Second Visit- Thank-You Bones!

My second visit went a bit smoother than the first. We moved a few more desks to the side of the classroom which defined a better "dance space". We then reviewed the class rules for when I'm there. Which are 1. Stay in your dance space. This means no touching the walls, desks or their neighbor. 2. Be a focused dancers. When I ask a question, I asked that they show me with their body not with their mouth.  3. Do your best. With dance there are a million right answers for every question, I want the students to feel successful with the movement and material every time I leave the classroom. This visit I taught about the Skeletal system. We focused on three primary functions of the skeletal system which are- structure/frame, movement and protection. When I asked the students to show me what it would look like if they didn't have any bones, they all gave excellent examples of what would happen. The lesson continued on exploring locomotor movement, and isolations of specific body parts that protect essential organs. Each student is so creative, but my main concern with this lesson was their focus and their ability to make connections with the movement and the material they had previously learned in class. It was evident that some students were participating, but they were watching others make choices instead of taking responsibility to really understand why they were asked to move in that specific way. I'm hoping my next lesson, which will be a continuation of this one, can clear up any confusion about the functions of the skeletal system.

First Visit- Orbit and Rotation

Ms. Thorstrom and I were paired up through the Arts Bridge program at Brigham Young University to teach her 3rd grade class at Hidden Hollow Elementary. Our goal is to teach different subjects and concepts through movement. My first visit to her class was on Monday October 13th, and I was asked to teach about the moon, specifically Orbit and Rotation. We did a lot of partner work, which worked with the lesson plan, but since this was my first visit, I feel like it created a little bit of chaos. If I were to do this again, I would wait to do partner work until, at least my third visit when the students had a better understanding of expectations. The lesson took place in the classroom, we moved a few desks to the side so the students had more space to move and explore. Management this first day was a little difficult because I wasn't clear on the boundaries of the room, a few students hid in corners of the classroom, but I now know to touch base on that subject next time I visit. The students are incredibly smart and willing to participate and try, which makes it exciting for me to come and visit. I look forward to my next visit with these sweet students.

Detailed lesson plans are located under the lesson plan tab on the top of the page.