Exploring movement and the body
Students learn how their bodies can move in different ways. They try jumping, twisting, stretching, and freezing, and start to notice how movement feels different from regular play.
What does a student learn in
This is the year dance becomes a way to share ideas with the body, not just wiggle and run. Students try out shapes, levels, and movements that come from their own experiences and from songs or stories they know. They also watch other dancers and start to say what they notice. By spring, they can perform a short movement piece for the class and explain what it was about.
- Moving with purpose
- Making up dances
- Shapes and levels
- Performing for others
- Watching dance
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
Shaping movement into dance
Students put movements together into short sequences. They practice a beginning, a middle, and an ending, and learn to repeat what they made so a parent could watch it again.
- 3
Dancing with meaning
Students use dance to show a feeling, a story, or something from their own life. A wiggle might become a fish, a stomp might show anger, and movement starts to mean something.
- 4
Sharing and watching dance
Students perform short dances for classmates and watch others perform. They practice being a calm audience and start to say what they noticed and liked in a dance.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect their own memories and feelings to their dancing, using what they know from everyday life to shape how they move and create.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Dance connects to the world around it. Students begin to notice how the dances they learn and create reflect the people, places, and traditions they come from.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect their own memories and feelings to their dancing, using what they know from everyday life to shape how they move and create. | DA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Dance connects to the world around it. Students begin to notice how the dances they learn and create reflect the people, places, and traditions they come from. | DA:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with their own ideas for movement and dance, then start to shape those ideas into something they can perform or show.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students choose movements and put them in order to make a simple dance. They practice and adjust their sequence until it feels right.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a dance they made and make small changes to improve it, then practice until it feels finished and ready to share.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with their own ideas for movement and dance, then start to shape those ideas into something they can perform or show. | DA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students choose movements and put them in order to make a simple dance. They practice and adjust their sequence until it feels right. | DA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a dance they made and make small changes to improve it, then practice until it feels finished and ready to share. | DA:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a movement or short dance to share with others, deciding what feels right to perform.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a dance move again and again to make it cleaner and more controlled before showing it to an audience.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a short dance to share an idea or feeling with an audience. The movement itself is the message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a movement or short dance to share with others, deciding what feels right to perform. | DA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a dance move again and again to make it cleaner and more controlled before showing it to an audience. | DA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a short dance to share an idea or feeling with an audience. The movement itself is the message. | DA:Pr6.k |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance and say what they notice, like how the dancer moves fast or slow, or uses big and small movements.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a dance and talk about what feelings or ideas the dancer might be sharing. They explain what they see in simple words.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students watch a short dance and say what they noticed: which movements were big or small, fast or slow, and whether the dance matched its idea. It is the beginning of learning to judge what makes movement work.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and say what they notice, like how the dancer moves fast or slow, or uses big and small movements. | DA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a dance and talk about what feelings or ideas the dancer might be sharing. They explain what they see in simple words. | DA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students watch a short dance and say what they noticed: which movements were big or small, fast or slow, and whether the dance matched its idea. It is the beginning of learning to judge what makes movement work. | DA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What does dance class look like at this age?
Most of the year is movement exploration. Students try out shapes, levels, speeds, and directions with their bodies. They make up short movement ideas, watch each other, and start to talk about what they noticed.
How can I support dance at home?
Put on music and move together for five minutes. Ask students to move high and low, fast and slow, or like an animal. Talking about how the movement felt afterward matters as much as the dancing.
How should I sequence dance across the year?
Start with body awareness and personal space, then add the elements of dance one at a time: shape, level, direction, speed, and energy. Move into short made-up sequences in the middle of the year. Save sharing and responding to peers for later, once the vocabulary is solid.
Does this count as P.E. or as art?
It is an art class. Students are making and shaping movement on purpose, not just being active. The goal is expressing an idea or feeling through the body, with attention to how it looks and what it means.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can show a clear shape, change levels, and move in different directions on cue. They can make up a short movement idea, perform it for others, and say one thing they noticed in someone else's dance.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Personal space and stillness take the longest. Students also need repeated practice telling the difference between describing a dance (what they saw) and judging it (what they liked). Build short routines for both early and revisit them often.
My child is shy about performing. Is that a problem?
No. Sharing starts small, often with a partner or a tiny group. Students are not graded on confidence. Practicing at home in front of one family member is a gentle way to build comfort.
How do dances connect to stories and other cultures?
Students watch short dances from different places and times and talk about what they see. They also turn stories, songs, and feelings into movement. The point is to notice that people everywhere use dance to share ideas.