First Name Last Name Email Date

Samantha Hawkins-Tabian skht@hawaii.edu 03/16/2017

Semester Year Grade Level/Subject Lesson Duration
Semester 2 2017 4th grade 60 minutes
Title
Nature Preservation

Central Focus (Enduring Understandings)

A description of the important understandings(s) and concept(s)
The dance elements of body, space, and simple abstract dances can be used as a way to portray complex social
problems.

Content Standard(s)
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or Hawaii Content & Performance Standards III (HCPS III) that align
with the central focus and address essential understandings, concepts, and skills
Topic: How the arts are organized
Benchmark FA.4.4.1
Students combine dance elements to create a simple dance with a partner or small group
Topic: How the arts communicate
Benchmark: FA.4.4.2
Create simple dances that communicate abstract ideas or feelings

Student Learning Objectives

Outcomes to be achieved by the students by the end of the lesson or by the end of the multi-lesson learning segment
The students will develop an understanding that through the dance elements of body, space, and simple abstract
dances they are able to portray a complex social problem such as the importance of natural preservation.

Assessments
The procedures to gather evidence of students learning of learning objective(s) to include formative (informal)
assessments applied throughout the lesson and a summative assessment (formal) of what students learned by the end
of the lesson (include any assessment tools)
Formative Assessment:
I will observe the students by the following:
Their involvement in their groups and the success of their collaboration (Everyone contributes, keep
conversations related to task, listen to other group members)
Their active participation and demonstrating the body movements I ask for
Participate in group and class discussions
Give the thumbs up for completion of task when asked for
 Uses abstract thinking to create their body shapes

Active Participation
Listens to directions
Collaborates well with peers
Uses abstract thinking
Gives thumbs up when ready

Only participates in a few activities and discussions

Isnt always attentive
Only creates literal interpretations
Only collaborates with 1 other classmate in groups

Zero participation
Is a distraction to the class
Doesnt listen or follow directions
Doesnt collaborate with other group members

Summative Assessment:
As a summative assessment, the students will create a simple abstract dance that consists of 3 moves. This dance will
need to be abstract, portray meaning and relate to the book, and the students will need to work together as a group to
create this dance.

Create an abstract movement that contributes to the 3 movements

Collaborates with group members
Movement demonstrates prompt given
Portrays meaning of prompt
Stays on 2 count
Takes dance seriously

Create literal movement that contributes to 3 movements

Doesnt contribute much. Your group members have to tell you what to do
Movement doesnt relate to prompt but could be found in the book or Amazon rainforest
Unintentionally is off on the count
Little effort is put into movement

Dance not taken seriously

Doesnt contribute to group
Intentionally off on count
Movement has no relation to the prompt, book or Amazon rainforest
Choses not to participate
Students Prior Academic Knowledge and Assets
The students content knowledge, skills, prior academic experiences, and personal/cultural/community assets to draw
upon to support learning
Students have prior knowledge about:
The different animals in the book, The Great Kapok Tree
Natural Preservation
Snapshots from my previous Drama Lesson I taught
Persuasive Literature
The Amazon rain forest

Academic Language and Language Supports

Oral and written language that the students need to learn and use to participate and engage in the content. The
planned instructional supports to help students understand, develop, and use academic language.
During the lesson when I use any of these words for the first time I will stop to clarify and define them for the
students. A small discussion may start from the word as well. The students will demonstrate their use of this
vocabulary or demonstrate their understanding by using these words as a part of their language during discussions as
a class and in their groups. Students will also demonstrate their new knowledge through the creative movements they
create.
Persuasive
Amazon rain forest
Kapok Tree
Unheard of or new animal names:
Boa Constrictor - A snake
Macaw and cock-of-the-rock - Birds
Anteater
Creatures
Quills - The sharp parts of the porcupine
Ancestors
Oxygen
Ax
Canopy
Understory
Snapshot
Prompt
Literal interpretation
Abstract interpretation
Creative Movement
Interpretive Dance
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks
A description of what the teacher will do and say and what the students will do during the lesson that 1) uses clear
steps that convey the use of multiple strategies, supports, and resources and 2) list opportunities offered for multiple
modes of participation
Introduction (6 minutes)
Turn on powerpoint and use as guide throughout lesson
I will welcome students
I will Discuss learning objectives for todays dance lesson
Through the dance elements of body, space, and simple abstract dances they are able to portray a
complex social problem (I will simplify complex social problem to a problem in our world for
students to understand). For this lesson we will focus on the importance of natural preservation.
Go over definition of Natural Preservation To protect and take care of the land and animals.
I will explain that I am teaching a dance lesson but this doesnt mean that you need to know how to dance in
order to participate in this lesson. If you can move your body then you are capable of participating. Which is
why we like to refer to it as Creative Movement
Go over dance elements using B.E.S.T. chart and demonstrate each element with my body.
Body: The shapes we create with our whole body
Energy: How the movement happens (heavy movements, light movements, etc.)
Space: The use of our space (change direction, level, size, and pathways)
Time: The speed of our movements (slow, normal, fast)
Explore B.E.S.T (10 minutes)
I explain to the students that we will be doing a warm-up exercise that will require a lot of movements and
explain my expectations:
Be aware of objects and students around you as you move
Stay focused and listen
The objective is to not run into anyone else and to demonstrate that you can use your senses to avoid
contact with another student, therefore you need to stay in control of yourself and your movements.
If this is a problem for you, then I may ask you to observe on the side for a while to regain your focus
and to get ready to rejoin the group.
Keep the volume low
Participate, everyone else will be doing the same movements!
I will ask the students to get out of their seats and stand at a spot in the classroom. I will give them a 5
second count down to get to their spot.
Explain that I will give them prompts as they are moving around the classroom. Start the prompts:
Ask the students to walk normal around the classroom. After a few seconds of them moving tell them
to focus on the pathways they are creating and their use of space.
Ask the students to change their directions quickly like a bird does during mid-flight when I ring the
bell but stay at their normal walking speed. Do 3 bell rings for this.
Ask the students to walk as slow as a sloth when I ring the bell
 Ask the students to walk as fast as a jaguar when I ring the bell (Remind students, without running
and be careful of surroundings. Keep this prompt short to avoid chaos)
Back to walking normal when I ring the bell
Ask students to pretend they are light as a feather and flying like a bird when I ring the bell
Ask students to pretend their legs are branches of a tree being weighed down by so much rain when I
ring the bell
Ring the bell and ask the students to stop wherever they are
Have students sit in the front of the classroom for the read-aloud
Read-Aloud: The Great Kapok Tree (12 minutes)
I will Introduce the book, The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
I will explain my reasoning for choosing this book:
It targets the genre of literature they are focusing on, Persuasive. Review what persuasive literature is.
Addresses the world problem of natural preservation which we defined in the beginning of this lesson
Read the book aloud
Discuss the book:
I will ask the students, How was this book a persuasive piece of literature? From this question I will
have the students discuss what happened in the book and how it relates to natural preservation and its
importance
On the white board, write the different descriptions and species talked about in the book about the rainforest
to help with other parts of this lesson
Hot, trees, kapok tree, flowers, boa constrictor/snake, bee, butterfly, monkeys, birds (parrot, toucan,
macaw), frogs, jaguar, porcupine, anteaters, sloth, child from Yamamoto tribe)
Snapshot Review (10 minutes)
Quickly review snapshots with the students:
Start in a neutral position (Feet together, hands at side, facing forward, in own personal space)
Give a prompt how can you freeze your body to look like.
About 10 seconds will be given to think of a frozen image
Count down 3,2,1 snapshot! and everyone will turn around and freeze their body to reflect the
prompt given
Return to neutral
Model snapshot
Prompt: I am being chased by an animal
Have students make a circle around the classroom and start in neutral position
Give each of these prompts twice. Once to let students give literal interpretation then a second time create
abstract creations and coach them through it
You are a tree in the rainforest where the book took place
Use the second time to introduce literal interpretation vs. abstract interpretation. Tell the
students their prompt is to be a tree in the rainforest again but their arms cannot be the
branches or leaves.
Your home was just destroyed
The second time tell the students to be the home that was destroyed
Moving Picture (10 minutes)
I will introduce Moving Pictures
 Just like snapshot except we are moving instead of staying frozen
Model Moving Picture
Prompt: Same as snapshot (being chased by an animal) prompt except running in place
I will give 3 prompts that will help us explore more abstract movements. I will have the students do the
prompt a second time if they are only giving me literal interpretations. I will coach them into making abstract
decisions and utilizing B.E.S.T.
Read passage from the book on page 3 to help kids get a better visual to help them create their movements
Prompt 1: Man cutting down the tree with an ax
Return to neutral
Prompt 2: Be the ax cutting down the tree
Return to neutral
Prompt 3: Be the Kapok tree being cut down
Return to neutral
Ensemble work
Explain to students that as a class we are going to create a moving picture. I will give a prompt and
when you feel that you have your movement to contribute to our moving picture then jump in.
Read description of the rainforest on the page next to the title page
Prompt: We are the rainforest
I will encourage students to use the animals and descriptions from the book
I will go first with an example, be the sun that keeps the amazon rainforest always hot and
invite the students in to participate
Give the prompt a second time and encourage abstract thinking. Give an example, do the
abstract interpretation of the sun and invite the students in to participate
Simple Abstract Dance Creations (12 minutes)
Explain that the last thing the students are going to do is create a simple abstract dance in groups of 3 (more
or less depending on the amount of students)
Give directions before breaking the students up into groups
In groups each student will need to come up with a movement and decide on the order to present it
I will provide each group with a specific prompt. The movement will need to relate to the prompt and
book.
Start in neutral facing forward, perform movements in order and freeze in your movements, at the last
movement everyone will freeze in their position
Each movement will be on a two count. 1,2, first student, 1, 2, second student, 1,2, third student. I
will clap the counts
They will have 5 minutes to create their dances. Give thumbs up when ready.
They will present to the class
Model with two other students
Create a dance that demonstrates the negative effects of man destroying the rainforest
Student 1 will be the ax, student 2 will be the kapok tree cut down, I will be a dead frog and
present in this order
Reiterate directions and clear up any clarifications
Break up the class into groups and assign prompts relating to the book:
1. The roots of great trees wither and die. The forest becomes a desert.
2. Fires set to trees by humans causes the forest to disappear
 3. Animals become homeless without trees
4. A Jaguar will have no prey to eat
5. Trees are cut down and we have no oxygen
6. Baby animals have nowhere to grow up without trees
7. The beauty of the rainforest is gone
8. A butterfly can no longer pollinate the trees and flowers throughout the rainforest
Walk around to each group and help guide them in preparation for their presentation
Ring the bell, have all groups do a run through on their simple dance at the same time. Play rainforest music
and clap for the two count
Ask if all groups are ready. If not, give a little more time. If yes, then pick groups at random to present
Read the prompt before each group performs
Play rainforest music and each group will present their simple abstract music in the space they rehearsed
After all groups have presented have students return to seats
Review/Closure (any remaining time)
Review objective
Developed an understanding that through the dance elements of B.E.S.T. (refer to visual) we can
create abstract dances that portray a world problem like we did with the importance of natural
preservation

Differentiation
Adaptations to instructional strategies, the learning environment, content, and/or assessments to meet the needs of
students who require further support (e.g., ELL/MLL, struggling, accelerated, 50/IEP, etc.)
A powerpoint will be created and displayed for visual learners
Scaffolded learning to create a foundation to participate
Preferential seating
Coaching throughout lesson
Descriptions of the rainforest and its species written up on the board to give students ideas
I will always model what I expect of the students before having them create

Instructional Resources and Materials

Books, texts, and other materials needed for the lesson
B.E.S.T. Visual
Dance PowerPoint
Rainforest sounds for abstract dances
Stereo
The Great Kapok Tree