Topic: Ghanian Dance

Objective: I can demonstrate and describe dance from Ghana.
Vocabulary: Ghana, Kpolongo
Extensions: 

• Practice dance skills like

  • Same-side body movements and patterning

  • Cross-side body movement 

  • Balance and Freeze

  • Skipping and galloping

  • Grapevine

  • Walks - cat, bear, crab

• Consider how the dance moves represent daily movement in village life. Create dance moves for daily movement in your life or classroom. 

Currently, media arts lessons are only offered in grades 3-5.

Topic: Steady Beat and Rhythm
Objective: I can show steady beat and rhythm.
Vocabulary: steady beat, rhythm
Extensions: 

• Ask students to explain and/or demonstrate the difference between beat (the steady pulse or "heartbeat" of music) and rhythm (long and short sounds, like the pattern of the words in a song).

• Keep a steady beat with any song or poem. Show the beat by clapping, marching, tapping your lap, or have students choose their own way to show the beat!

• Review performing beat and rhythm with the video "Sweet Beets," which we used in class.

Topic:  Facial Expressions
Objective: I can use facial expressions to communicate
Vocabulary: actor, character, expression, mirror, theatre, actor’s tools, imagination
Extensions:

• Read aloud a picture book with expressive characters.  Have students identify the emotions expressed by the characters.  Be specific about how the character holds their face to show their feelings.  Students mimic the character faces.  Allow students to invent their own dialogue related to the facial expression they are making.

• Expand the emotional thinking and facial expressions to body and movement.  Ask students to identify how their bodies feel when making certain facial expressions or expressing emotions.  Follow up with having students move through space building on the facial expression and body feeling.  How to they walk when upset, curious, happy, etc.?

Topic: Line
Objective: I can make an artwork that use lines to make shapes, words, and a positive message.
Vocabulary: bold, self-esteem, character
Extension:

• Create a collaborative positive word banner.  Check it out here!