Moving and exploring space
Students start the year learning how their bodies move. They try big and small movements, fast and slow, and learn to share space safely with classmates.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students learn that their bodies can tell a story. Students explore how to move in different ways, like fast or slow, high or low, and start putting movements together on purpose. They watch each other dance and talk about what they see and feel. By spring, they can make up a short dance based on an idea and perform it for the class.
- Body movement
- Making up dances
- Dancing with others
- Watching dance
- Sharing ideas
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 turning their ideas into simple dances. They pick movements they like, put them in an order, and practice repeating the same steps so a dance starts to take shape.
- 3
Dancing about stories and feelings
Students use dance to show ideas from stories, pictures, and their own lives. A parent might see them act out a season, an animal, or a feeling through movement.
- 4
Sharing dances with others
Students perform short dances for classmates and watch others perform. They practice cleaning up their movements ahead of time and talking about 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 something from their own life to what they're learning in dance, then use that personal experience to shape what they create or perform.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Dance connects to the world outside the studio. Students begin to notice how dances from different families, communities, or times tell us something about the people who made them.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something from their own life to what they're learning in dance, then use that personal experience to shape what they create or perform. | DA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Dance connects to the world outside the studio. Students begin to notice how dances from different families, communities, or times tell us something about the people who made them. | DA:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students explore movement ideas by trying out different ways to use their body to express a feeling, a shape, or a story.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students choose movements that go together and arrange them into a short dance. They practice putting their ideas in order so the dance has a beginning and an end.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a dance they made, try small changes, and decide when it feels finished.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students explore movement ideas by trying out different ways to use their body to express a feeling, a shape, or a story. | DA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students choose movements that go together and arrange them into a short dance. They practice putting their ideas in order so the dance has a beginning and an end. | DA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a dance they made, try small changes, and decide when it feels finished. | DA:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students pick a movement or short dance to share with others, thinking about what the movement looks and feels like before they perform it.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a dance move until it looks the way they want it to look, then show it to others.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a short 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 pick a movement or short dance to share with others, thinking about what the movement looks and feels like before they perform it. | DA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a dance move until it looks the way they want it to look, then show it to others. | DA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a short dance to share a feeling or idea 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 talk about what they notice, like how a dancer moves fast or slow, reaches high or low, or changes direction.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students watch a dance and say what they think it feels like or what story it might be telling.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a dance and say what they notice, like whether the movement was big or small, fast or slow. They start learning to give a reason for what they liked or thought could change.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and talk about what they notice, like how a dancer moves fast or slow, reaches high or low, or changes direction. | DA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students watch a dance and say what they think it feels like or what story it might be telling. | DA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a dance and say what they notice, like whether the movement was big or small, fast or slow. They start learning to give a reason for what they liked or thought could change. | DA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What does dance look like for students this year?
Students explore how their bodies move through space. They make shapes, change speeds, and act out ideas like animals, weather, or feelings. Most of the year is about noticing how movement works and trying it out, not learning set routines.
How can I support dance at home?
Put on music and ask students to move high, low, fast, or slow. Ask what their dance was about. Five minutes of moving the furniture aside and trying out ideas counts. Watching a short dance clip together and talking about it also helps.
Does my child need to be good at dance?
No. The point is exploring movement, not performing a polished routine. Students who feel shy can start by clapping a rhythm or making shapes with their hands before moving their whole body.
How should I sequence dance across the year?
Start with body awareness and basic movements like stretching, bending, and shaping. Move into space, time, and energy. Save short sharing moments and simple peer feedback for later in the year, once students are comfortable moving in front of each other.
What usually needs the most reteaching?
Personal space and freezing on cue. Students often want to move with a friend or keep going past the music. Short, repeated practice with clear start and stop signals pays off all year.
How do students show what a dance means?
They pick movements that match an idea, like stomping for a storm or floating for snow. Ask them what their dance was about and why they chose those moves. That conversation is the assessment.
What should responding to dance look like at this age?
Students watch a short dance or a classmate and say one thing they noticed. Keep prompts simple: what did you see, how did it make you feel, what did the dancer do with their body. Avoid good or bad judgments.
How do I know students are ready for first grade dance?
They can control their bodies in a shared space, copy and invent simple movements, and talk about what a dance shows. They should also be able to watch a peer dance and share one thing they noticed without being silly about it.