 Search Results - Recent posts as of september 9, 2010, 3:23am |
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I am excited to be part of the TPL Possibilities conversation and as a teaching artist I am particularly intrigued with these new ways to broaden my reach as a member of the teaching arts work force. The possibilities to reach new audiences via interacitivity seem endless!
Karen Stone
Teaching Aritist |
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| it's s exciting to see TPL expanding to all the arts and into all the galaxies (even Philly!) |
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Warm greetings to all!
THE PERFORMANCE LAB(tm) has worked for many years with the New Jersey Department of Education. Together, we have produced scores of Interactive Residencies. This partnership has placed TPL at the very forefront of interactive experiments.
There could not be a more potent collaborator than the Philadelphia Museum of Art!!
The possibilities are - - - of course!! - - - endless.
I second Dale's welcome!!
Rick HAUSER |
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Greetings and welcome to the TPL Possibilities thread.
THE PERFORMANCE LAB(tm) is building a community of adventuresome artists
and arts professionals who will collaboratively create a network of interactive studios
across America for the exchange of innovative arts experiences.
Please feel free to use this space to imagine new creative possibilites for interactive exchange and uitlize TPL as a bridge to forge new partnerships.
Just register and you can join this growing national and international dialogue among the teaching arts workforce.
Dale Schmid
Creative Advisor to TPL |
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Yes, it really is a process to get used to the camera and where to look, and to become more reflexive about it quickly. I think we have actually come through a lot with these sessions. And I personally also thank Rick for putting extra elements onto the website, like the bio of Erick Hawkins, and the excerpt of his dance "Classic Kite Tails" so that you can absorb more than we can actually cover in the class time. (Well, yeah, there are also books....)
I reread Derek's reflections, too. You mention many aspects of dance vocabulary - like "opposition" and "homolateral". Just developing vocabulary is a big process for beginners in technique.
Derek, thanks for your contribution to the McLean/Brockport residency, too. Even though we never quite got to dealing with/analyzing the phrase you and Diane Aldis created for us, I appreciated it as another example of what we were learning, the undercurve/overcurve.
I'm sure the Brockport students can look back at it now and readily analyze the pathway of the curves.
Gloria |
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Thinking about space:
Catssuny suggested that another use of the interactive work might be connecting two different groups of students with each other as they work on a joint or parallel assignment. We did something like that with two groups of teachers who were hundreds of miles apart and created a short "theater of the hands" piece using the television monitor. You can see that on the lower left hand side of TPL homepage in the section titled "Dessert at Midday."
I just looked again at "Desert at Midday" and you should all look at this, if you haven't. It's a great example of the working together of the two locations, yes. But what delights me is that they have turned the screen into an interactive, transgeographical puppet show in a box!
This is yet again a very cool way to maximize some of the characteristics of the medium: rather than trying to refer to a larger other space, they have pulled the activity down to the screen itself as the playing ground, using only hands as actors. Really great, Diane! |
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Directions in space:
IN a larger sense, I have been thinking about how it can become possible to do more sophisticated dimensional movement that is not always facing front.
Our "loops" were a little bit in that direction.
Today in the feedback session, we came onto that issue of visual orientation as a dominating mode in this technology.
I thought about the use of "instant replay". then you could execute, say a 'run, jump, turn' kind of movement - and look at again together.
I thought of simple movements that start facing the screen, move a little , and return to the screen-as-front. LIKE:
four people line up, 1-2-3-4 sitting on floor
1 and 3 rock onto the back and throw the legs up and shake the legs
just as 1 and 3 return to "front", 2 and 4 rock back and throw legs up
repeating a few times in tandem....
I guess as both the technical movement skills and the technological savvy increase, one can do more complex movements.
Diane Aldis, you probably have more experience with this. Any thoughts?
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Gloria here. Well, I guess I didn't see this thread until now. Sorry about that.
Relating to the kids:
I think that the class SUNY gave to the MN children proved that there really is a wonderful opening for this technology in teaching dance - and many other things - to kids. I appreciated how you solved some spatial issues, which also have a big effect on keeping the attention and focus of the students. Like:
Using the placard - surprised us out of the expectation of seeing the realistic person
the masks - an intrigue to pull us in
the puppets
the stadium wave was terrific way to integrate the two groups and keep everyone alert
identifying right and left
I am also a fan of using mirror image for teaching, on and off the screen
the semicircle - keeps a sense of "in the room"
switching who is up front and trying to get all involved
the use of the "shh" gesture was brilliant!
mixing up the space with the three phrases of chorus, dragon and fish
using those images for the phrases instead of 1,2,3
the high five.
Since I usually teach adults these days, I was truly impressed with the range of your grasp of who you were addressing. Well done!
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Thank you all for these comments. I am happy to hear that you DO feel a good result from the focus on centering in the pelvis. Any dance technique requires repeated effort. It takes time to train the body, and training does make a difference.
Flexibility and fluidity are both goals of mine. Also rhythmicality. Just as the body uses the regular rhythm of the heart to pump the blood and maintain its cycles, we learn more easily by lining our movement to rhythm. THis is the wisdom of the nursery rhyme, the sing song - once you know it, you never forget it.
Fluidity helps us connect movements and stay well tuned. But of course, we also sometimes have a reason to "break the flow" or introduce other dynamics, other qualities of movement.
But the "free-flow" provides a healthy base.
Please say hello to Bill Evans for me!!! He is a great teacher, and yes, these ideas are a great compliment to his.
The important thing, technique-wise, to keep in mind, is that we just barely touched the tip of the iceberg in these classes. Keep going, dance every day if you can. It's only by doing it that you develop it. (And it's okay to rest sometimes, too!) |
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Me, checking in again.
It's May 8, after our last feedback session after the class you gave to MN kids.
This method of using technology is new to me, too, and I, too, have grown more comfortable
as our sessions have progressed. I think the questons and comments you are raising are important and valid, around what are the best uses of this technology, and where is it likely to be not effective or necessary.
I noticed in the newspaper that some elementary and middle schools are wanting to discontinue
the use of individual laptop computers with the kids at school because kids are using them in less than productive ways (going to porn sites, or just surfing, or emaiing each other,etc). Obviously they didn't set that up correctly. So here again it's the issue of: the technology is just a tool. It's US humans who have to figure out how to use it wisely.
And that's the process we are in here: using it! creatively and experimentally!
That's what you guys at Brockport did with the kids from Minneapolis and I think it worked
really well. How much more intention could go into the next lesson - !
I appreciate Ifox's statement that one still wants to have the guest artist come and visit, sit and breathe together, have a dinner - who's cooking? I agree. There will never be a substitute for learning directly from another human being. And I also agree that direct, honest personal contact which acknowledges them as people is exactly what children need a lot of. Technology is not a substitute for that. But it is another extension of human capacity.
One thing I probably didn't say about Erick Hawkins is that he insisted on always having live musicians play for our concerts. He NEVER, ever performed to a tape recording. We used them for rehearsals only. If the musicians were not available, or the budget did not cover them, we danced in silence. He insisted on that because he felt that getting used to listening to a recording over and over introduced a kind of mechanical expectation - it will always be the same. When the music is played live, it's not always the same, things happen - - the trumpet player has to take a breath, the violin string could break, the percussionist could be a beat late with the cymbal crash, the conductor could be speeding up the tempo. And the task of the dancer, them, is to really HEAR exactly what is being played in the moment, and dance to that. Not to your expectation.
The beauty of what we've been doing with the technology this term, for me, is -- IT'S LIVE!
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I am reading your comments from this afternoon.
I am appreciating the feedback on what you are taking away:
-- moving from the core, and how that leads to less effort and more ease --
-- focussing on the origin of the movement -( yes, isn't it still a miracle to just look at how the human body moves?)
-- initiating movement from the pelvic center and how that starts a sensation, a "vibe" - that itself is so important,
to actually FEEL what you are doing and try to stay tuned in to it.
Yes, these are all important parts of the way I teach dance and understand the body.
-- the image of the flashlight -- the idea of following the motion of the center. This is also connected to the wave.
I just loved that you used the Hokusai print of the huge ocean wave as the opening image for today's class.
This makes me think about Dale Schmid's commentary on the curriculum that you all created. He spoke about
conveying the "big idea" and also about connecting this movement lesson to science in a larger way. For me, the
wave is a very important part of doing that. It's a wonderful starting image. A wave is a curve. All through nature we
see curves - the upward curve of a tree growing, the flight path of birds, the trajectories of the planets, sound waves,
light waves, ocean waves,
the flow of the river and the fish swimming in it, a butterfly's wing --- there really are not so many straight lines in
nature.
So when we feel ourselves in a connected way, when we have that "vibe" and enjoy it, we probably will
also move in a connected and smooth way and a curving flowing way - as a basic, organic starting point.
And we can also make straight lines. That's something the mind does. We can make other shapes and sharp
angular attacks and stuttering rhythms, too.
And don't forget that nature has many dynamics... |
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I am responding to the post by Dale Schmid - hi , Dale!
WHy and What of it?
Are there some specific examples within the Brockport lesson plan that you can point to that
made you raise these questions?
I mean, what specifically can we address to take in your very well stated and important commentary?
Gloria |
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SUNY College <----> IDDS (MN) INTERACTIVE EXCHANGE
INTERACTIVE LESSON PLAN DRAFT
Proposed Interaction: May 3, 2007
Teaching and Lesson Authors: Students in the Arts for Children Program, S.U.N.Y. College at
Brockport; Brockport NY
Learners: 4th and 5th Graders from Inter District Downtown School, Minneapolis, MN; teacher
Linda Iserman; resident artist Diane Aldis
BIG IDEA: The Nature of Curves
DANCE LESSON CONCEPT: Curving Pathways
PURPOSE: To foster interactive learning of McLean dance techniques and skills using curves
1. Desired Understandings for Elementary Learners:
- To learn from others about American dance history and how the body can move and be trained (technical skills)
- To see and feel that bodily movement creates curved pathways in space
- To sense that the core of the body can be primary to initiating and controlling movement
- To understand that an exchange of ideas and learning can take place live across great distances through interactive technology
2. Predictable Misunderstandings:
Students may:
- Display an inability to understand the full potential of interactivity.
- Display an inability to focus on improving interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.
- Experience spatial disorientation.
- Experience incomplete cognitive perception of undercurve and overcurve pathways as demonstrated in pelvic (core) experiments.
- Not experience full body integration of the pelvic pathway in movement phrases.
3. Essential Questions:
- How can you move making under and over curve pathways?
- Where do we see curved pathways in the world around us?
- Where in art can we find works that show curved pathways?
- How can we improve learning using interactive exchanges?
- Where can you learn more about Gloria McLean and Erick Hawkins?
LESSON TITLE: Overcurves and Undercurves
PRIMARY DISCIPLINE ADDRESSED: Dance
INTERCONNECTED DISCIPLINES: Art, Science, Technology
TARGETED GRADE LEVEL(S): 4th and 5th
NECESSARY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE FOR LEARNER:
Knowledge of how to move safely using self control in personal and general space.
LESSON OBJECTIVE(S):
The student will…
Perform basics of Hawkins/McLean dance technique with clear demonstration of undercurve and overcurve pathways initiated from the core of the body and repeated in patterns.
Define personal space by dancing with those in close proximity and in relationship to distant interactive participants by correctly performing the following dance/interactive vocabulary: in unison, pass through (hand off), call and respond, advance and retreat, together and away, follow the leader, mirror, touch the screen, and touch the camera.
Cooperatively work with others to refine a McLean dance phrase for performance accuracy.
Respond to movement experiences by using correct dance and interactive terminology.
Respond to observed dance through movement.
FUTURE OBJECTIVES:
To:
Practice and include overcurve and undercurve principles in personal and group compositions.
Identify movement principles in dance masterworks created by Gloria McLean and Erick Hawkins.
Transfer dance principles to understandings in physics (dynamics of movement along curved pathways), biology (skeletal and muscular anatomy), visual art (curved designs applied through various media), and technology (applying the interactive process to other lessons in any subject area).
NATIONAL STANDARDS ADDRESSED FOR DANCE IN THE ARTS:
I. Performing
1. Body
a. Anatomy (1)
b. Body Organization (2)
2. Movement Skills
b. Non-Locomotor/Axial Movement
c. Technical Skills (1)
3. Elements of Dance
a. Space (2, 5, 6)
b. Time (3)
4. Performing Values
a. Focus and Awareness (4)
b. Replication, Reflection, Refinement, Revision (1)
II. Creating
1. Apply Choreographic Principles, Structures, and Processes
c. Constructive Cooperation (1)
2. Create and Communicate Meaning
a. Communicate in Dance
III. Responding
1. Use Dance Terminology
a. Observing and performing dance
2. Observation and Response Skills
d. Respond to observed dance through movement
IV. Inter-connecting
3. Connect Dance and Other Disciplines
e. Experience technology with dance.
INTELLIGENCES FOCI: Kinesthetic, verbal, visual/spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:
1. Students will demonstrate desired understandings through the following authentic performance tasks:
- performance of undercurve and overcurve pathways initiated from the core of the body
- dancing while demonstrating correct vocabulary and relationships with others at home and at a distant site
- creating and responding to observed dance through movement
2. Understandings will be judged using the attached Dance Assessment Rubrics.
3. Students will demonstrate further understanding through discussion responses while interconnected and afterward by posting to The Performance Lab Bulletin Board.
ADVANCE LESSON ORGANIZER:
Materials and Resources-
Japanese art print of ocean waves: The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai
Aids for introduction- masks, signs
Human skeleton
Fish and dragon puppets
Teacher Preparation-
Identify a technology team to monitor interconnectivity during the session.
Appoint a camera person(s) for live camera shots and for documentation of the work.
Identify puppeteers.
Prepare attention device (if needed).
Coordinate logistical arrangements with learning site leaders.
Vocabulary Listing-
Dance Content Words:
Body parts- pelvis, core, hips
Concepts: overcurve, undercurve, looping, scooping, arching, floating, waves,
pathways, smoothe flow, call and respond, chorus, rushing
Synonyms to reinforce dance concepts:
Overcurve:- arc, arch, rainbow, throw
Undercurve- scoop, swing
Dance history: artists Gloria McLean and Erick Hawkins
Interconnectivity teaching words and directional cues: (These words enhance rapport and relational awareness between the teaching and learning sites.)
Pass through (hand off)
Call and respond
As with partner dancing- advance and retreat, together and away, follow the
leader, mirror
Touch the screen or touch the camera
Unison or movement chorus
The Performance Lab
Safety Considerations:
Emphasize and monitor safety when moving.
DETAILS OF INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY:
Anticipatory Set
A. Cameras have a pre-set focus. NY camera focus is on the Japanese print The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. The art print is of ocean waves.
B. To establish a community of teachers and learners across distant studios, members of each class should sit in a “U” shaped formation on the floor. The open part of the “U” faces the interactive screen. Together, the two classes create a circular formation.
C. When ready, introductions begin from the NY site. Introductions will be aided by signs, floating masks, puppets, and leaders (Leah and Professor McGhee).
D. The first action (waving) will be introduced. Leah will guide variations in waving including changing size and speed.
E. Students will be asked to stand and conduct several pass through (hand off) waves from NY to MN and back again. (This concept is similar to a “stadium wave”.) Variations in the pass through will involve the whole body or body core. Students will be introduced to the concepts of overcurve and undercurve through practice. Emphasis will be drawn to the shape of the movement pathway (arching or scooping). Students at both sites should work together to establish a smoothe flow.
F. An attention device is established to quiet and still the action of the class. The action is a call and response that includes the cues: scoop, scoop, stamp, stamp, undercurve, zip. Any clever
device may be used here. This device will be used as needed through the lesson.
G. Practice the call and response.
Body of the Lesson
Continued Development of Concepts and Vocabulary
A. While standing and emphasizing the action of the pelvic core, both classes begin to experiment (improv) with the scooping action. “See if you can make 3 or 4 scooping waves connected together. We can call these scooping waves undercurves. Your floating pathway may look like the waves you saw in the art work before we started the lesson. Let your scooping waves carry your body away from the group. Fill the whole studio space with your bodies. Go.”
B. Students practice the movement going away from the “U” formation.
C. Students are directed to make waves carrying their bodies back to home position. This moving away and returning to “home” position will be repeated and the actions refined. Students will be asked to explore the general space drawing attention to safe movement practices. (Even the puppets may be seen scooping and looping.)
The Human Skeleton
D. Students are shown a human skeleton and attention is given to identifying the pelvis, the center of the core and action.
Introduction to Gloria McLean
E. Students are directed to a scooping and floating fish (puppet) by the name of Gloria McLean. “Our puppet is named after the famous dancer from NY who taught our class how to dance overcurves and undercurves.”
F. Puppet Script-
Gloria: Look! Look! We’ve found another way to scoop!
[Erick the big fish swims by.]
Erick! Erick! Hey everybody. This is my teacher Erick Hawkins. When I was just a little fish in the big pond of dance, Erick helped me become a really good dancer! I learned to under curve, over curve, and loop!
Erick: Scoop abundantly, my dear!
[He swims away demonstrating the dance concepts and all the puppets follow.]
Dancing Together Yet Apart
G. A NY leader is appointed to teach a movement phrase. (It is part of a movement phrase taught by Gloria McLean and the entire phrase can be viewed on the TPL web site.) It is introduced using mirror imaging. The demonstrator (Lauren) changes to follow the leader technique and faces her back to the group. Students in MN follow and repeat the demonstrated dance actions.
H. Teachers in MN or NY may start and stop the dancers as needed. Emphasis is placed upon both class sites dancing together as mirrored reflections of each other.
I. A NY leader or someone in MN may touch the screen to choose a partner to dance with. Several dancer duets may be identified.
J. The NY leader identifies the learned movement phrase as a “movement chorus” that will be used in making a larger group dance.
Group Dance: Under the Sea
(Anne in NY will lead the dance making activity.)
K. “We are going to make a dance together. It will use the movement you have just learned and other movements that are scooping, looping, and rushing (forward and backward or side to side). To make the short dance, we’ll need to divide each class into 2 parts- an Under Water Dragon group and a Fish group.” The performing groups are identified.
L. Instructions for the dance continue. The order of our dance will be —
#1- “We’ll all move together repeating the Gloria sequence we learned. Go back and forth, back and forth. That is our chorus. We’ll repeat it again later.”
#2- “Dragons in NY will rush forward advancing on those in MN. Dragons in MN retreat by rushing backwards. Then Dragons in MN rush and advance on NY. NY Dragons retreat. Dragons let’s try it!”
M. Groups practice. “If you are not a Dragon then ride the waves in place by looping with the pelvis.”
#3- “Everyone should be back in their home position and now we repeat the chorus all together.” The chorus is practiced in unison (mirrored).
#4 “Fish in NY make loops while dodging and darting around others in the room. Fish in MN answer by doing the same in your space. Come to look at us up close to the camera. Go back home. If you are a Dragon, you are in place riding the waves by looping.”
N. Groups practice.
#5 “The Chorus is repeated again. This is the end.”
O. “Let’s dance the whole thing but this time I won’t talk. Make your loops very big and clear. Let’s be totally together on the chorus parts. Show me a very good beginning. Ready…” All dance in unison (mirrored).
Conclusion
P. (Leah leads discussion.) “Let’s sit down for a moment and recap. Who can tell me some of the action words we used today. [Allow responses to be generated.] That’s right!”
“We learned our dance movements from dancer Gloria McLean. You can meet the real Gloria, who is a very nice woman, not a fish. When we go off screen, Diane Aldis can give the information to you teacher to find Gloria and some of this kind of dance on The Performance Lab website. I hope you will write to us there.”
Q. “Thanks for your good dancing today. Who can give me a hi-5? Come forward and try it with me.” (Leah points to someone in MN. She tries the action. She repeats this with a couple more children.)
R. This is our final goodbye. Can you mirror us? (All give a big slow wave.)
If Time Permits…
Solicit feedback and ask essential questions to gain understanding of the dance and interactive experiences learned in this lesson.
Interactive Lesson: Overcurves and Undercurves
Dance Assessment Rubrics
(Based on NDEO Standards for Learning and Teaching Dance in the Arts- Quick Reference Charts)
Fourth & Fifth Grade
I. Performing: Execute original or existing dance movement or works of art using elements and skills of dance.
I. PERFORMING Needs
Improvement Meets
Standard Outstanding
1. Body
a. Anatomy:
(1) Demonstrate isolated and coordinated dance movement for the pelvic core
b. Body Organization
(2) Body Patterning: Demonstrate movement initiated from the core
2. Movement Skills
b. Non-Locomotor/Axial Movement: Demonstrate and identify non-locomotor/axial movements: swing (scoop)
d. Technical Skills
(1) Articulation of movement: Demonstrate ability to move with clarity of motion.
3. Elements of Dance
a. Space:
(2) Pathways: curved
(5) Personal Space: Define one's personal space in relation to the personal space of other dancers.
(6) Relationships: Dance in a defined spatial relationship to others using dance (and technology) vocabulary.
b. Time
(3) Patterns: Repeat a rhythmic pattern of movement.
4. Performing Values
a. Focus and Awareness:
(4) Dance with awareness of movement relationships: proximity; interconnectedness between dancers.
b. Replication, Reflection, Refinement, Revision:
(1) Repeat movement, dance phrases, and patterns for performance accuracy.
Continued…
II. Creating: Express ideas, experiences, feelings and images in original and artistic choreography.
II. CREATING Needs
Improvement Meets
Standard Outstanding
1. Apply Choreographic Principles, Structures, and Processes
d. Constructive Cooperation:
(1) Demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively with a partner or group of dancers.
2. Create & Communicate Meaning
a. Communicate in Dance: Improvise and perform dance movement based on concepts
III. Responding: Demonstrate critical and analytical thinking skills in the artistic response to dance
III. RESPONDING Needs
Improvement Meets
Standard Outstanding
1. Use Dance Terminology (movement vocabulary, verbal vocabulary, dance notation, the elements of dance)
a. Observe or perform dance and identify movements using dance terminology.
2. Observation and Response Skills
e. Respond to an observed dance through movement.
IV. Inter-Connecting: Relate and transfer ideas, meanings, and experiences from other disciplines and areas of knowledge to dance and movement experiences; relate and transfer dance and movement experiences to other disciplines and areas of knowledge.
IV. INTER-CONNECTING Needs
Improvement Meets
Standard Outstanding
3. Connect Dance and Other Disciplines
e. Experience the use of technology with dance.
(Practice)
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As the semester has progressed adn there has been more experience with the interactive lessons, i have become more comfortable with them. However, I am still not 100% sold on this method of teaching, as it has it's pros and it has it's cons. Technology has made major changes in the way the world functions and communicates. I guess I am slighlty fearful that the amount of person to person communication in real sapce, and real time will quickly diminish leaving technology to be the major source of communication.
I do not see that happening any time soon, and perhaps it will never happen. This tool that we have been discovering, experimenting, and learning from offers many stellar ways of sharing information, especially if the classroom teacher does not have the specific knowledge of artist/teacher on the other end. This method prooves to be more cost efficient...however I feel in most cases the extra money is worth the experiences and realtions you would have had with the artist actually visiting the particular place.
Instead of the exchange ending right after class ends and the computer shuts down, it would trickle along to dinner, conversation and more.
ANd, phew. that is what I have to say. |
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Dear BW —
I applaud the age appropriateness of activities you've chosen for your lesson and embrace your desire for cross-content integration with science content. That being said, I have a few questions for you to ponder as you continue to develop your ideas and eventually incorporate them into classroom practice; specifically with regard to enduring understandings, essential questions, and evidence of learning.
Teaching for enduring understandings (Understanding by Design) differs from an activities-based approach to instruction by focusing on big ideas. Your lesson would be greatly enhanced by such an approach.
When considering "enduring understandings," one must ask what are the transferable ideas you wish to communicate to students through a lesson or unit? What "big ideas", concepts or understandings do you desire for your students as a result of engaging with the content of the lesson that are significant and transferfable? This approach to curriculum is fundamentally different than starting from a set of activities and forging them into understandings or simply mapping an activity to a standard (Exposure does not necessarily equate to learning). In other words, you need to determine what the "moral of the story" is in order to know if the activities embedded in your lesson will lead students to specific insights/connections about the content. Keep in mind, understandings are not necessarily facts, but inferences that can be drawn from facts.
Essential questions also focus on big ideas. They are the like the "metaphysical question of the day". They are at the heart of the subject and are important to argue about. Essential questions do not necessarily lead to one right answer. They do not provoke list-making, nor call for the "teacherly" answer. Instead they set up in-depth, multiple perspectives of inquiry that "provide organizing purpose for meaningful and connected learning".
The goal is to aspire to higher levels of cognition in a Bloomian sense. (In your lesson, terms like describe and identify are very low in terms of cognitive demand and at times difficult to differentiate degrees of mastery of content through assessment. Yet your performance activity calls for analysis and synthesis through the act of creation). Your lesson would be strengthed by objectives that more closey align to the performance task.
As for the "A" word - assessment - what evidence of learning will lead you to understanding individual student capabilities embedded in your performance task? Are their predictable mis-understandings that you will have to un-teach? What does success look like? To know this, you will need to establish what observable criteria shows evidence of content mastery...and destinguishes among levels of mastery.
In other words; if on a four-point scale a "1" is the highest possible score and a "4" reflects the lowest level of content mastery or skill, how does a "1" differ from a "4?" What types of formative evaluations will give you insight into student's grasp of the essential concepts inherent in your enduring understandings — as you progress through the lesson? Are there points at which you could pause for reflection and feedback? How would you flesh out evidence of learning. . . ? What are the key indicators of demonstrated mastery unearthed through discussion, observation and performance?
Finally, since we have added the complexity of learning through interactive exchange technology during the DANA project, are there any changes or modifications to instruction that you foresee necessary to teach this lesson interactively using the technology of "interactive exchange?"
I'm cognizant of the fact that at the opening of my commentary that I said I had a few questions for you to ponder, and it seems the list has grown to be considerable . . . so I leave you with this: I hope I have provoked you into thinking more deeply about how to cause "genuine and relevant inquiry into big ideas and core content" — and invite you to direct any questions you may now have to me as you continue your exploration into means of getting students to get at "Why?" and "What of it?" |
| V PUPPETS |
Posted by: RAH
Date Posted: April 30, 2007, 2:58pm |
Word-Hits
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AP
THEME/CONCEPT/BIG IDEA: Learning movements through puppets and applying these movements to a theatre performance
1. What specific understandings are desired?
2. What misunderstandings are predictable?
3. List of essential questions: What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning?
LESSON TITLE: Make a Move with Puppets!
DISCIPLINES ADDRESSED: Theatre
TARGETED GRADE LEVEL(S): 4th and 5th graders
NECESSARY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE FOR LEARNER:
- Locomotor movements
- Some prior experience with puppets (for opening activity)
- Some experience with creating and performing group skits
LESSON OBJECTIVE(S):
1. The student will identify under/overcurves, tasseling, and contracting movement in others (puppets)
2. The student will demonstrate under/overcurves, tasseling, and contracting in their own movement
3. The student will applying one or more of these movements (under/overcure, contraction, and/or tasseling) to a theatre performance
FUTURE OBJECTIVES:
1. The student will apply these movements to future theatre or dance exercises and performances
2. The student will have a better understanding
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR DISCIPLINE(S) ADDRESSED:
1. Content Standard #1: Script writing by the creation of improvisations and scripted scenes based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature, and history
2. Content Standard #2: Acting by developing basic acting skills to portray characters who interact in improvised and scripted scenes
3. Content Standard #6: Comparing and incorporating art forms by analyzing methods of presentation and audience response for theatre, dramatic media (such as film, television, and electronic media), and other art forms
4. Content Standard #7: Analyzing, evaluating, and constructing meanings from improvised and scripted scenes and from theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions
STATE STANDARDS FOR DISCIPLINE(S) ADDRESSED:
1. Content Standard #1: Students will create and perform theatre pieces as well as improvisational drama. They will understand and use the basic elements of theatre in their characterizations, improvisations, and play writing. Students will engage in individual and group theatrical and theatre-related tasks, and will describe the various roles and means of creating, performing, and producing theatre.
2. Content Standard #3: Students will reflect on, interpret, and evaluate works of art, using the language of art criticism. Students will analyze the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment and explain the social, cultural, psychological, and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will compare the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual arts with the ways they are expressed in other disciplines.
INTELLIGENCES FOCI:
1. Linguistic (Puppets speaking directions)
2. Musical (drumbeat)
3. Spatial (moving through and using space around room)
4. Bodily (working on body movements)
5. Interpersonal (beginning activities and movement choices made individually)
6. Interpersonal (work in groups to create a performance and perform)
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:
Performance Tasks:
1. Through what authentic performance tasks will students demonstrate the desired understandings?
a. Students will demonstrate that they can identify curves, tasseling and contracting by participating in the discussion of the puppet show and how each movement was used
b. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how to use curves, tasseling, and contracting in their own movements by participating in the three beginning exercises led by the puppets and the final performance
c. Students will show that they are capable of applying curves, tasseling, and contracting to a performance of their own through their final group performances
2. By what criteria will performances of understandings be judged?
a. A rubric will be used to measure performance
Other Evidence:
1. Through what other evidence will students demonstrate achievement of desired results?
a. Student engagement
b. Ability to be free and comfortable with movement
2. How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?
a. The culminating class discussion
b. A journal entry on the class period, how the movements felt, what it was like learning from the puppets, etc.
ADVANCED LESSON ORGANIZER:
Materials and Resources:
a. Three puppets
b. Drum
c. Cards with prepared performance situations on them
Teacher Preparation:
a. Clear the room so that students have plenty of space to move
b. Make the situation cards
c. Practice moving the puppets in appropriate ways
d. Create and practice the puppet show
Vocabulary Listing:
a. Curve – an arching, bending, or curling shape or movement
b. Undercurve – curving downward
c. Overcurve – curving upward
d. Tassel – loosely hanging
e. Contraction – becoming smaller or pressed together, decreasing in size
Safety Considerations:
a. Remind students about their personal space
b. Be sure that students move their head in a careful and controlled manner so they do not hurt their necks
DETAILS OF INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY:
1. Anticipatory Set –
Have you ever seen a puppet show or used a puppet yourself?
Can you move around the room the way you think a puppet might move?
2. Body of lesson –
a. Introduce the three puppets that will be used in the lesson: Curvy Claire, Carl Contractor, and Tasseling Tara
b. As each puppet is being introduced a working definition that goes along with their name will be introduced as well.
c. Next, Curvy Claire will lead an undercurve/overcurve exercise with the group: Can you move like me? Can you curve your pelvis over and under? Your arms? Head? Can you make over/under curves while walking, jumping, tiptoeing around the space?
d. Following this exercise Carl Contractor will lead a contracting/expanding activity: Can you move like me? Can you make yourself as big as you can, not contract to make yourself as small as you can. Can you tighten your stomach to make the rest of you curve inwards? Now move around the space to a drumbeat. When the drum stops, contract into a shape.
e. Now, Tasseling Tara will lead a mini exercise on tasseling: Can you move like me? Can you let you arms tassel at your sides as you twist, jump, skip? Can you make you legs tassel as well? Move around the room and allow your limbs to move freely and tassel.
f. After the beginning exercises are completed, students will gather to watch a short puppet show put on by their three puppet guests. During the show they should watch for good examples of how the puppets use tasseling, curving, and contracting
g. A discussion will then be held about the movement choices that the puppets made
h. As a final exercise students will split into groups of four or five and be given a topic (A fight with a friend, getting a new pet, being punished for not doing a chore, etc.)
i. Each student will take on one of the puppet’s movement characteristics and, with in their groups come up with a skit around their assigned topic.
j. As students are practicing the instructor will circulate the room to observe, give suggestions, and help out
k. After practicing their skits, each group will perform for the rest of the class
3. Conclusion –
l. The class period will end in a discussion about the performances, what they observed, what they liked, and what worked/didn’t work
IDEAS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT:
1. Students could make their own puppets and play with puppet movement as opposed to their own
2. Students could learn further material through puppets (science, histoty, etc.)
3. Students could create puppet shows relating to learned material in various subject areas
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
1. Science
a. Contract/expand – ice, air, etc.
b. Curves – where can they be found in nature?
2. Arts
a. Curves/tassels – lines
b. Contract/expand – size of shapes
3. Dance
a. movement
Rubric for Make a Movement with Puppets!
The student will identify under/overcurves, 1 2 3 4 5
tasseling, and contracting movement in
others (puppets)
The student will demonstrate under/ 1 2 3 4 5
overcurves, tasseling, and contracting
in their own movement
The student will applying one or more 1 2 3 4 5
of these movements (under/overcure,
contraction, and/or tasseling) to a theatre
performance
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HJ
THEME/ CONCEPT/BIG IDEA:
1. What specific understandings are desired?
Students will understand the essentials of demonstrating the “under-curve, over-curve” technique that Gloria taught. They will demonstrate knowledge through visual art of pattern, repetition, negative and positive space and stamp making.
2. What misunderstandings are predictable?
There is a possibility of misunderstanding the “under-curve, over-curve” technique. Students will be required to practice this technique several times- in a group as well as individually.
3. List of Essential Questions: What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of learning?
• Define Repetition.
• What role does repetition play in patterns?
• How does repetition make a dance successful? How does it make a two dimensional work of art successful?
• Discuss the differences and similarities of repetition in dance and repeated shapes in visual art.
LESSON TITLE: Patterns and Repetition in 3D and 2D
DISCIPLINES ADDRESSED: Dance, Visual Art
TARGETED GRADE LEVEL(S): Grades 4-12
NECESSARY PRIOR KNOWLEDGE FOR LEARNER:
• An understanding of dance terminology such as the seven locomotor patterns, specifically the definition of plie’, flexion and kinesphere
• An understanding of the elements of art and the principles of design
• An understanding of Gloria’s sequential movements and contractions
______________________________________________
LESSON OBJECTIVE(S): What should the student know and do as a result of this lesson? These should be key knowledge and skills.
The student will demonstrate knowledge of repetition and pattern through shapes that represent movements in dance such as the under-curve, over-curve technique. The student will perform a combination of dance moves using this technique that will correspond to his or her completed two-dimensional pattern.
FUTURE OBJECTIVES: How should students be able to apply learning (knowledge and skills) from this lesson to future life and learning situations?
The student will have a complete understanding of how repetition is an important factor in visual and performance art. This will benefit their ability to analyze and critique works of art as well as improve their capability to produce meaningful and aesthetically pleasing art.
NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR DISCIPLINE(S) ADDRESSED: Write the component and specifics.
Dance
1. Identifying and demonstrating movement element and skills in performing dance
2. Understanding choreographic principles, processes, and structures
3. Understanding dance as a way to create and communicate meaning
Visual Art
1. Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes
2. Understanding knowledge of structures and functions
3. Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas
4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
5. Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.
STATE STANDARDS FOR DISCIPLINE(S) ADDRESSED: Write the component and specifics.
Dance
1. Students will perform, set dance forms in formal and informal contexts and will improvise, create and perform dances based on their own movement ideas. They will demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic principles, processes and structures and the roles of various participants in dance productions.
3. Students will express through written and oral language their understanding, interpretation and evaluation of the dances they see, do and read about. Students will acquire the critical vocabulary to talk and write about the variety of dance forms.
Visual Art
1. Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of subject matter, topics, themes and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive images to communicate their own ideas in works of art. Students will use a variety of materials, processes, mediums and techniques, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual artworks.
3. Students will reflect on, interpret and evaluate works of art using the language of art criticism. Students will analyze the visual characteristics of the natural and built environment and explain the social, cultural, psychological and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will compare the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes, and concepts are expressed through the visual arts with the ways they are expressed in other disciplines.
4. Students will explore art and artifacts from various historical periods and world cultures to discover the roles that art plays in the lives of people of a given time and place an to understand how the time and place influence the visual characteristics of the art work. Students will explore art to understand the social, cultural and environmental dimensions of human society.
INTELLIGENCES FOCI: (from Gardner’s Theory)
Visual: Students will create works of art by studying the elements of repetition and pattern in dance and artists who employed repletion in their work.
Interpersonal: Students will practice and perform the under-curve, over-curve sequences within a group of peers.
Intrapersonal: Students will practice and perform the under-curve, over-curve sequences by themselves and reflect on how they want it to influence their work in the visual arts.
Logical: Students will use problem solving to figure out the relationship between the techniques in dance and their creation of pattern in visual art.
Kinesthetic: Students will move around to practice and perform the under-curve, over-curve technique.
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ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE: Think: How will students demonstrate accomplishment of stated objectives?
Performance Tasks:
1. Through what authentic performance tasks will students demonstrate the desired understandings?
• Students will create a sequence using the under-curve and over-curve concept of Gloria’s.
• Students will then form small groups and choreograph a larger dance by integrating their individual sequences together
2. By what criteria will performances of understandings be judges? (attach measurement instruments, e.g. scoring guides, guiding questions, rubrics, etc.)
• See attached guided questions and assessment questions
• There will be a discussion and critique after each performance to reiterate the concepts and understandings of the under-curve and over-curve and the quality of sequences.
• Students will be assessed on their class participation of the critique, the performance, the group work and the discussions.
Other Evidence:
1. Through what other evidence (e.g. quizzes, tests, academic prompts, observations, homework, journals, blogs, Bulletin Board posts, etc.) will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?
• Students will complete a list of questions summarizing both activities. (See attached
2. How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?
• Students will self-assess their performances and works of art during the discussions and critiques. They will also be able to do this with the questions that they will complete on their own and hand in.
_____________________________
ADVANCE LESSON ORGANIZER:
Materials and Resources (include: music listing, equipment and technologies, hand-outs, props, etc.)
• Internet access to the Gloria’s demonstration of over-curve and under-curve on the Performance Lab’s website
• Projector
• Computer
• Resources on Matisse and African Textile Prints
• Large Drawing Paper- 18” x 24” – one for each student
• Foam sheets
• Glue
• Wooden Blocks- 3 blocks/student
• Acrylic or Tempera Paint- different colors
Teacher Preparation (include: preview of music selections, video excerpts, rearranging room, preparing overheads, conducting background research on topic, etc.)
• Set up equipment to show Gloria’s demonstration of the over-curve and under-curve
• Gather resources on Matisse and African Textile Prints
• Gather supplies
• Clear an area in the room to practice the techniques and perform the dance
• Conduct background research on patterns and repetition used in dance and visual art
Vocabulary Listing (What are the vocabulary words that will be introduced during this lesson?)
• Over-curve
• Under-curve
• Center of Gravity
• Corollary
• Body Focus
• Pathway
• Movement Elements (By Laban): Space, Weight, Time and Flow
• Repetition
• Pattern
• Positive/Negative Space
Safety Considerations: (What are the routines or procedures that will be established to guarantee the safety of the participants?)
• The area of activity will be cleared of any potential hazards such as desks, chairs, etc. before class begins
• The students will be told of the proper way to act in a studio setting, such as no running, no touching, low voices, etc.
DETAILS OF INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY: Based on a 40-minute timeline, what will be done to achieve the lesson objectives? Is instruction guided, exploratory, group or independent work? What are the teaching cues that you will use in instruction? Be specific.
1. Anticipatory Set-. introduce or review elements and concepts needed for the lesson.
(Give procedures and teaching cues.)
• “Today we will take a look at Gloria McLean’s technique of the under-curve, over-curve. We will study this technique and create a sequence of curves and loops. Tomorrow we will look at use the repetition found in our sequences and apply them to the visual arts by creating patterns by use of hand made stamps.”
2. Body of the Lesson- step by step procedures and teaching cues. Imbed where
assessment will occur.
A.This lesson will consist of two class periods. Day one will be looking at Gloria’s technique and performing and improvising a repeated pattern. The teacher will show the class Gloria’s work on the Performance Lab website. The students will perform these sequences as a class and then work individually to create a pattern. They will then write the pattern down using symbols for over-curve, under-curve and looping- when the two meet. They will then get into small groups and brainstorm ways that they can combine their individual patterns to create a dance as a group. The teacher will demonstrate and recite the new vocabulary in order to help them achieve a skillful dance. The dances will then be performed for the class and critiqued as a class afterwards. (Student participation and focus will be part of the overall assessment.)
B. The second day will be in the art room or a classroom with tables and ample space to create art. The students will bring their written patterns to class to work with. The teacher will review the performances based on Gloria’s techniques and ask, “Can someone tell me what repetition in visual art means? Is anyone familiar with the work of Matisse?” The teacher will pass around a book of Matisse’s work and talk about repetition and pattern in art. The teacher will then introduce African textile printing and pass a book around of African prints. The teacher will ask, “Why is printing such an important part of African culture? Why would distinct prints or patterns be helpful in identifying different tribes or ranks in African society?” (The student participation will be part of the assessment)
C. The students will look at the sequence they made through dance the class before. The teacher will ask, “ What connections can you make between patterns in dance and patterns in visual art? How are they different? What does repetition and pattern do for the aesthetic quality of both of these forms of art?” The teacher will tell the students that they will be making patterns out of handmade stamps to create a visually appealing composition. He or she will remind students of negative and positive space and demonstrate these qualities with the work of Matisse and African prints.
D. The teacher will then demonstrate how to make the stamps- by cutting out the shape representing loops, over or under-curves out of the foam and gluing then to the wood blocks. The stamps will then be pressed into paint to create patterns.
3. Conclusion- review and ties together understandings gained in the lesson
E. At the end of class, there will be a short discussion and critique of the finished works of art. The teacher will lead the discussion by asking, “Which is most appealing to the eye? Which is most successful at combining positive and negative space? Which is the least successful? Why?” This will be part of the assessment for the project.
F. The teacher will hand out the questions for the students to complete for their assessment:
• Define Repetition.
• What role does repetition play in patterns?
• How does repetition make a dance successful? How does it make a two dimensional work of art successful?
• Discuss the differences and similarities of repetition in dance and repeated shapes in visual art.
• How did you come up with your symbol to demonstrate over-curve and under-curve? What did you imagine to transform a movement into a visual symbol?
• How does balancing negative and positive space help define a pattern?
IDEAS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT:
• Have older students create a more complicated work of art with their completed patterns. They could use the pattern as the outer cover for a handmade book, a background in a painting, a pattern on a ceramic piece.
• Have older students pick a piece of art with repetition and pattern and write a paper about it, focusing on how the pattern makes it successful.
• For younger students, have stamps already made so that they can pick and choose stamps that they feel go along with their dance sequence.
INTERDISCIPLIANRY CONNECTIONS: What understandings in knowledge or skills (made by the learner) will directly relate/connect to other discipline areas of learning? How? Give at least one specific example.
• The study of African art and culture is an important part of this lesson. It could go further into the study of textiles worn by Celtic or Native American tribes. This connects anthropology, history and Human Geography into an art-centered lesson plan.
• The study of repetition and pattern can also be connected with math. Tessellations are a common mathematical study of these two concepts. Students could create tessellations and explore the works and life of M.C. Escher- an artist who was famous for his connection of mathematical concepts and visual art.
• Students could relate the concepts of pattern repetition to music or drama. In music, they could study beat vs. rhythm and in drama they could study the repeated use of themes.
Questions on ‘Repetition and Pattern’
• Define Repetition.
• What role does repetition play in patterns?
• How does repetition make a dance successful? How does it make a two dimensional work of art successful?
• Discuss the differences and similarities of repetition in dance and repeated shapes in visual art.
• How did you come up with your symbol to demonstrate over-curve and under-curve? What did you imagine to transform a movement into a visual symbol?
• How does balancing negative and positive space help define a pattern?
• How do you feel you did at interpreting your dance sequence with your visual artwork? Was this easier or harder having a performance to base your visual pattern on?
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LG
OVERCURVES AND UNDERCURVES
1. Students should have knowledge of the shape of a curve. They should also have been exposed to the locomotor movements and the elements of dance. They should know about music and how to count, as well.
2. Predictable misunderstandings include confusing symbols and meanings. Some could also have trouble with counting music and moving at the same time.
3. Essential Questions: Where do you see undercurves and overcurves in your everyday life? Can you draw both of them in the air with your hand? How can you put them into your whole body?
Listen to Your Dance
Disciplines Addressed: Dance, Music
3rd – 4th Grade
Necessary Prior Knowledge: Be familiar with the Language of Dance and know how to count
Lesson Objectives: The students will demonstrate weight shift and will express it through undercurves and overcurves in ¾ time.
Future Objectives: Students will recognize where undercurves and overcurves exist in other disciplines, such as art, literature, math, etc.
National Standards Addressed:
• 1. Identifying and demonstrating movement elements and skills in performing dance.
• 2. Understanding choreographic processes.
• 7. Making connections between dance and other disciplines.
State Standards Addressed:
• Identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills (such as bend, twist, slide, skip, hop)
• Demonstrate ways of moving in relation to people, objects, and environments in set dance forms
• Create and perform simple dances based on their own movement ideas
• Express to others their understanding of specific dance performances, using appropriate language to describe what they have seen and heard
Intelligences Foci: Kinesthetic – students will be dancing around the room
Musical – students will be listening to music and for the timing
Interpersonal – students will be working with their classmates to
make up a dance
Logical – students will need to dance and move in time with the
music
Visual – students will see the shape of movements like
undercurves and overcurves.
Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
The final performance with their partners and their classmates’ analysis will show that they understand the concept. If they display all three elements in their dances (undercurves/overcurves, dancing with the ¾ time and weight shift) we will know the students understand the concept fully.
Advance Organizer:
Materials and Resources: music in ¾ time. Song options in ¾ time to use: Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway, Silent Night, O Holy Night, Lifehouse – You and Me, Edwin McCain – I’ll Be.
Teacher Preparation: previewing music selections, rearranging room, bringing extra sneakers incase student forgot.
Vocabulary Listing: under curve, over curve, waltz, weight shift
Safety Considerations: Make sure there is enough room so no students will bump into each other or something else.
Details of Instructional Activity:
1. Anticipatory Set: We will have already been studying about music and how to count music in 4/4 time. Students will know how to clap the beat of music and be able to keep it in their head. We have also been studying dance and the basic locomotor movements.
2. Body of the Lesson:
• While students are seated at their desks, do a quick review of how to count in 4/4 time and how to clap the beat in 4/4 time.
• Introduce the concept of ¾ time: explain how there are only 3 quarter notes in a measure and show the hand motions of how to conduct in ¾ time.
• Use the white board or chalk board to show different arrangements of notes in ¾ time. Use ikonic symbols to represent notes so the children can understand it better if they are unfamiliar with traditional symbols of eighth, quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes. Introduce the traditional symbols afterwards if children show comprehension.
• Clear out the room and have students stand in their own personal space.
• Use a drum to keep the tempo, accenting on the 1 (downbeat). Let the students move around the room in ¾ time and play with the rhythms.
• Play the 1st music selection and see if the students can find the 123 rhythm and count it out loud. Have them try to clap the rhythm, too.
• Let the students move around the room and dance to the ¾ time on their own.
• Show students a simple waltz, which is a dance performed in ¾ time.
• Break down the waltz and teach it to them.
o Step out to the right with your right foot. (1)
o Step front with your left foot and put all your weight on it. (2)
o Step back on your right foot. (3)
o (Repeat on other side) Step out to the left with your left foot. (1)
o Step front with your right foot and put all your weight on that foot. (2)
o Step back on your left foot. (3)
• Use the 1, 2, 3 method to indicate each movement and count while students do the waltz they can hear how the dance goes in ¾ time.
• Let the students practice this for a few minutes on their own.
• Ask the students what they noticed about the waltz and some qualities it had. What did their feet do? Did their arms do anything? Was it light or heavy?
• Introduce weight shift, if no student has already brought it up. Explain the concept of weight shift and keeping your weight transfer from one side to the other. Show how the waltz is a dance full of weight shift.
• Have students experiment with movements that show weight shift that travel around the room (walking, running, leaping, and almost all locomotor movement). Do this for a few minutes.
• Ask the students what they notice about weight shift. How does their body move? Can they go high? Can they stay low? Can they go high to low or low to high? Does their body make any curves when they practice weight shift?
• Introduce the concept of undercurves and overcurves.
o Undercurve: When your body moves, you make a curve that starts high, gets low and then high again. This curve feels heavy and low.
o Overcurve: When your body moves, you make a curve that starts low, gets high and then low again. This curve is very light and sometimes you can jump in the air with it.
• Have drawing of the arcs of undercurves and overcurves to help describe.
• Ask students to show a move that they think might have a curve in it.
• Have the students spread out and improvise with these movements and feel the undercurves and overcurves.
• Tell students to pick one undercurve movements and one overcurve movement to make a dance to. Then have them pick a partner to work with so they should now have 4 movements all together. They also need to include some other weight shifting between their curves. Tell them they will be making up these dances in ¾ time, too.
• Ask students if they want to use music for their dances, the drum beat, or if they want to try and count it on their own for their dance.
• Let them practicing their compositions to the music, if they choose, and tell them to make sure their counting 1, 2, 3, just like they did when they danced the waltz.
• After a few minutes, tell them to end their dance in their favorite shape.
• Have all the students sit in the front for the room and let the pairs perform their dances for their classmates.
• After all the performances, have the students take their seats.
3. Conclusion: Ask the students what thy saw in all their classmate’s dances. What made them unique? What was the same? What was different? What is different about dancing in ¾ time than in 4/4 time? What did you like about undercurves and over curves?
Ideas for Further Development and/or Interdisciplinary Connections:
• Turn this into a journal entry of why they liked it or didn’t like it.
• Have them draw a picture of what they think their dances looked like.
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II: The Colors of Contraction
MB
Theme
The act of contracting a specific muscle, groups of muscles or the body in general has often been a difficult and frustrating concept for new dancers. Often we find dance teachers attempting the guide students into “feeling the sensation,” a “sensation” which if the dancer does not have significant experience with dance movement can be confusing, misleading and frustrating. The lesson strives to help students to foster a better picture of what a contraction “feels” like by utilizing several other artistic disciplines. Furthermore, the idea of a “contraction” and what kinesthetic experiences surround a contraction can be helpful therapy into an investigation of a students’ social, cultural and/or emotional understanding of an issue that he or she may be facing.
Disciplines Addressed
Dance, Visual Art, Creative Writing and Music
Targeted Grade Levels
6-8
Necessary Prior Knowledge For Learner
General Understanding of Dance, Music, Visual Art and Poetic Elements with a focus in the following preferred:
- Visual Art—Color (i.e. mixing, complementary/primary, analysis of how color is applied, landscape painting, abstract vs. real)
- Music—Modes (i.e. major versus minor, doctrine of Musical Affections)
- Poetic—Metaphor, Simile, Imagery (i.e. basic “imagery-driven” poetic concepts, how to write a poem)
- Dance—Shapes, Simple Phrasing, Expression (i.e. can create a movement phrase with structured suggestion that utilizes basic dance elements)
Lesson Objectives
The student will express a personal or communal problem by composing a small movement phrase that demonstrates the correct efforts and technique of a contraction.
The student will investigate the “feeling” in a contraction by creating a series of artistic snapshots including a painting of the sky, a small musical composition and a short poem to gain a better understanding of contraction.
Future Objectives
The student will be able to express and work through difficult social, emotional and physical situations by utilizing the arts to help gain self-understanding and reflection.
National Standards Addressed:
Strengths: Several standards addressed from a variety of disciplines. Each discipline, Visual Art, Music, Dance (and what should be a discipline Creative Writing) address the creative standards, an often missed component.
Possible Standards Concerns: Although you can not address (nor should you) all standards in the lesson, this lesson has potential to be too focused on creativity and relies on one-to-one teachable moments to address technical concerns for each student. If given more time, the lesson could be broken down further to give more time for exploration of each given technique.
State Standards Addressed: (see NYS standards)
Intelligences Foci: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal (Both individual and group work utilized) Linguistic (Writing), Kinesthetic (Dancing), Visual (Visual Art), Musical (Music), Natural (Sky & Weather)
Assessment Evidence:
By performing a self-constructed movement phrase utilizing the proper-technique of a contraction; assessment can be fostered. A copy of the complete assessment scale is attached. As shown on the attached sheet, careful consideration has been taken to allow multiple ways for students to gain credit and contribute.
Advance Organizer:
Materials and Resources
High-pound Paper (at least 3 per student), Acrylic Paints, Brushes, Palettes, and Paint Cleaning supplies, Pencils, Waterproof Black Markers (Size 1-2), Several Small Hand Instruments (can be homemade), A piano or keyboard (if possible).
Teacher Preparation
Requesting or Signing out an open space such as a gymnasium, dance studio or ballroom is strongly recommended. Be sure to have a solid grasp on information mentioned in the “Prior Knowledge” section above as well as the techniques and movement information needed to perform a contraction.
Vocabulary Listing
Contraction – to be drawn into together, to make smaller
Release – to free from anything that restrains
Safety Considerations
Review guidelines for proper-dance etiquette and behavior when working in a studio. Also, very IMPORTANT…. Because this lesson strives to help students discuss and communicate difficult issues, it is important to discuss with students how each of us has different challenges and problems and that we are all equally undergoing issues. In other words, explain that we are to be encouraging and kind to one another. Furthermore, collaboration with school counselors or the school psychologist would be a welcoming consideration. (Most school psychologists would generally welcome the opportunity).
Details of Instructional Activity
Sometimes when I’m not very happy and things just are not going my way, my stomach turns into knots and it feels like the whole world is collapsing in on me, like someone has just sucked all the air and umph right out of me; Have any of you ever felt like that before? [Wait for Response] So I’m not alone in that feeling huh? Well in dance sometimes we perform a “contraction” which feels very similar to that same feeling. And today we’re going to explore those feelings.
INTRODUCTION
1) Start by having the students stand up beside their desk. Perform a contraction of the core. Use the words, “as if everything was being pulled into your belly but all the air was sucked-out.”
2) Have students perform it as a group several times. Offer general corrections to the group if necessary.
3) Ask the students if they know how to contract any other part of their body. What would it look like? What kinds of shapes or feelings might be seen? Give a few moments for exploration. Ask a few children to demonstrate their contraction for the class.
4) Have the children sit down. As you are passing out visual art materials ask the students what it felt like to go through the contraction. Be sure to encourage any student who might use imagery or metaphors to expand and share with the class their experience.
VISUAL ART – PART 1
5) Tell the children, “Remember when we were talking about Warm and Cool colors and how it sometimes made you feel certain ways?” [Wait for Response—Review material if necessary] “Well sometimes when I feel sad I like to look at the sky. I like to see all the colors and it helps me think things out. What colors do you think the sky would be if it were a contraction? Shhh… don’t tell me.
6) Before we begin I want you to close your eyes and think about a time when you were going through a difficult time. Maybe you felt like your whole body was in a contraction. Maybe you still feel that way sometimes. Think about what makes you feel that way. What pictures come to your mind when you feel all contracted and twisted up? Do you smell anything? Taste anything? Hear anything? What is the weather like outside? What did your body or brain want to do? [Slowly bring students out of recalled experience exercise]
7) Have students start by folding one piece of paper (creasing it along the width). Unfold the paper. On top of one side write the word, “contraction” and along the other the word, “release.”
8) Tell the students, “Using your prior knowledge of mixing colors and landscape painting, paint a ‘sky of contraction.’ Remember, I’m looking for your creativity in colors and the shapes and layout you create in the sky. You can add things below the sky, but I’m only grading you on the sky itself. Later you’ll need to tell me why you choose your specific color and sky layout.”
9) When the student is finished and while the painting is drying on their desk, have the students take out another sheet of paper and write a paragraph, story, and/or few sentences about why they choose the colors, designs and layout that they choose, be sure to say, “Points will be awarded to students who can connect their own personal thoughts about the times in their life when “life was tough” to their painting. Remember there is no right or wrong answer as long as you are clear in your explanation of the choices you made.[Encourage Poetic Elements… Use as bonus points]”
10) Repeat steps 1-9 using the concept of a “release” of contraction.
MUSIC—PART II
11) Tell the students to close their eyes and go back to their “places of contraction” This time have them focus on the sounds that they hear. Are they happy noises, sad sounds, soft whispers, loud gongs? Ask them what they think a contraction would sound like?
12) Briefly review major and minor modes, time signatures, beat and rhythm. Perform a class “vote” on which “mode” a contraction would likely be and which one a release would be. Ask if there are any exceptions.
13) Using the keyboard, piano, and other instruments, make several noises, chords or sounds and have the students vote on whether the sound would be a contraction sound or a release sound. Discuss.
14) Have the students split up into groups. Pass out instruments. (each group should have several instrument choices). Instruct the group that they must create a musical composition that contains at least 2 contractions and 2 releases and can be no more than 16 counts long. They can use whatever instruments they like (including their voices, hands and feet) as they as they show at least 2 contractions and 2 releases. Remind the students that points will be awarded based on their clear representation of a contraction and release as well as creativity and teamwork.
15) Give ample time to work through and practice. When each group is ready, take turns performing the new compositions for each other.
16) Have students individually take out a sheet of paper and write a few sentences about how the music connected to their own life of contractions and releases. Be sure to encourage poetic elements and remind students that there is no right or wrong answer as long as they can show the relationship between a part or whole section of the music they created and their own lives.
17) Collect the reflections and check to see if students are on track. Teachers should be looking for the students ability to create enough sensory material and reflection that he or she would be able to write a larger reflection paper that combines both reflections.
WRITING – PART III
18) Have the students write a reflection paper combining both of their old mini-reflections into one larger work. This paper must not only discuss the problems that the student is facing is his or her “contracted” state, but it must also give possible solutions as to how the student might overcome the problem. It is at this point that the school counselor could be meeting with each student as “writing-mentors” to not only coach proper grammatical skills but to help students with “facing and working through the contraction” Have the students turn in a completed rough draft at the end of the session.
19) Be sure to allow for new ideas and student exploration. The purpose of the larger work is to help the student synthesize the mini-works into a larger more holistic picture of the problem they are facing.
MOVEMENT—PART IV
20) Have the students circle the 3 most important images (usually supported by nouns) in their reflections. What strikes them as being critical points in their reflection stories. Re-write these 3 words on a separate sheet of paper. Put away the rough drafts.
21) Head to the ballroom, studio or gymnasium. Revisit the concept of “shape-making” in dance. Ask students to represent each of the words in a shape. Remember to ask for variety and refresh their memory on levels and angular versus curved shapes.
22) Have several students demonstrate their shape and discuss why they choose to perform it in a particular way.
23) Have the students perform the shapes in order by adding any transitional elements and movements that they like. Show and discuss several of the phrases. Review transitions in performance if necessary.
24) Split up into teams of 4. Each team is going to be asked to create a dance that contains the following.
a) 16 counts (Common Time)
b) At least 2 correct executions of contractions and releases
c) At least 1 shape from each students words
25) Be sure to explain that bonus credit will be given to groups that utilize smooth transitions, creative shapes and phrases, teamwork and a dedication to performing the dance. When ready, each group performs.
Use the rough draft as a concluding block to tie everything together. Students should take the rough draft, revise it, adding reflection from their dance-projects. Allow for students to continue to meet with the school counselors or psychologists if necessary.
Ideas for Further Development
Although obvious points of further development can be seen in several different artistic disciplines (i.e. what about what’s under the sky in the painting, melody lines in the music and versed poetry in the writing) the most interesting further developmental issue I find with the work is the concept of working side-by-side with a school psychologist to utilize art to not only learn, but help students understand this difficult and challenging world.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Connections to other artistic disciplines have already been clearly noted (i.e. see sections of work). However, with a little extra exploration (and a desire to take the lesson into the ‘public school’ realm, weather, clouds, the sky, the planets and the Earth would be good connective lessons.
In particular this lesson strongly emphasizes the relationship between imagery derived from kinesthetic, visual and auditory means and transferred into linguistic intelligence responses—and vice-versa.
IIA:
Name ____________________________________ Date ___________________
Movement Phrase
_______ (25 points) Group clearly showed at least 2 contractions and releases
_______ (10 points) Group clearly utilized at least 1 shape from every student.
_______ (05 points) Group executed phrase in 16 counts as required
_______ (BONUS 10 points) Groups utilized creative team-building attitudes
TOTAL POINTS ____ / _____
Music Phrase
_______ (5 points) Group clearly showed at least 2 contractions and 2 releases
_______ (5 points) Group executed phrase in 16 counts as required
_______ (BONUS 5 points) Groups utilized creative team-building attitudes
TOTAL POINTS _____ / _____
Visual Art
_______ (5 points) Student utilized and mixed a creative an innovating color
_______ (5 points) Evidence of inclusion of the elements of art is seen in sky’s layout
_______ (BONUS 5 points) Student went above and beyond given instruction
TOTAL POINTS _____ / _____
Writing
_______ (5 points) Visual Art Mini-Reflection clearly shows relationship to project
_______ (5 points) Music Mini-Reflection clearly shows relationship to project
_______ (5 points) Reflections utilize proper English Language Skills
_______ (10 points) Rough Draft complete and meets given requirements
_______ (15 points) Final Draft complete and meets given requirements
TOTAL POINTS _____ / _____
Comments:
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BW
Lesson Plan
IAC 491
Theme/Concept/Big Idea: Under curve and over curves
1) children should be able to find under curves and over curves in nature
2) one possible misunderstanding may be the terminology of under curve and over curve
3) List of Essential Questions:
a. What is an arch? (Discuss)
b. Where can you find archs in nature?
c. Can you make an arch with your body?
Lesson Title: Under Curves and Over Curves in Nature
Disciplines Addressed: Theatre and Science
Targeted Grade Levels: Kindergarten through First Grade
Necessary Prior Knowledge for Learner: What an arch is.
Lesson Objectives:
The student will describe different under curves and over curves found in nature.
The student will perform under curves and over curves with their bodies.
The student will identify the differences in under curves and over curves.
Future Objectives:
The student will be able to take the knowledge gained from this lesson and apply it to future lessons on science and shapes in nature.
National Standards for Disciplines Addressed:
Script Writing by Planning and Recording Improvisations Based on Personal Experience and Heritage, Imagination, Literature And History. - Students collaborate to select interrelated characters, environments, and situations for classroom dramatizations -Students improvise dialogue to tell stories, and formalize improvisations by writing or recording the dialogue
Acting by Assuming Roles and Interacting in Improvisations - Students imagine and clearly describe characters, their relationships, and their environments - Students use variations of locomotor and nonlocomotor movement and vocal pitch, tempo, and tone for different characters - Students assume roles that exhibit concentration and contribute to the action of classroom dramatizations based on personal experience and heritage, imagination, literature, and history
State Standards for Disciplines Addressed:
Create and perform theatre pieces as well as improvisational drama. They will understand and use the basic elements of theatre in their characterizations, improvisations, and play writing. Students will engage in individual and group theatrical and theatre-related tasks, and will describe the various roles and means of creating, performing, and producing theatre.
Intelligences Foci:
1) Kinesthetic
2) Verbal
3) Interpersonal
Assessment Evidence:
Performance Tasks:
The students will perform a creative drama exercise where they create a story using under curves and over curves that are found in nature. The students will create under curves and over curves with their bodies.
Rubric for Grading
Assessment 1 2 3 4
Children use their bodies to create under curves and over curves.
The students work collaboratively to create a creative dramatic work.
The students will discuss the performances and what changes different groups could have made.
Other Evidence:
The students will demonstrate the desired results by discussion, observations, and performance.
The students will reflect upon their performances through discussion and journaling.
Advance Lesson Organizer:
Materials and Resources: The teacher will need to prepare a box of miscelanious probs for the students to use throughout their performance.
Teacher Preparation: Rearrange the room to create a lot of space for performance.
Vocabulary Listing:
Under Curve
Over Curve
Arch
Pantomime
Safety Considerations:
Students will follow the designated class rules
Including respecting personal space and thinking creatively
Details of Instructional Activity:
Anticipatory Set:
Students begin the lesson with a movement warm-up activity.
- Students do the ant exercise and work as a team to find food for the colony.
- Students will then discuss the vocabulary words
Body of the Lesson:
A) Have students gather in a circle and ask them to come up with different arches that they can see in nature. Eg: rainbows, the path a whale moves through the water, the way a snake moves, the branches on trees, bowls, etc.
B) Next have students separate into two or three groups depending on the size of the class (should be roughly 5 or 6 people per group).
C) Then have the students create an improvisational skit using the different arches they found in nature (10 minutes)
D) After 10 minutes have the students reconvene in a big group and discuss what they came up with. Discuss possible changes and ways to make their performance better (5 minutes)
E) The students will then get back into their groups and practice their performances for 10 minutes.
Conclusion:
A) The students will perform their skits for each other.
B) After the performances have the students gather in a circle and discuss under curves and over curves and how they appeared in each performance.
C) What ways did you move your bodies to create the under curves and over curves?
D) Discuss what the students can do next time to make their skits even better and more creative!!
Ideas for Further Development:
After this lesson talk more about nature and what shapes and objects appear in our environment? How can you find the shapes and colors?
Interdisciplinary Connections:
The learner will learn about shapes and nature, connecting to science and math. Also, the movement connects to dance.
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Dear kpasunybrockport,
We have already taken TPL to an international public at the Monaco Dance Forum — back in 2003, I think. We have talked with a lot of folks in France and Germany about exchanges — and the Arab world is ripe for exchanges, too. The cultural exchange is as important as the artistic medium, as I am sure you understand.
"Sharing." Yes.
I really believe that the future is international exchanges, as you intimate. On the TPL website, go to WHAT'S HAPPENING and check out the .pdf of TPL World Bridge — not funded, this time 'round — but a lovely idea. You inspired me, so I put up a listing of some current ideas we are working on. Click on NEAT PROJECTS.
Perhaps you will be our first interactive coach!!!! (Or your classroom, the first test site!)
Australia is very advanced in media — we have done some looking there, and our efforts may result in a project.
For the moment, 'though, we want to do better what we do now. Next year, we hope to do a wonderful project with The Alvin Ailey Company — AILEY: 3 Generations, it's called. Three great dancers from different decades (!) will teach Horton Technique© — and then we will end by dancing together an Ailey masterwork, coached by the great dance artist, Dudley Williams.
So, you see, we have a lot to do right here.
Of course, all of this must be underwritten/funded. And that takes time and energy.
The TPL Model will "catch on," I am convinced. I may not see that time — but it's on the road!!
Thanks for the question!
Rick |
 Re: TPL |
Posted by: RAH
Date Posted: April 30, 2007, 3:08am |
Word-Hits
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What did you expect from TPL and what aspects did you not expect from this exchange?
Here is a reply to lwebsuny from Gloria:
I am not sure what I expected -- I knew it would be a challenge to communicate well and meaningfully over the wires, as we did.
I didn't expect the little dances that SUNY students made from the very first live lesson!
I didn't expect all the wonderful applications that SUNY students are now suggesting for the materials that we covered.
I didn't quite expect the shyness from some - I guess I assumed everyone would be curious, and forgot that sometimes
beginners are very self-conscious about the body. This is real issue and one to think about. Different students, or dancers at
different levels, have varying goals for their participation in dance. If you are training to dance professionally, you learn to
overcome that shyness -- you have to, it's the nature of performance (and yes, many professionals also are shy about being seen, and have to make a transformation to become performers - and we make the changes because we somehow believe there is something bigger than just "little me" that gets expressed through our dancing).
I am never quite sure how my teaching goes over, over the wires (yes, I am self-conscious, too). But I really appreciate that everyone made changes as we went along, or so it appears to me. I am glad I made the decision to repeat the basic exercises each time. It's important to me as a teacher, and I think it's also important fro students to understand that almost nothing can be learned in a single exposure.
One must repeat, and refine. Especially dancing, because it requires us to embody what we know, is a process.
It's been a wonderful growing process for me to do this work.
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I think this interacive exchange has been a great way to connect and share with others.
My questions:
Do you think this will catch on in schools nationwide?
Would you consider going international like England or Australia?
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| I liked the idea of overcurve and undercurve. I used this in my lesson plan to make connections in nature. I felt that if the instructor took their students on a nature walk, that the students would be flooded with the notion of undercurve and overcurve right outside their own window. Flowers are full of curves, a babbling brook flow with ripples of various curves, the curves found in the branches of trees, or the rings of a tree's age on the stump makes many rounded curves, rainbows, the list goes on. Obviously, this idea of undercurve and overcurve would be a wonderful way to introduce a great science lesson! I think using undercurve and overcurve as a flow of movement through dance would be a memorable way to get the idea stuck in the students brains! |
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| The mask idea was really interesting. I am studying to become an early childhood classroom teacher and I hope to use creative ideas, such as this one, in my classroom. It certainly helps to spice a boring lesson plan up! |
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| Rick, I finally made it here without complication, thank you again. I do agree with you about the small feeling of invasion at first. The hardest part is keeping the room consistent with the camera. As a class at Brockport we find it a little hard, and yet funny to that we try to mimick eachother but we are all facing in the opposites. Once we figured it out it went quite smoothly |
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| Both of you, these are great ideas. Any on of these ideas could carry a class for a long time. |
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Great ovbersation! This would be great to see, in a way that is not too self-consious -- just catching these reactions, rather than trying to make them.... And this could be helpful in overcoming some shynesses, or self-consciousness.
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You are all responding so creatively, and that is the primary ingredient in any new method working.
Catsuny's idea that the coaches/teachers on either end should work closely together is a good point. And also the notion of not getting overly visually directed, or result-directed. So it might be good to devise an interplay between the "home" classes where work is developed carefully and in detail, and then the "interactive" classes where that work is shared and expanded with another group. A very interesting curriculum could be formulated in this way.
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These three coaching sessions have enormously expanded my understanding of interactive coaching. As a dancer, I have always been aware of the "oral tradition" that is the core of transmitting dance from generation to generation. There will never be a substitute for the live person! But these sessions make me aware of how much really can be conveyed - much more than I imagined! And all your comments lead to the refinement of exactly which kinds of information are conveyed best. Clearly, this is a visual based medium, but I think with some time one could also devise ways to get around that. One of our goals was to "sculpt" movement - that is, to see how effective a detailed correction of technique can be. So we did that. But it's only one thing to do.
I loved, for example, the day we made "loops". They were each unique and not right or wrong, but creative expressions of a concept conveyed. They could be felt more.
the masks also, hopefully, provided a way to go beyond just technique of correct movement, and into a little more aesthetic dimension, at least to suggest the possibilities of play.
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