Learning Goal: to find elementary-aged appropriate books that incorporate dance
1) The Straight Line Wonder by Mem Fox
-Show a clip of the ballet Cinderella (you may wish to show just some of this 10 minute clip). Tell the students to look for a familiar story. Ask the students to identify the story being told through dance.
-Explain that a choreographer is someone who creates the dance movements for the dancers.
-Have the students brainstorm the different ways this choreographer might have been inspired to create his choreography (the story of Cinderella, the music, etc.). Explain that when a choreographer is inspired by a story or a book, s/he needs to know the main idea or central message and the key details of the story or the lesson/moral and then create a dance to demonstrate those ideas.
-Read the story The Straight Line Wonder by Mem Fox. Instruct the students to listen for things in the story that might inspire movement and give a thumbs up when they hear something that makes them think of a movement.
-Have the students identify the main characters and the types of movements each character might do (2nd and 3rd straight lines might stand straight, wag finger, put up stop sign hands, put hands on hips, etc.; 1st straight line jumping in a rounded shape, twirling, sharp/angular movements, etc.). Have them practice the various movements. Discuss what lines 2 and 3 can do to show they have “run off” (sit down, turn their backs to the first line, etc). Have the students experiment with those movements.
Explore how the lines can show they are friends in the end and still show who is which character. Have the students experiment with those movements.
-Put the students into groups of 3. Read through the story with each child in the different groups moving as one of the three characters. Read through the story 3 times so each child has the chance to be all three of the line characters
(from https://educationcloset.com/2016/03/30/books-move-integrating-literature-dance/)
2) Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
I love this story! I think it would be better suited for primary/ junior grades but I love it
3) Voice in the Park by Anthony Browne
An introduction to Voice and how it can be incorporated into dance, a great way to start off with language, then move into both dance and dramaLesson Plan Link
4) Secret of the Dance by Andrea Spalding
I tried to find a lesson plan that moves from language to dance, but could not find one online. However, I think this book could be used to model and show the different dances done at Aboriginal ceremonies. Students could be exposed to the culture and get in those dance moves!
Extra Resource:
Writing about Dance by Wendy Oliver – Human Kinetics (2010) ISBN 0736076107
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