Dancing Science

Health and Physical Education, Dance, Science and Technology, Grade 7, Physical Learning]

Type and Purpose of Learning

Physical play provides students with the opportunity to engage in learning tasks that link mind and body. Students are cognitively engaged in the learning and use spatial skills to help them remember verbal information (Norfleet-James et al, 2011). When students have the opportunity to run, jump and move, they engage in physical play. Physical play has a social nature because it involves other students. Being physically active and having a positive attitude toward physical activity affects lifelong quality of life: good physical health, positive mental health and beneficial social relationships.

Learning Story (overview)

Dancing Science

The students have been exploring the Science strand: Structure & Function. They examined pictures of shell, solid and frame structures. They investigated the impact on structures of compression, tension, shear, torsion, and the external forces of static load and dynamic load. This strand is plentiful in science terminology and abstract concepts. The ability to comprehend a static versus a dynamic load or explain the difference between torsion and tension can be challenging for students.

Students were excited to be moving and exploring concepts with their body and being outdoors was of particular appeal. They were able to demonstrate their learning and the teacher was able to get an immediate sense of their grasp of concepts. The boys really gravitated towards the physical play. During the class caucus they described themselves as kinesthetic learners and commented on how physicalizing the concepts clarified any confusion.

Lesson Focus

Students will apply the creative process to the composition of a variety of dance pieces.

Lesson Plan

Assessment/Reflections for Future Lessons

Assessment as learning: The teacher films students during their physical play activity. During the next class, she conducts a class caucus where students watch the films to observe and comment on their pieces. Students are asked to reflect on their ability, and that of their peers, to communicate scientific knowledge through movement.

Curriculum Expectations

Science

(Ref: Ontario Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Science and Technology, 2007)

• Design and construct a variety of structures, and investigate the relationship between the design and function of these structures and the forces that act on them.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between structural forms and the forces that act on and within them.

Dance

(Ref: Ontario Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: The Arts, 2009 (revised)

• Apply the creative process to the composition of a variety of dance pieces, using the elements of dance to communicate ideas.
• Apply the critical analysis process to communicate their ideas and understandings in response to a variety of dance experiences.

Health and Physical Education

(Ref: Ontario Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, 2015 (revised)

• Perform smooth transfers of weight and rotations, in relation to others and equipment, in a variety of situations involving static and dynamic balance.

Introduction: (MINDS ON)

Shell, Solid, Frame Performance (Dance)

Students were asked to explore the concepts of shell, solid and frame structures through movement. Students worked in pairs to create a body position that depicted each of these concepts.

For example, two students demonstrated the shell concept by positioning their bodies to create a dome. They then transitioned into the solid concept by flexing their bodies into a stance that demonstrated strength. Finally, they moved into the frame concept by extending their legs and hands and touching to create a lattice effect.

Teacher-Directed Lesson

Game: Move the Rock

Students, again in pairs, were asked to demonstrate a static load and a dynamic load. One student was asked to create a body position that would resist movement (the rock). The other student was tasked to play off that static pose in a dynamic fashion so as to get the first student (the rock) to move. Both students were given the opportunity to be the static load and the dynamic load. After exploring these load types, students engaged in a class discussion about weight, center of gravity and force: push and pull.

Finally, the students were given guidelines for how to manipulate their center of balance by changing their body position. Once students were comfortable with these movements, they were paired and asked to explore how they could shift their bodies so that together they would have just three points touching the ground. (For example, one foot and one hand from one person and one foot from the other person.)

Students were then asked to form groups of six and demonstrate balances with three, four, … eight body parts touching the ground.

Student Tasks (WORKING ON IT)

Compression, Tension, Shear, Torsion Creative Movement Piece (Dance)

Students worked in groups of two to four to invent a creative movement piece that depicts the concepts of compression, tension, shear and torsion. Pushing, pulling, tearing and twisting motions needed to be incorporated into their movement pieces. They also needed to apply their knowledge of levels (high, medium, low) and tempo (rate of speed).

Other Applications (Extensions)

Share and Connect

Dance Your Science Investigation

The idea is for students to conduct a scientific investigation using ‘traditional means’, as well as physical play. Students come up with a hypothesis and outline their purpose, materials, procedure, observations and conclusions. They work in groups to explore science concepts through physical play and individually keep a reflection journal/log about their learning. In their conclusion, students use published research to support their findings. Finally, they present their work in a discussion paper and as a dance.

Accommodations/Modifications

The very nature of physical play and dance is in itself an accommodation or modification. A student with an I.E.P. noted exceptionality of ‘learning disabled’ commented, “It is easier for me to understand the key words (subject-specific glossary terms) when I get to do movement. There is so much to remember to say that sometimes I forget. When I get to show movement, I get to say everything I want to say.”

Differentiation

Differentiation can take on various forms. An option for the naturalist learner could be to go outside and observe nature or a man-made system. It could also involve engaging with their surroundings.

The spatial/visual learner could use pictures or images as a starting or ending point.

The use of digital theatre (physical movement simultaneously performed in front of a set of images or film) is a drama form that teachers can use as an alternative to PowerPoint presentations for spatial/visual learners.

As intrapersonal and linguistic learners enjoy the opportunity for self-reflection, students keep a log or journal of their experiences and learning. Interpersonal and logical learners enjoy the social aspect of physical play and use this experience to discover and/or experiment with the mathematical concepts found in the science curriculum.

Impact Quotes (Impact Analysis)

The following are actual quotes from grade seven male students on the use of physical play in science learning programs.

It inspires kids and tells them that it is all right to dance.

Shows the diversity of children’s different emotions and how they express themselves.

People can get out what they want to get out and people might not know that dancing is really their thing. You can relate to what you want to do and you can dance around the room without you having to be scared. Everyone has their own choice of what they want to do. And… you can get your wiggles out!

A lot of us are kinesthetic learners, which means we need to be moving around for us to learn well.

I like that we got to go outside and get moving instead of just sitting and writing work because it’s actually showing us what is happening other than just showing pictures because sometimes pictures can be confusing.

I got to be able to move around in a spacious area, it made me want to do a back flip. It let me physically learn the words.

We experience the learning with our bodies.

It helped me learn because I didn’t have to listen to a teacher talk, I got to express myself and try it out.

We all got to try different things and express ourselves in different ways.

The following are quotes from grade seven female students.

Sometimes it’s hard to put things into words but it’s easier to show it.

Reading in books it’s hard to understand what you are reading. It’s even harder to put it into your own words. Getting to learn through movement makes it easier to understand.

Research Quotes

The active approach to teaching is based on the belief that helping children use their cognitive strengths to learn will lead them to focus on academic strengths rather than on areas of weakness. Teaching boys to use spatial skills to help remember verbal information is one example of how to use cognitive advantages to compensate for cognitive differences (Norfleet-James et al, 2011).

Establishing a Safe Place to Learn

A social and collaborative atmosphere was created by establishing whole-class group guidelines for dance. The students worked together with the teacher to create an outline of what the students would need from each other to take creative risks and to work respectfully. Students were also asked to bring in any media articles or film clips about dance, descriptions of various dance forms and profiles of male and female dancers (from stage or film). These tasks were intended to break down the stereotypes and negative barriers associated with dance. Also, since the physical activities of the students were movement based and not based on a dance form, the teacher referred to these activities as ‘physical play.’ By making the choice to call these activities physical play and not dance, seemingly reluctant students were more willing to engage with other students in these types of activities. Whenever possible, students would work outside or in the cafeteria.

Resources

LM: Elements of Dance

Dancing Science Support