Unit 2 — History of the Arts and Culture, Performance, and Aesthetic Responses
Description
Unit 2 expands students' understanding of dance by exploring how cultural expression and artistic choices are represented through movement across different historical periods and world cultures. Students research, learn, and perform simple traditional dances from various cultures, comparing and contrasting the elements of dance in each. They examine how dancers use movement to express human emotion, culture, and gender. Students engage with folk dances, square dances, line dances, and creative storytelling through dance based on folk tales from authentic cultures. Through studying choreographers and their work, students identify aesthetic qualities and characteristics of artists. Students construct criticism based on observable criteria and recognize clues that explain the artist's intent. Performance and peer critique remain central as students share stories demonstrating emotions and feelings through dance.
Essential Questions
- How is cultural expression represented in dance?
- How does societal value affect artistic choice?
- How are different body movements used to create or represent dance from different cultures?
- How are the values of culture represented in dance?
- What determines aesthetic quality?
- How can criticism improve artistic quality?
Learning Objectives
- Recognize that every student has a cultural background and that dance is part of it
- Analyze how dancers use movement to express artistic concerns such as human emotion, culture, and gender
- Compare and contrast dances from various cultures
- Identify characteristic theme-based works of dance from various historical periods and world cultures
- Understand that people danced differently in different historical periods past and present
- Create a dance based on a folk song or world culture
- Learn about folk tales from an authentic culture and construct criticism based on observable criteria
- Identify aesthetic qualities of exemplary works of dance and characteristics of the artists who created them
Suggested Texts
- Angelina Ballerina - Friendship Theme — video/animation
- Ten Dances Around the World — instructional resource
- 20 Amazing Dances from Around the World — instructional resource
- Folk tales from various cultures — literature
Supplemental Resources
- Construction paper and markers for creating visual representations of cultural dances and choreographer characteristics
- Printed images or photographs of dancers from different cultures for comparison and analysis
- Graphic organizers for comparing and contrasting elements of dance across cultures
- Index cards or sentence strips for vocabulary related to different cultural dance forms
- Pocket folders or binders for students to collect research on famous choreographers and cultural dances
Dance - Connecting
Dance - Responding
Students determine central ideas and themes from texts, integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media formats including visual and quantitative presentations, ask and answer questions about key details in texts, and describe relationships between illustrations and story content.
Students express individuality and cultural diversity through dramatic play and movement, learn about and respect other cultures within the classroom and community, and describe how culture is expressed through and influenced by the behavior of people.
Formative Assessments
- Reflection and discussion after improvisation dances about how it felt to move
- KWL chart used to identify knowledge of cultural dance
- Performance observation of students learning and performing simple traditional dances from various cultures
- Comparison and contrast of dance elements across different cultural dances using graphic organizers
- Written or drawn work documenting personal responses to cultural dance performances
Summative Assessment
Research project on a famous choreographer identifying characteristics (gender, age, training, style), selecting a work by that choreographer, and identifying aesthetic qualities that make it exemplary
Benchmark Assessment
Final benchmark assessment measuring student success with identifying cultural expression in dance and analyzing the relationship between culture and artistic choice
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through movement responses, visual matching activities, or teacher-led discussion in place of written or research components. Visual supports such as picture cards of dances, cultural symbols, or emotion cues, along with simplified graphic organizers, may be provided to help students identify and compare dance elements across cultures.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students may benefit from visual supports such as picture cards or short video clips that illustrate cultural dances and the emotions they express, helping build understanding before movement exploration begins. Graphic organizers for comparing and contrasting dances should be simplified to include picture prompts or drawn responses rather than written text, since students are emergent writers. When sharing observations or aesthetic responses, students should be encouraged to respond orally or through movement demonstration rather than in writing. Additional processing time and repeated exposure to cultural dance examples will support students in connecting movement vocabulary to what they observe and perform.
Section 504
Students should be seated with a clear sightline to demonstrations and performance areas to support visual processing of movement patterns. Extended time for completing graphic organizers or drawn responses allows students to express their observations without time pressure. A low-distraction space during reflection or discussion activities supports sustained focus when students are asked to describe what they noticed about cultural dances.
ELL / MLL
Visual cues such as photographs, short video clips, and physical demonstration are especially important in this unit, where students are exploring unfamiliar cultural dances and world folk traditions. Key vocabulary related to dance elements and cultural expression should be introduced with picture support and modeled through movement before students are asked to use the terms. When possible, connections to students' home cultures and languages should be welcomed, particularly as students recognize that dance is part of every cultural background. Simple, clear directions paired with physical demonstration help students understand what is expected during movement activities and discussions.
At Risk (RTI)
Building on students' existing cultural knowledge and personal movement experiences provides a strong entry point into this unit's exploration of dance across cultures. Offering simpler versions of traditional dance patterns allows students to participate successfully before adding complexity, reinforcing confidence and engagement. Connecting the emotions expressed in cultural dances to students' own feelings and experiences helps make abstract artistic concepts more accessible. Frequent teacher check-ins during movement activities and discussion ensure students remain connected to the learning and receive immediate positive feedback on their participation.
Gifted & Talented
Students who demonstrate early mastery of comparing cultural dances can be encouraged to investigate the historical or social context behind a particular folk dance or choreographer's work at a deeper level, moving beyond surface observation to consider why a culture dances the way it does. During the choreographer research project, these students can explore how a choreographer's personal identity, cultural background, or historical moment shaped their artistic choices, developing more nuanced aesthetic criticism. Gifted students may also be invited to create their own short movement sequence inspired by a specific cultural dance form, making intentional choices about how to express emotion, story, or cultural meaning through movement.