Social Studies and Dance

This course has taught me a lot about incorporating dance into different curriculum areas. One lesson we got was incorporating dance into social studies, and let me tell you... it was pretty cool!

At first, I didn't know what was happening. We got into groups and were given a bag of shapes. We were told to create a pattern with the shapes. This was our only instruction. Of course, our linear brains made a pattern in a straight line, but that's not terrible. All of a sudden, we were told that we had just choreographed a dance. WHAT?

We were then given a legend of the types of movements that the shapes represented. We were then to follow our pattern and create a movement sequence using these terms.

 Legends and keys. That's what this was all about. Starting in grade one students are required to learn about mapping and using symbols in maps. Specific curriculum expectations that reflect this are: 

  • B3.4 demonstrate an understanding of the basic elements of a map (e.g., title, symbols in the legend, direction, scale, and colour) when reading and constructing simple maps showing places that are significant to them (e.g., their classroom, the school, their immediate neighbourhood)
  • B3.6 demonstrate the ability to construct simple maps of places they have visited, using symbols and non-standard units (e.g., use different symbols to show the location of the play, picnic, and walking areas in a local park; use houses or blocks as units of measurement; include a scale and legend on a map showing the route and distance from their classroom to the washroom; use symbols on a sketch map of their route to school to show the built and natural features they pass by)
We used the different symbols and legend given to us in order to create a movement sequence. I personally feel that this is a great way to introduce the use of legends in maps. Students will become familiar with the idea of symbols while having the opportunity to move around. 

This activity could be open to extensions by having students create their own legend of movement words and having other groups try it out. I really enjoyed completing this activity while developing more of an understanding of incorporating movement into social studies.

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