Classroom Resource

Constellation Dance

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

3, 4, 5

Overview

In this learning activity, students view images of constellations in the sky at night, trace the connections between the stars and describe what shapes, characters, or stories come to mind. They will respond to each constellation and season by making a statue that uses a dance element.  

Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 3 - Dance

AE17.D.3.1

Improvise movements with a variety of self-identifed prompts.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.D.3.1

Vocabulary

  • prompts
  • use elements of dance
  • movement problem
  • choreographic devices
  • structure
  • dance phrase
  • concept and inspirations for choreography
  • feedback and revision
  • dance study
  • notation
  • dance phrase

Essential Questions

EU: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
EQ: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

Skills Examples

  • Use a variety of prompts for inspiration (i.e., music/ sound, text, objects, images, notation, observed dance experiences).
  • Find a way to travel across the floor only using a low level.
  • Select a choreographic device and create a dance phrase (i.e., retrograde, scramble/ deconstruct, transposition, inversion, or fragment).
  • Create a short movement phrase and perform with "sad" emotion then "happy" emotion. Discuss how the movement changed.
  • Discuss and use peer feedback or instructor feedback.
  • Create a floor map, using different colors for different levels of movement.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 4 - Dance

AE17.D.4.1

Identify ideas for choreography generated from a variety of prompts and source materials.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.D.4.1

Vocabulary

  • choreography
  • prompts
  • movement problem
  • elements of dance
  • choreographic devices
  • dance study
  • artistic intent
  • dance phrase

Essential Questions

EU: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
EQ: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

Skills Examples

  • Use music, sound, text, objects, images, notation, observed dance, or experiences to create a dance phrase.
  • Perform a dance phrase using three different levels.
  • Perform a dance phrase that alters the timing of the movement.
  • Create a trio from a solo by performing movements in a three-part canon.
  • Create a dance based on the maid idea of "water" or "fire" and explain how the movement choices that were made express your topic.
  • After performing short dance study, reflect on possible changes that could have been made and use peer feedback to revise movement.
  • Draw a formation or pathway of dancers using symbols.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 5 - Dance

AE17.D.5.1

Develop content for choreography using ideas generated from a variety of prompts.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.D.5.1

Vocabulary

  • choreography
  • prompts
  • movement problems
  • choreography
  • elements of dance
  • choreographic devices
  • structure
  • codified movement
  • style
  • dance study
  • concept and inspiration for choreography
  • dance study
  • feedback and revise
  • notate

Essential Questions

EU: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
EQ: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

Skills Examples

  • Create movement from spoken word, text, poetry, images, or nature.
  • Create a dance with a beginning, middle, and end that includes zigzag pathways and changes in energy.
  • Manipulate movement by utilizing choreographic devices such as retrograde, mirroring, or transposition.
  • Utilize ballet movement to create a story.
  • At the end of a dance study, reflect in a journal what changes were made during the process, why were they made, and what was the end result.
  • Record changes in choreography in a dance journal.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Link to Resource
https://artsintegration.com/2017/05/01/constellation-dance-steam-lesson/

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

https://artsintegration.com/terms-and-conditions/

Approved Date

ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme