Lathrop Academy

 

A mini-quest developed for 4th grade by Mr. Weston.

 

Task: Different generations have unique features. Popular music tells us a lot about how people feel about the world they live in. Dancing is often a physical expression of these feelings and attitudes. It can also become a source of inspiration. Additionally, it is considered good for one's health.

 

 

Project Goals:

 

Essential Question:

        How do dance and music styles both evolve and stay the same through time.

 

Specific Questions:

        What dance and music styles were popular 25 years ago? What dance and music styles were most common fifty years ago? Are there any current dance styles that have been continuous? What dance features extend across multiple eras?

 

The Process:

 

Students will investigate different eras and dances peculiar to the era. Students will be able to describe a dance, identify the historical period in which it is popular, select a musical tune which corresponds well to the dance and finally demonstrate some of the dance's movement to the class.

 

Teacher will model internet researching techniques on sites such as Google and Yahoo. Teacher will model specific Power Point Presentation steps such as how to create a timeline and how to insert MIDI files. Students will work in pairs. Students will use the internet to research dance styles and the era in which they occurred. The students' final product will be the creation of a PowerPoint Presentation.

 

The presentation will:

• identify the historical era with a graphic timeline created on PP
• give a brief historical summary of the dance (two bullet points)
• demonstrate dance steps and present the music through a MIDI file;
• compare and contrast a contemporary dance with his/her selected dance;
• critique their dance and discuss what is unusual/unique about the dance/music they've chosen and identify likes and dislikes

 

 

 

Resources:

http://www.basinstreet.com/Programs/Millennium

http://www.freestyledancestudio.com/default.asp

http://www.geocities.com/pfw8015/midis.html#TREASURES

http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/d5timlne.htm

 

 

 

 

 

Assessment:

 

Student Name:_____________________________    Reviewer Name: ___________________________

Date: _________________

Project: Dancing through the Generations

CATEGORY		RESPONSIBILITIES
Appearance		The words on my slides are spelled correctly.
		Sounds and music are easy to hear and understand.
Media		I used voice, sound or music.
		My media made my presentation more interesting.
Navigation		Users can easily view the whole presentation.
		The buttons and links work.
		The cards/slides are titled so you can tell where you are.
Organization		I included a meaningful title.
		I included my name and the names of people in my group.
		My presentation explained my topic clearly.
		I organized my ideas so they made sense to others.
		I included interesting or exciting information.
		I used pictures or sounds to make the presentation more interesting.
Preparation		I planned my time wisely.
		I made a list of materials I would need for the project.
		I knew what I had to find, make, or do before I began.
Resources		I used books, encyclopedias or textbooks to find information.
		I used the Internet or a CD-ROM to find information.
		I looked at drawings or paintings to find information.

 

 

 

 

Illinois and CPS Learning Standards:

State Goal #	CAS letter	CSF #
5C 2A