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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year dance becomes a way to tell a story on purpose. Students pull from their own lives and what they see around them to build short pieces with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They practice steps until the movement is sharp, then perform for an audience and explain what the dance is about. By spring, students can shape a short dance, perform it with control, and talk about what another dancer's piece might mean.

  • Choreography
  • Performing dances
  • Movement skills
  • Dance meaning
  • Watching dance
Source: Illinois Illinois Learning Standards
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. 1

    Starting with ideas and movement

    Students gather ideas for dances from things they know, like a story, a feeling, or a place they have been. They try out movements and pick the ones that fit what they want to show.

  2. 2

    Shaping dances with structure

    Students put movements in an order that makes sense, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They practice working with a partner or small group to build a short dance together.

  3. 3

    Sharpening skills and technique

    Students focus on how they move, not just what they move. They work on balance, timing with the music, and clear shapes so their dancing looks stronger and easier to follow.

  4. 4

    Watching dance and finding meaning

    Students watch dances from different cultures and time periods and talk about what the dancers might be saying. They use what they notice to think about their own choices as dancers.

  5. 5

    Performing and giving feedback

    Students polish a dance and share it with an audience, paying attention to focus and expression. They also give and take feedback using a clear set of points, like clarity, energy, and meaning.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 5.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    DA:Cn10.5

    Students connect something from their own life to a dance they create or perform, using that personal experience to shape the movement and meaning of the piece.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    DA:Cn11.5

    Students look at a dance and ask where it comes from. They connect the movement to the culture, time period, or community that shaped it.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    DA:Cr1.5

    Students brainstorm and sketch out ideas for an original dance, deciding on movement, mood, and structure before they start rehearsing.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    DA:Cr2.5

    Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a short dance, making choices about order, timing, and how one part connects to the next.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    DA:Cr3.5

    Students revisit a dance they've been building and make deliberate changes, tightening movements, sharpening transitions, and deciding when the piece is ready to share.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    DA:Pr4.5

    Students review a dance they have made or learned, decide which parts work best, and choose what to perform for an audience.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    DA:Pr5.5

    Students practice and improve a dance piece until it's ready to share with an audience. That means repeating sections, fixing transitions, and making small choices that shape how the whole dance looks and feels.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    DA:Pr6.5

    Students choose how to perform a dance so the audience understands the feeling or idea behind it. Every movement decision, from tempo to facial expression, is made with that meaning in mind.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    DA:Re7.5

    Students watch a dance and describe what they notice: how the dancer moves, where they travel, and how the choreography fits together as a whole.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    DA:Re8.5

    Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as a repeated movement or a sudden stop.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    DA:Re9.5

    Students look at a dance performance and judge it using a clear set of criteria, explaining what worked and what didn't based on specific things they observed.

Common Questions
  • What does dance look like at this grade level?

    Students move beyond simple steps and start shaping short dances on purpose. They explore ideas through movement, practice technique, perform for others, and talk about what dances mean. By the end of the year, they can plan, refine, and share a short piece with a clear idea behind it.

  • How can families support dance practice at home?

    Clear a small space and let students show what they are working on. Ask them to teach a short sequence and explain the idea behind it. Watching a few minutes of dance together online and talking about what stood out also counts as real practice.

  • What if students say they are not good at dance?

    At this age, dance is about making and shaping ideas, not being a trained dancer. Focus on effort, new movements they tried, and the meaning behind a piece. Praise specific choices, like a strong shape or a clear ending, instead of overall talent.

  • How should the year be sequenced?

    Start with movement exploration and technique building, then move into short choreography projects where students generate, organize, and refine ideas. Layer in performance skills and reflection across the year. End with a longer piece that pulls together creating, performing, and responding.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Refining a piece is the hardest part. Students often want to call a first draft finished. Plan repeated cycles of perform, give feedback, and revise so revision feels normal. Vocabulary for describing movement also needs steady practice all year.

  • How can students connect dance to other subjects?

    Dance pairs well with social studies and reading. Students can build short pieces about a historical event, a character, or a poem, then explain the connection. At home, ask what a dance reminded them of or what story it was telling.

  • What does mastery look like by the end of the year?

    Students can create a short dance with a clear idea, perform it with control, and explain choices they made. They can also watch a dance and describe what they noticed, what it might mean, and what worked well. Independence in revising their own work is a strong signal of readiness.