Utah State Standards Fine Arts: Create, Perform, Connect
PE Standards: Strand 1, Strand 2, Strand 4
Learning/Language Objectives: Use of Prepositions and movement (over, under, around, through, in, out, etc.), shape design of the space and the body (straight, curved, zig-zag, diagonal, spiral, etc.), positive and negative space
Materials Needed: 600 Black Spots by David A. Carter, drum, music
Utah State Standards Fine Arts: Create, Perform, Respond
PE Standards: Strand 1, Strand 2, Strand 4
Learning/Language Objectives: Experience the Alphabet in movement, working alone and with a partner, locomotor words (actions), Experience geometric shapes in movement and shape, pathways in space
Introduction: Class expectations (Good listening, following directions, be creative, be active), Space boundaries, personal boundaries, goals for class today
Warm-up: With students spread out in the space, have them make different letters of the alphabet using only their arms, their legs, one arm and one leg, their whole body. Next, have them make a letter with their whole body, then take that letter shape, walking, running, jumping, hopping, crawling, rolling, etc. Repeat with a few different letters.
Investigate: In partners, create letters together. Have students experiment with a few and encourage them to work together to create the letter.
Create: Without a partner, have students practice their handwriting skills by using different body parts to write letters in the air. Practice writing big letters, small letters, writing with your elbow, your nose, your foot, on the ceiling, on the floor in the air all around.
Extension to the Lesson: Have student select a letter on their own, make it with their body and then see if they can trace the letter in a big pathway on the floor with a locomotor movement. For example: Jump the pathway of a large J on the floor, or Skip the pathway of a large S, or crawl the pathway of a large C, etc.
RDT appreciates the generous funding provided by the Utah Legislature and the Utah Board of Education that help make our Arts-in-Education Programs possible in Utah's Public Schools.
