Project Based Learning

Project based Learning

Project Theme: Dance and Environmental Education

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Environmental Sciences, Dance, Qualitative research

Project delivery: the product delivery is a choreography presented to an audience linking

Learning Goals:

• Understand how dance can be used as a catalyst for a variety of environmental issues and how dance can advocate for change.
• Use a variety of source material as inspiration for choreography.
• Collaborate with a group to create, rehearse and perform a dance.
• Communicate the importance and overall meaning of their choreography
• Use the critical analysis process to reflect on and evaluate their own and others’ dance works and activities;
• Analyse dance works in terms of both their content and their fluency, artistry, or expressiveness

21st Century Skills
Skill	How is it developed in the project
Problem solving	Finding the connections between dance and environmental issues through research and exploration
Collaboration & communication	Working in groups to develop the project, communicating well with others and finding a way to effectively communicate the message of the project
Critical thinking	Through the analysis and evaluation of the environmental issue of choice to show a clear position and intended response from the audience
Creativity	Using composition structures and exploration while working together to create unique, interesting and unpredictable choreography that  all team members were able to perform and teach successfully.
Information, media, and technology skills	Through the integration of multimedia material in the project in order to enhance the transmission of the intended message
Interdisciplinary and Cross-disciplinary themes	A research on an environmental issue will be conducted and translated into a clear message to the audience, integrating environmental sciences and dance, solving a problem and using the most appropriate communication strategies and resources
Flexibility	Being able to listen, suggest. Environmental Issues can be explored through movement and Dance.

Critical Learning

• Dance can play an important role in society as it can communicate perspectives on social issues to audiences.
• Environmental Issues can be explored through movement and Dance.
• Students will have the opportunity to interpret research related to the theme of environmental issues especially global warming
• Create a group ensemble and movements to represent environmental concerns.
• Various source material (images, poetry, quotes, videos, etc) can be a source of inspiration for movement and choreography.
• Movement conveys meaning when danced with intention and the use of a focused idea or theme.

Guiding Questions

• What characteristics do dance and nature have in common?
• How can the environment be embodied and portrayed through the use of movement and dance?
• How can artists use nature for choreographic inspiration?  
• How can we use our knowledge of Dance to address social issues?
• How can environmental sources be used as a stimulus for choreography?
• How can the message and meaning of choreography be enhanced by using the elements of dance and through the use of compositional tools and structures?

Project Work Description

Please show the following video to students:

Ask the class for their initial reactions. Prompt: What is the main idea of the video? How do you feel when you watch it? Which image in the video stood out for you and why? What are some ways that we can reverse the damage that we have done to Earth? Is there an image that you think was missing from the video? If you had to change one thing about the video, what would it be and why?

Reflect on the statement "A picture is worth a thousand words". What does this statement mean to you?  Do you agree or disagree and why?

After, ask students to consider the following question: "What is Global Warming?" Invite them to share their responses.

Small Group > Mind MapIn small groups, have students brainstorm ideas on this topic using a Mind Map. Allow students 10 minutes. Afterwards, have each group share the keywords that they generated. Students should then focus on ONE topic of the mind map and make a desk research of the topic. They should think of a clear message they want to transmit to the audience through a choreography and the use of multimedia sources.

Small Group > 5 Movements

Students should have experience working in small groups to create choreography and should know the elements of dance. Review team work etiquette and discuss the importance of active listening.

Terminology: Movement phrase, movement vocabulary, soundscape, compositional structure

In the same small groups, instruct students to respond to the video above and showing their research topic and position on it, by creating 5 movements, connected by clear transitions that reflect the meaning and essence of the quote.

Differentiation (DI) Students can make a variety of choices that can appeal to their learning preferences and styles. (content of dance, location of performance etc.). Have a collection of source material prepared if groups are having a difficult time finding sources that relate to their chosen issue. Show the following examples for better understanding:

These examples show examples of how the source material would be incorporated into the piece and how the images can serve as inspiration for movement.

Ask students to each find artifacts and/or source material (from home, community or computer lab/library) related to their chosen environmental issue. Sources can include poetry, quotes, newspaper articles, videos, etc. Invite students in their small groups to share their phrases and begin to experiment with how they might compose their dance piece. Handout the “Compositional vocabulary and tools”. Explain to students that each group should include the following in their choreography:

Two minutes of movement

ONE (or more) of the multimedia sources (from their research) integrated into the piece

Silence, soundscape or music

A clear compositional structure (AB, ABA, ABACAD, etc)

A clear message regarding Global Warming

Allow students at least one or two classes to work on their piece. After the work period(s), instruct students to complete the “Compositional Checklist” of criteria that has been completed. Have students present to their peers. Continue to have students give feedback to one another as they make choices and build their work in order to improve their assignment.

Consolidation

Ask students each group to reflect on the following:

• What have you found challenging and inspiring about this project?
• Is there one source that you are using that you find particularly powerful? Explain.
• How has your group negotiated roles and responsibilities with respect to the creative process?
• What were your personal contributions to the piece?
• What do you need to improve for having a powerful and significant performance?

Individual Classwork Preparation > Self-Assessment

Ask students to complete a self-assessment based on the following criteria (formative assignment see rubrics):

Effective use of time and energy

Creativity and choreography

Knowledge of the Choreography

Preparedness

Group Work

Performance

After practicing and giving mutual feedback between groups, kids are to perform in a venue. A video should be taken of the performance and kids will self-evaluate in the following criteria (see rubrics):

Successful Performance

Movement Knowledge

Props/Costumes/Multimedia

Behavior/Effort

References

N. (2017, August 28). Causes and Effects of Climate Change | National Geographic. Retrieved April 01, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4H1N_yXBiA

Performing. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2018, from http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/

Dance and Environmental Education. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2018, from http://code.on.ca/resource/dance-and-environmental-education#section-5

Interactive presentation software. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2018, from https://www.mentimeter.com/s/d758ca3c5e0d0a90dbfa706c8cff5d0d/df5c7886e6c7

Making Dance. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2018, from http://artsalive.ca/en/dan/make/toolbox/chtoolbox.asp