Exploring how the body moves
Students start the year trying out simple movements like stretching, bending, swaying, and hopping. They learn that dance is made from shapes and motions their own body can do.
What does a student learn in
This is the year dance becomes a way to tell a story on purpose. Students move beyond copying steps and start choosing shapes, levels, and speeds that show an idea or feeling. They also watch other dancers and talk about what they noticed. By spring, students can make up a short dance with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and explain what it was about.
- Making a dance
- Movement and shapes
- Telling stories
- Watching dance
- Sharing a performance
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Making up short dances
Students begin inventing their own movements based on ideas like animals, weather, or a story. They put a few steps together in an order that has a clear beginning and end.
- 3
Practicing and sharing
Students practice a short dance, make small changes to improve it, and perform it for classmates. They learn to face the audience and finish on a clear ending pose.
- 4
Watching and talking about dance
Students watch dances by classmates and from other places and times. They describe what they noticed, share what the dance reminded them of, and say what they liked and why.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect something from their own life to a dance they make or watch. A memory, a feeling, or something they know shapes how they move or what they notice in a performance.
-
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at dances from different places and times to understand why people moved that way and what it meant to them.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something from their own life to a dance they make or watch. A memory, a feeling, or something they know shapes how they move or what they notice in a performance. | DA:Cn10.1 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at dances from different places and times to understand why people moved that way and what it meant to them. | DA:Cn11.1 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with their own ideas for dances and start turning those ideas into movement. This is the beginning of making something new.
-
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students arrange movements into a short sequence that has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a dance they made, make small changes to improve it, and practice until it feels finished.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with their own ideas for dances and start turning those ideas into movement. This is the beginning of making something new. | DA:Cr1.1 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students arrange movements into a short sequence that has a clear beginning, middle, and end. | DA:Cr2.1 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a dance they made, make small changes to improve it, and practice until it feels finished. | DA:Cr3.1 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a dance or movement to perform and think about why it fits the moment. They practice making simple choices about how to share their work with others.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a dance they have learned, making small improvements until it is ready to share with an audience.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a dance to share a feeling or idea with an audience. The movement itself is the message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a dance or movement to perform and think about why it fits the moment. They practice making simple choices about how to share their work with others. | DA:Pr4.1 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a dance they have learned, making small improvements until it is ready to share with an audience. | DA:Pr5.1 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a dance to share a feeling or idea with an audience. The movement itself is the message. | DA:Pr6.1 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance and describe what they notice, such as how the dancer moves fast or slow, uses big or small movements, or changes direction.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a dance and explain what they think the dancer is trying to say or show. They use what they see in the movements to back up their thinking.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students watch a dance and explain what they liked or thought could change, using simple reasons tied to what they actually saw.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and describe what they notice, such as how the dancer moves fast or slow, uses big or small movements, or changes direction. | DA:Re7.1 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a dance and explain what they think the dancer is trying to say or show. They use what they see in the movements to back up their thinking. | DA:Re8.1 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students watch a dance and explain what they liked or thought could change, using simple reasons tied to what they actually saw. | DA:Re9.1 |
Common Questions
What does dance class look like at this age?
Students explore how their bodies move through space using simple ideas like fast and slow, high and low, or curved and straight. They make up short movement sequences, watch each other dance, and talk about what they noticed. The focus is on trying ideas out, not on polished performance.
How can a parent help at home if there is no dance background?
Put on music for five minutes and ask students to show a story or feeling with their bodies. Try prompts like move like the wind, freeze like a statue, or dance the shape of a triangle. Talking afterward about what they chose matters as much as the moving.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should make up a short dance with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They can name basic movement ideas like level, speed, and shape, and describe what a dance made them think or feel. They can also share work in front of others and offer kind comments back.
How do you sequence a year of dance for this age group?
Start with body awareness and safe movement, then layer in space, time, and energy one at a time. Move from copying and exploring to making short pieces with a partner or small group. Save sharing and giving feedback for later in the year, once students have movement vocabulary to talk about.
Does a child need to be coordinated or flexible to do well?
No. The work at this age is about making choices and showing ideas with the body, not about technique. A student who can walk, hop, freeze, and listen has everything needed to succeed.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Sustaining focus during a sequence and remembering the order of movements often need extra practice. Giving specific feedback also takes work, since students tend to say a dance was good or fun without saying why. Short, repeated sharing circles help both skills grow.
How can dance connect to what students are learning in other subjects?
Use movement to act out a story from reading, show shapes and patterns from math, or explore weather and animals from science. Ask students how a dance reminded them of something from their own life or family. These connections deepen meaning and make dance feel useful, not separate.
How do you know a student is ready for the next grade?
A ready student can create a short dance with a clear start and finish, perform it for classmates without freezing up, and say one thing they liked about a peer's work. They use simple movement words like level, shape, and speed when they talk about dance.