Lesson Plan | Active Methodology | Dance Experience

Premises: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class duration, prior student study both with the Book and the beginning of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be carried out during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a large part of the available time.

Objective

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Objectives stage is crucial for setting the direction of the lesson and ensuring that both the teacher and students share a common understanding of what will be explored. This section outlines essential goals to steer practical activities in class, making certain that students can effectively use the theoretical knowledge they gained at home. This approach aims to deepen students' appreciation of dance not only as an artistic expression but also as a vital component of personal and social growth.

Objective Utama:

1. Explore the rich variety of dance experiences and relationships, highlighting its significance in physical and motor development.

2. Foster students' ability to express themselves and understand their bodies through engaging dance activities.

Objective Tambahan:

1. Encourage students’ creativity and cooperative spirit during practical activities.
2. Boost self-confidence and body awareness among students.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The introduction is designed to capture students' attention by connecting them with the content they studied previously at home. Through problem situations, students are prompted to reflect and apply their knowledge. Contextualization aims to bridge theory and practice, showcasing the relevance and applicability of dance in various real and historical contexts, thereby stimulating students’ interest and curiosity about the topic.

Problem-Based Situation

1. Imagine you're organizing a dance performance for a school fest, and the song you've chosen is quite different from what you're used to. How can your previous dance experience help adapt the choreography to fit this new song?

2. Picture a scenario where one group member struggles to remember the steps to a dance routine that the whole group should be familiar with. How can your understanding of the physical and motor aspects of dance help the group tackle this issue?

Contextualization

Dance is not only a captivating form of artistic expression but also a powerful activity that nurtures physical and emotional well-being. Research suggests that engaging in dance enhances memory and concentration while alleviating stress and anxiety. Historically, dance has been key in rituals and celebrations across cultures, acting as a means of communication and a reflection of identity.

Development

Duration: (75 - 85 minutes)

The Development stage aims to provide students an opportunity to practically and creatively apply their knowledge of dance gained at home, exploring diverse styles, cultures, and elements. Each proposed activity encourages deeper theoretical understanding and the development of collaboration, creativity, and body expression skills. By working in groups, students are motivated to share ideas, solve challenges, and appreciate cultural diversity through the lens of dance.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - World Dance Party

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Apply theoretical knowledge of dance to create original choreography, exploring cultural diversity alongside the physical and motor aspects of dance.

- Description: In this fun activity, students will be grouped, each representing a different country. They will create a choreography based on a traditional dance style from that country, incorporating elements of dance they have studied at home. Each group will present their choreography, explaining the movements and the story behind them.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Assign each group a different country and provide a short description of its traditional dance style.

• Groups should research and practice traditional dance movements from their assigned country, focusing on the physical and motor elements discussed in their home studies.

• Each group must create a choreography of about 3 minutes that represents their assigned traditional dance style.

• Prepare a presentation in which each group will demonstrate their choreography, followed by a brief explanation of the cultural aspects and physical challenges they encountered during practice.

Activity 2 - Musical Mime

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Enhance interpretation and body expression skills through dance, promoting creativity and cooperation among students.

- Description: In this group activity, students will select a popular song and create choreography that vividly expresses the story and emotions of the song without using words. They should focus on using movements to convey feelings while applying dance techniques learned earlier.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to 5 members.

• Each group selects a popular song that is not typically danced to as the basis for their choreography.

• Students must listen to the song and discuss which movements and body expressions could convey the story and emotions.

• Groups will create a mime choreography that narrates the story of the selected song, without using any spoken words.

• Each group presents their choreography to the class, followed by a discussion on how the movements were chosen and the aspects of the music they correspond to.

Activity 3 - Dance of the Elements

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Discover the connection between dance and nature, enhancing both physical and emotional understanding of natural elements through body expression.

- Description: In this engaging activity, students will create choreography that embodies one of the four natural elements (water, fire, earth, air). In groups, they will research and explore movements that symbolize each element, crafting a sequence that combines grace, strength, and fluidity.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of 5 students.

• Assign each group one of the four natural elements to express through dance.

• Students should research and practice movements that symbolize their element, considering its physical and energetic characteristics.

• Each group will create a choreography that represents their element, focusing on showcasing both the strength and delicacy associated with it.

• Groups will present their choreographies, followed by a discussion on how the chosen movements represent their assigned element.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

This stage aims to consolidate both practical and theoretical learning, allowing students to reflect on their experiences and articulate the knowledge they've gained. The group discussion fosters communication and collaboration skills while providing a platform to assess how well students grasp the relevance of dance in various contexts and its positive impact on physical and motor development.

Group Discussion

At the end of the presentations, gather all students for a group discussion. Begin with a brief introduction, stressing the importance of sharing experiences and learnings. Invite each group to share what surprised them the most during their practical explorations of dance and how the theoretical concepts they covered at home related to what they executed in class. Encourage students to talk about any challenges they faced and how they overcame them, fostering reflection on their learning journey.

Key Questions

1. What were the major challenges in choreographing your dance and how did you navigate them?

2. In what ways can dance convey emotions and narratives without words?

3. How has this dance experience altered your perception of movement's role in physical and motor development?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Conclusion serves as a vital component to reinforce the knowledge acquired and ensure students can clearly articulate their learnings. By summarizing the key themes of the lesson and emphasizing the connection between theory and practice, this section aids students in internalizing the content and appreciating the significance of dance in their education and personal journeys. Furthermore, by highlighting the benefits of dance, it reaffirms the ongoing importance of engaging with and practicing artistic skills.

Summary

To wrap up, let's revisit the key takeaways from this lesson. We delved into the cultural richness of dance through practical activities that involved creating choreographies inspired by traditional styles from various countries, interpreting songs through mime, and representing natural elements. Each activity enabled students to apply their theoretical understanding of dance, emphasizing expression as well as physical and motor development.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was purposefully crafted to link the theory explored at home with practical application in class. By employing problem-solving scenarios and activities that necessitated direct application of theoretical knowledge about dance, we noticed a clear demonstration in students' presentations of how they translated theory into expressive and fluid movements, showcasing what they learned.

Closing

Lastly, it's essential to underline that dance is more than merely an art form; it's a potent means for personal and social development. Through dance, students have explored their creativity, improved their non-verbal communication, and heightened their body awareness. These skills bear significance not just in the arts but also in everyday life, fostering the growth of more well-rounded and empathetic individuals.