The ACS Drama and Dance program is guided by the National Core Arts Standards for Theater and Dance. The Dance requirements are also addressed by the SHAPE America Standards that provide guidance for the Physical Education program.
The standards include:
CREATING
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Refine and complete artistic work.
PERFORMING/PRESENTING/PRODUCING
Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
RESPONDING
Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
CONNECTING
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.
For the complete list of standards from PreK through high school, please click below:
For the complete list of standards from PreK through high school, please click below:
Ensemble Building
Ensemble Building
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
We will start the year by reviewing norms and expectations, and reconnecting or getting to know each other as peers. Students will be reminded of expectations entering and leaving the room, and review dance class norms to start the year.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
An ensemble is a group of people working together to achieve something.
Each member of the class is responsible for the success of the class.
We practice ACS Core Values and Approaches to Learning in Drama & Dance.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Enter and start class without prompt
Review putting a dance sequence together
Review putting a scene together as an ensemble
World Dance (Current School Year)
World Dance (Current School Year)
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
In this unit students will learn:
A variety of movement specific to one culture or region OR
Movement from different cultures and regions
If time permits they will be tasked with creating movement that represents ACS culture.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
Dancers use their own life to interpret the viewing, creation and performance of dance
Before dancers learn a dance - they ask why it is danced.
Criteria for evaluating dance vary across genres, styles, and cultures. (The culture and type of dance decides if a dance is good or not.)
We use the things we learn, see and hear in our own life to create and express movement.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Experience dance movements from the culture or region introduced
Identify key characteristics of that shared group
Evaluate the effectiveness of a shared dance
Create a class dance
Sharing Cultural Dance (2018-2019 School Year)
Sharing Cultural Dance (2018-2019 School Year)
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
(This is part 3 - in the first part students learned about a variety of cultural dances and learned the movement. In part 2 they learned folk dance and created their own cultural dance). Students will research and share the traditional or modern dance of their culture or of their peer.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
Dance is a form of communication and history.
People use dance to express unity and tradition.
Choreographers first use their own experiences to express an idea.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Create and present a powerpoint
Work in a group to choreograph a dance
Perform choreographed dance
View and critique representations of traditional or modern dance of other cultures
Production: Devising, Rehearsal and Performance - 2019-2020 Parent Showcase
Production: Devising, Rehearsal and Performance - 2019-2020 Parent Showcase
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
Students will be able to showcase their learning over their time in Elementary Dance & Drama by producing a showcase for their parents. This unit will facilitate the project. In groups students will be tasked with directing or choreographing and performing and scene as well as creating the artistic technical design for another group's scene.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
Theater artists make connections to their other classes, school, peers, and their community when experiencing and creating theatre.
We use the things we learn, see and hear in our own life to create and express movement.
Theatre artists make strong choices to effectively convey meaning.
Different based on group:
I use my own life to give meaning to the plays I watch and the drama I create.
The elements of dance are the tools we use to choreograph and be our BEST.
I use Praise, Question and Polish to assess my work and other’s work.
I have a toolbox that I use to prepare for a performance.
Rehearsing my work over and over makes it better.
I use big body and voice choices to express my character’s idea. I match the story’s main idea to the colors and sounds I choose to convey meaning.
We perform to share stories.
I think about my choices in dance and drama to become a better me everywhere.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Experience participating in playing several production roles on and off stage
Collaborate to Choreograph or Direct their own piece
Create and execute technical cues and designs for a specific scene
Produce and perform a show for an audience
Scene Acting Review (2018-2019 Past School Year)
Scene Acting Review (2018-2019 Past School Year)
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
Students will discuss, analyze, rehearse and perform a short scene in groups or as a monologue. They will review how to break a scene down into beats, make personal connections with the story, apply stage directions and the Actor's Toolbox to block a scene and work together to convey an overall concept to the audience.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
Theater artists make connections to their other classes, school, peers, and their community when experiencing and creating theatre.
Theater artists use their own life to give meaning to the plays they watch and the drama they create.
Theater artists have their own imagination and we use courage and curiosity to make theatre
Theater artists can communicate with their body and voice as well as technical elements to share an idea.
Rehearsing work over and over makes it better.
Theater artists use big body and voice choices to express their character’s idea.
Theater artists have a toolbox that they use to prepare for a performance.
Theater artists perform to share stories.
Theater artists think about their choices in dance and drama to become a better person everywhere.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Imagine how a character’s inner thoughts impact the story and given circumstances in a drama/ theatre work
Participate in defined responsibilities required to present a drama/theatre work informally to an audience
Describe the underlying thoughts and emotions that create dialogue and action in a drama/theatre work
Use physical choices to create meaning in a drama/theatre work
Present drama/theatre work informally to an audience
Production Process Drama (2018-2019 Past School Year)
Production Process Drama (2018-2019 Past School Year)
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
This unit combines the key elements explored through the year: the Actor's Toolbox, Tableau, Pantomime, and Improvisation into a long form improvisation in which students make choices in character and reflect on what the theme of the selected play means to them personally. Students will spend the unit telling one guided improvised story.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
Performers perform to share stories.
Performers use big body and voice choices to express their character’s idea.
Performers think about their choices in dance and drama to become a better person everywhere.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Create a character and make physical choices to contribute to the story
Apply their personal experiences to a fictional story
Demonstrate their understanding of tableau, physical expression, pantomime and improvisation
Music Videos
Music Videos
Unit Sketch
Unit Sketch
Students will create music videos based on the decade assigned to them.
Enduring Understandings
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that...
We think about the choices an artist made with the Dance Elements when deciding what a dance piece is saying or means.
The culture and type of dance decides if a dance is good or not.
Skills
Skills
Students will be able to...
Choreograph a dance piece based on the style and time period of the song
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