5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Teacher: David Knapp

Date:
Subject/grade level: dance-movement art/science/ grade 3
Materials:
Literature:

Garrett, G. (2004). Solids, liquids, and gases. New

York: Children's Press.
Zoehfeld, K., & Meisel, P. (1998). What is the world
made of?: All about solids, liquids, and gases. New
York: HarperCollins.

Music:
Learning Thru Music | State to State. (n.d.).
Retrieved September 6, 2015, from
http://www.learningthrumusic.com

Manipulatives:
Vocabulary posters/cards
Writing pencils/pens
Adaptive materials (pencil grips, slant boards for writing, etc.) as needed
Arts Areas:
Visual Arts: text illustrations, vocabulary posters, real objects
Drama/Theater Arts: use of imagination (i.e. pretend to be melting ice) as part of dance/movement activity
Dance: explicit teaching: use of space, non-locomotor movement, locomotor movement
Music: part of energizer and exploration/activity
Multiples Intelligences:
Visual-Spatial text illustrations, vocabulary posters, real objects
Bodily-kinesthetic dance and movement learning activity
Musical music part of energizer and exploration/activity
Interpersonal understanding social norm/expectations of interacting with others while working/moving
Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests; awareness of personal interpretation in dance/movement
Linguistic - listening to/understanding text, using words effectively in discussion
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Logical -Mathematical understanding logical scientific properties of matter and movement
Naturalistic examples of matter in the real world
Curricular Area(s):
Science: content concept = properties of matter
Dance and movement: movement/dance to express a concept or action/event
Dramatic Arts: pretend (example: to be freezing water changing from liquid to solid or vice versa, etc.)
Language arts: listening & reading to understand text(s)
Lesson objective(s):
Students will explore the science concepts of the three primary states of matter (liquid, solid and gas).
Students will use knowledge of basic dance/movement (ex: knowledge of personal space, nonlocomotor
movement and locomotor movements) to demonstrate personal interpretation to given prompts (example:
move/dance communicating freezing water, melting candle, etc) as well as learn to practice silent
(nonverbal) concentration and control of their movements
Students will use imagination to connect creative movement techniques to science concepts.
Students complete dance/movement activity cooperatively with peers and then verbally share their
experience with peers in class/ small group setting; students will be able to explore movements generated by
themselves and others and discuss other students performances giving appropriate/constructive feedback

Physical Science (grade 3)

https://iowacore.gov/iowa-core/subject/science/3
Matter (Physical Science Unifying Concept A)
(3)2.1 Define attributes that differentiate solids, liquids, and gases.
(3)2.2 Describe and investigate changes in matter (i.e.: melting and evaporation).

2014 Core Arts Standards in Dance:

http://www.ndeo.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=893257&module_id=159624
Dance Artistic Process: Creating
Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.(Process Component: Explore)
Essential Question: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?
3rd grade DA:Cr1.1.3
a. Experiment with a variety of self-identified stimuli (for example, music/sound, text, objects, images,
notation, observed dance, experiences) for movement.
b. Explore a given movement problem. Select and demonstrate a solution.
Dance Artistic Process: Creating
Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work (Process Component: Plan)
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Essential Question: What influences choice-making in creating choreography?
3rd grade DA:Cr2.1.3
b. Develop a dance phrase that expresses and communicates an idea or feeling. Discuss the effect of the
movement
Dance Artistic Process: Creating
Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work. (Process Component: Revise)
Essential Question: How do choreographers use self-reflection, feedback from others, and documentation to
improve the quality of their work?
3rd grade DA:Cr3.1.3
a. Revise movement choices in response to feedback to improve a short dance. Describe the differences the
changes made in the movements.
Dance Artistic Process: Performing
Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation. (Process Component:
Express)
Essential Question: How do dancers work with space, time and energy to communicate artistic expression?
3rd grade DA:Pr4.13
a. Perform movement sequences in and through space with intentionality and focus.
b. Fulfill specified duration of time with improvised locomotor and non-locomotor movements.
c. Change use of energy and dynamics by modifying movements and applying specific characteristics to
heighten the effect of their intent.
Dance Artistic Process: Performing
Anchor Standard 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work (Process Component: Present)
Essential Question: How does a dancer heighten artistry in a public performance?
3rd grade DA:Pr6.1.3
b. Explore simple production elements (costumes, props, music ) for a dance performed for an audience.
Dance Artistic Process: Responding
Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work (Process Component: Interpret)
Essential Question: How is dance interpreted?
3rd grade DA:Re8.1.3
Select specific context cues from movement. Explain how they relate to the main idea of the dance using
basic dance terminology.

Language Arts Standards:

Reading Literature (RL)
RL.3. Key Ideas and Details
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text.
RI.3.4-Determine the meaning of general academic and domain specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.7- Use information gained from illustrations and words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the
text (e.g., where, when, why, and how).

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

RL.3 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by words.
Speaking and Listening (SL)
SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneonone, in groups, and teacherled) with
diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Follow agreedupon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
c. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Auditory cues, additional movement space, peer or adult pairing for student(s) during movement activities,
etc. as needed
Pencil type grips, slant boards for writing, etc. as needed
Options for task completion (for example: non movement activities if needed)
Anticipatory Set/Energizer/ENGAGEMENT
Lets warm up with an activity called Slow-Mo Concentration Cornett, 2011, p.288) Pick an everyday
movement but do it very s-l-o-w-l-y. Pretend to sweep your porch, pet your dog, touch your toes, climb
stairs, etc.
*We will work in groups and then perform; our slow motion movement for the rest of the class to let us
know what works and what else we might try.
Today we are going to study states of matter; including how matter changes states sometimes (for
example: solid ice melts into moving water).
Ask students to look around the room and think about what the world is made of.
Have students share their ideas. (Chart or list on the board)
Tell: Scientists classify everything in the world as matter.
Tell the students that for this unit in science, they will be learning what matter is, the different types/or
states of matter, and how the different states can change from one to the other.
EXPLORATION
Explicit teaching of movement prior to specific lesson re: matter and dance/movement activity:
1. Begin with very simple and controlled movement exercises. These should be non-locomotor movement
exercises that do not require students to travel from one point to another. *Stretch Twist Flex Wiggle
Bend Shake Clap Stomp Sway Balance Push Squat
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

2. Build Gradually- After students are comfortable with non-locomotor movement add locomotion
(movement from one place to another.) *Walk Run Skip Hop Jump Slide Crawl March Tip-toe Gallop
Lunge Crab-walk
3. Freeze Training - teach students a freeze signal such as lights flickering, drum beat, bell rung, (No
matter what they are doing or where they are in the room, they must be able to freeze in an instant.)
4. Define personal space. Personal space is the space right around a person that is their safe area. They can
move there freely without hurting anyone, and no one will hurt them. Example: its the space right
around your body when you have with your arms extended.
Explicit teaching of science concept(s):
Read aloud the texts Solids, Liquids, and Gases and What is the world made of?
Discussion prompts:
Where are some places that we can find ice?
Ice is a solid. How can we describe solids?
What are some other examples of solids?
Where are some places that we can find water?
Water is a liquid. How can we describe liquids?
What are some other examples of liquids?
Where do we find water vapor or steam?
Water vapor is a gas. How can we describe gasses?
What are other examples of gasses?
Demonstrate the properties/three primary states of matter and the specific characteristics of liquid, gas,
and solids.

Listen to the song: State to State (using the lyrics displayed, have students sing along); review/continue
discussion of the properties of matter and the characteristics of liquid, gas, and solids per lyrics.

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Chorus There are three states of matter,
Yes, there are three states.
We call them solid, liquid, gas,
Solid, liquid, gas.
Verse 1 When you see a solid,
Observe its rigid form.
Ice cubes in a solid state,
Wont drip until theyre warmed.
Verse 2 A liquid in a bottle,
Will take the bottles shape.
In summer we go swimming,
In winter time we skate.
Verse 3 A gas like water vapor,
Expands to fill a space.
Water in a boiling pot,
Starts to evaporate.
Verse 4 Heat is the key to changing states,
Just add or take away.
Matter moves from state to state,
To help us every day.
EXPLANATION
Vocabulary:
Dance space, nonlocomotor / locomotor movement
Matter, liquid, solid, gas .. melt, boil, freeze, evaporate, condense
Explicit teaching of science concept(s) (cont.)
Demonstrate/Discuss how matter can change state experiments and/or videos demonstrating liquid water
freezing into solid ice, solid candle melting into liquid, etc.

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

ELABORATION/APPLY
Movement Activity
Have students create and perform dance movements to represent a change in the state of matter OR
movement in matter (examples: liquid ice freezing and becoming a solid, solid melting, liquid
flowing, evaporation, etc)
During the activity:
Play the instrumental version of the song State to State (to connect science concepts previously sung in the
lyrics to thedance activity). Note: Using instrumental version encourages student creative
interpretation/imagination without their listening to/being influenced by specific lyrics.
Encourage students to include both nonlocomotor and locomotor movements in their creative dance. Ask
them to think of ways to use their body to represent the motion of matter either changing its state
(freezing, melting) or moving through space (water flowing, solid rolling, etc..).
After:
Ask students how they decided to match their movements to the concepts.
Discuss what parts of their body they chose to use to represent certain ideas (example: arm movements to
create direction, twirling entire body to represent a concept, etc..).
Ask if there was a reason why in some parts of the dance they used nonlocomotor movements versus
locomotion.
Discuss how the music did or did not- direct or shape their movements.
Discuss how creative/interpretative dancing is different from performing specific movements at specific
times (such as in a dance like The Hokey Pokey or Macarena).
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

EVALUATION
Peer evaluation: discuss as group the features in each others dance/movements that were particularly
effective (ex.: that specific movement really looked like water melting etc.)
Teacher Observation: student participation discussing science concepts; students participation/performance
re: dance/movement activities
Assessment Anecdotal Records
CLOSURE
Discuss the following questions as a class:
Science:
What does all matter in the universe have in common?
How are you like a glass of water? (Both are matter, made of atoms, take up space, etc.)
How are you different from a glass of water? (Different shape, size, color, smell, texture, etc.)
Dance:
How does creative dance/movement differ from dances with specific movements?
What did you think of while you were creating your original dance/movements to represent your state of
matter ideas?
**Would you have felt differently if we had not choreographed our own work but had instead learned a
specific dance someone else had already made up -- to demonstrate melting for example?

References:

Cornett, C. (2011). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.
Home - National Dance Education Organization. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2015, from
http://www.ndeo.org

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Assessment:

Anecdotal Records

Suggestions for observations:

1. Is able to move freely without colliding with or touching other students.
2. Listens to directions, stopping and starting on verbal cues from teacher.
3. Is able to stop when directed without falling to the floor or into furniture or walls.
4. Demonstrates awareness of and respect for others personal space.
5. Accurate representation of understanding re: science idea(s) seen.
6. Includes both nonlocomotor and locomotor movements.

Student Name: _________________________________

Date: _____________________________
Activity/prompt: ______________________________

Observation/ Notes:
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Teacher: ____________________________________________