Moving and exploring
Students start the year learning how their bodies move through space. They try out big and small motions, fast and slow, and notice how a simple movement can become a dance.
What does a student learn in
This is the year movement becomes a way to tell a story. Students learn that their bodies can show ideas, feelings, and pictures from their own lives. They try out shapes, levels, and simple dances, then watch friends move and talk about what they noticed. By spring, students can make up a short dance about something they know and share it with the class.
- Body shapes
- Making a dance
- Sharing dances
- Watching and noticing
- Moving with a story
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 dances
Students begin building short dances of their own. They pick movements on purpose, put them in an order, and practice the parts they want to keep.
- 3
Dancing for an audience
Students get ready to share a dance with classmates or family. They practice the steps, clean up the tricky parts, and think about what they want the audience to feel.
- 4
Watching and talking about dance
Students watch dances from classmates and from other places and times. They describe what they noticed, guess what the dancer was trying to say, and share what worked well.
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 a dance they make or watch. A memory, a feeling, or something they know helps give their movement meaning.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Dance connects to the world outside the studio. Students learn that dances come from real places, real people, and real moments in time.
| 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 helps give their movement meaning. | DA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Dance connects to the world outside the studio. Students learn that dances come from real places, real people, and real moments in time. | 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, exploring what their bodies can do and deciding how to put those ideas into motion.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students choose movements and put them in order to make a short dance. They practice arranging what their body does so the dance has a beginning and an end.
-
Refine and complete artistic work
Students revisit a short 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 movement and dance, exploring what their bodies can do and deciding how to put those ideas into motion. | DA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students choose movements and put them in order to make a short dance. They practice arranging what their body does so the dance has a beginning and an end. | DA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revisit a short dance they made, make small changes to improve it, and practice until 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 dance or movement to share with others and talk about why they chose it.
-
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a dance move until they can perform it the way they want. They work on getting it right before showing it to others.
-
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a short dance and show an idea or feeling through their movement, so an audience can see what the dance is about.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students pick a dance or movement to share with others and talk about why they chose it. | DA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a dance move until they can perform it the way they want. They work on getting it right before showing it to others. | DA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a short dance and show an idea or feeling through their movement, so an audience can see what the dance is about. | DA:Pr6.k |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance and say what they notice, describing movements like fast, slow, big, or small. They start learning to look closely at what a performer is doing and put it into words.
-
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students say what they think a dance is about and why it makes them feel the way it does.
-
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students say what they like or notice about a dance and explain why, using simple words like "fast," "slow," "big," or "small."
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and say what they notice, describing movements like fast, slow, big, or small. They start learning to look closely at what a performer is doing and put it into words. | DA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students say what they think a dance is about and why it makes them feel the way it does. | DA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students say what they like or notice about a dance and explain why, using simple words like "fast," "slow," "big," or "small." | DA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What does dance look like for students this year?
Students explore how their bodies move through space. They try shapes, levels (high, low), and speeds, and they make up short movements to show ideas like a storm, a seed growing, or a feeling. Most of the year is playful and exploratory, not formal choreography.
How can I help my child practice dance at home?
Put on music and ask students to move like something specific: a melting snowman, a bouncing ball, a soft cloud. Ask what their dance was about afterward. Five minutes of this builds the same skills they practice in class.
Does my child need to be coordinated or take lessons?
No. Kindergarten dance is about exploring movement, not technique. Students who can walk, jump, and copy a simple motion are ready. Outside lessons are not expected or needed.
How do I plan the year if I only see students once a week?
Start with body awareness and basic movements like walking, jumping, and freezing. Move into space and energy concepts by winter, then short made-up dances by spring. Each lesson should include warm-up, exploration, and a quick share.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can copy a short movement, make up their own based on an idea, and say something about what a dance made them think or feel. They can also watch a classmate dance and notice one thing about it.
How do I get shy students to participate?
Start with whole-group movement so no one is watched alone. Use prompts tied to stories or animals, which give students something to hide behind. Let students join from the edge of the circle until they are ready to move in.
What should I ask after my child performs or watches a dance?
Ask what the dance was about and what part they liked best. Ask how the dancer's body moved: fast or slow, high or low. These questions match what students practice in class when they talk about each other's work.
How is dance connected to other subjects students are learning?
Students often dance stories from read-alouds, act out life cycles from science, or show patterns from math with their bodies. Connecting dance to a book or topic from home, like a favorite story, reinforces both.