakest Link, and
other game templates created in PowerPoint format are easy to use and available free
through the following sources:
• PowerPoint Games: jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games/
• Parade of Games: facstaff.www.edu/jonesd/games
• PowerPoint Lessons: teach.fcps.net/trt10/PowerPoint.htm
You must have PowerPoint and PK Zip for Windows installed to use them. All these
games can be adapted to virtually any subject. The teacher (or student) simply enters
questions and answers (in this case dance Core Content) and establishes or adapts
“rules” to organize the games for the particular learning situation. Games can be
played by individuals or by collaborative teams.
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Kentucky
Academic
Content
Big Idea: Structure in
the Arts
Academic Expectations
1.15
Program of Studies
Understandings
AH-5/6/7/8/HS-SA-U-1
Skills and Concepts
AH-5/6/7/8/HS-SA-SDa1
AH-5/6/7/8-SA-S-Da3
AH-HS-SA-S-Da2
Core Content
AH-(05)(06)(07)(08)(HS)1.2.1
AH-05-1.2.2
Note from the
Author
Students are notoriously
competitive. When their
sense of competition gets
out-of-hand in a negative
way, the results can be
harmful. But when this
competitive nature is
harnessed for purposes
of creating a positive
learning experience,
research shows that
gains can be substantial.
Many experienced
middle school teachers
anecdotally substantiate
these findings, as well.
Most effectively, learning
games engage a majority of middle school students and make them
want to participate and
succeed at what they
perceive to be “play.”
Often, students who are
otherwise disconnected
become very involved
and display high academic success when
learning games are
introduced into the
classroom environment.
Teaching Tip
If collaborative teams are
used, have each team
designate a student to
act as spokesperson to
avoid conflict during play.
Once the template is downloaded, the teacher or designated student inserts appropriate clues and correct responses according to the focus of study. Using the template as
a starting point, several custom-made versions of the focus of study can be created
and saved individually.
Keeping Score
A drawback of the PowerPoint format is that the score is not automatically calculated
and must be kept manually. A good way to do this is to designate a student to tally
scores for each team (or individual player) on the board. Additionally, a student may
be designated as timer; setting a time limit for responses keeps the game moving
along. Make these decisions as the situation dictates.
For games such as Jeopardy, if buzzers are not available (or practical), squeakers,
bells, or other hand-held noisemakers (each with a distinctive sound) may be used.
More commonly used is the “toss-up” method in which correct answers maintain control of the board. A rule may also be established for “stealing” points by correctly
answering a question that the opponent has missed.
Connecting the computer to a larger screen through video link or projection device
makes the game show experience more exciting. Some teachers and/or students may
even wish to add theme music or sound effects during play.
It is important that whatever rules or guidelines are set for specific classroom situations be consistently applied. Some trial and error may be necessary before absolutes
can be determined. Students are usually flexible the first time or two the games are
played, especially if they understand that their input in the early stages will help to
determine permanent rules and guidelines for the long term.
DANCE! Bingo
More traditional games can also be used in studying dance vocabulary. Dance! Bingo
and Password are two examples.
Bingo can be created manually, but for ease of creation, Personal Educational Press,
an online utility for educators, has a web site that allows you to input a list of vocabulary words/definitions and then print out Bingo-type cards for class play. Access this
at:
www.educationalpress.org/educationalpress/Index.asp.
Start by typing a list of dance vocabulary words into the Primary Word List box on
the web site’s home page (these words can be copied and pasted from a previously
prepared master list). Then select “Bingo Board,” and print out cards with different
sets of the words in varied order. (Instructions are on the web site. While creating
cards, lists can be viewed, edited, and updated.) Cards can share some of the same
words, but no two cards should be identical. You may have to shuffle the list several
times in order to get a complete set. The more dance vocabulary words on your primary word list, the better.
(Before printing game cards, set Page Setup to print Landscape. Before printing the
master list, set Page Setup to print Portrait.)
After printing, laminate the cards. Also laminate a master list of the vocabulary words
and definitions, cut them apart into strips, and place them in a Word Bank to be
drawn one at a time.
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 3
To play the game, the leader should call out the brief definitions only, so the players
will have to guess the vocabulary word and find it on their Bingo card. The vocabulary word is included, however, for the leader’s convenience. Set each vocabulary/definition strip aside after it has been used so the leader can verify a potential winner’s
card.
Each player must have a supply of markers (game pieces, coins, or bits of paper will
do) to cover corresponding words on individual cards.
(If you have typed or pasted words and definitions into the View and Edit
Word/Answer Lists page, you can print a master list from there. When printing
cards, you can also choose to print cards with “answers” on them to reverse play;
i.e., the caller would call out the vocabulary words, and students would search for corresponding definitions on their cards.)
Rules are similar to traditional Bingo. A caller draws one vocabulary/definition strip at
a time and reads the definition to the group. Caller continues to draw and call one
definition at a time until a player correctly marks all corresponding words in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line on her/his card and calls out “DANCE!” Play then
stops while the potential winner’s card is verified. If correct, that player is declared
the winner.
Players can exchange cards, if desired. All vocabulary/definition strips are placed back
into the Word Bank for the next game. Play resumes in a new round.
Password
Teachers can lead students in creating their own class version of Password using
dance Core Content vocabulary. Creating the lists of clue words to match each password is as much a part of the learning process as is playing the game. All that is
needed is a set of folded cards, the inside of each containing a password (vocabulary
term), and a set of three corresponding one-word clues. Create at least 15-20 different cards for your set.
Password can be played in teams or individually in pairs. One player tries to guess the
correct password in response to verbal clues (given one at a time). Players who guess
correctly after the first clue earn three points; after the second clue, two points; and
after the third clue, one point. Teams alternate. The first team or pair to reach 10
points is declared the winner, and another round can begin with new players (or new
challengers to the champs).
Another version of this game requires no cards. Divide the class into two teams (let
them choose team names for added fun). Each team chooses a guesser to sit at the
front of the class facing away from the board. Teacher or student host writes a dance
vocabulary word on the board. The first team gives one-word clues. If after three
clues no correct answer is given, the other team’s representative tries to guess. After
each round, both teams rotate guessers.
Student-Made Games
Ideas for quiz-type or board games are limitless, but they usually require some field
testing before rules and procedures can be finalized. Students often develop very
interesting board games, using visual art skills in designing game materials. Such
games can be developed by individual students or by groups as a class project or for
extra credit.
4 • Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans
Conclusion
Vocabulary learning games teach students the value of listening, developing word
association skills, building vocabulary, enhancing auditory and sequential memory
skills, understanding cause and effect, and improving core content knowledge.
Rewards can be both intrinsic and extrinsic.
Using familiar games adapted to the dance Core Content vocabulary often facilitates
student understanding of how the games work, allowing groups to get into play more
quickly. Encouraging students to invent learning games of their own using Core
Content vocabulary is a way to connect dance vocabulary to other content areas
(math, visual arts, etc.).
Be sure to allow for a few bugs to be worked out the first couple of times a new
game is played. Once the class is comfortable with the game, however, a set of consistent rules should be followed.
Expanding vocabulary is one of the best ways to increase student knowledge and
directly affect assessment outcomes.
Applications Across the Curriculum
Language Arts
Vocabulary
Mathematics
Measurements, geometric design, score-keeping
Social Studies
Geography and cultures
Visual Arts
Graphic design
Author: Kate Larken
Copyright 2004,
2008 KET
Reviewed by the
Kentucky Department
of Education
This lesson plan is part
of the Dance Arts
Toolkit. To order the
entire toolkit or for more
information about the
Arts Toolkit project, visit
www.ket.org/artstoolkit
or call (859) 258-7294.
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 5
Game On!
6 • Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans