Unit overview and Plan: Movement

Rationale:

I will be exploring a Movement Unit with both Grade 10s and 20/30 classes focusing on
different aspects of movement and the same. Through Tableau, Dance Drama, Clown, Mask, and
Creative Movement students will be able to explore how their bodies move naturally and extend
their abilities in the follow GLO’s:
The student will be able to:
1. Display the ability to be still.
2. Demonstrate understanding of basic anatomy.
3. Recognize the necessity for physical warmups.
4. Perform a physical warmup.
5. Demonstrate effective breathing techniques.
6. Recognize when to use specific breathing techniques.
7. Display proper body alignment.
8. Extend flexibility.
9. Display increased ability to balance.
10. Demonstrate focus, concentration and energy in all movement and gesture.
11. Demonstrate the ability to move isolated body parts.
12. Demonstrate knowledge of elements of space.
13. Use levels (high, medium and low).
14. Create physically shapes in space.
15. Use basic locomotor movements (e.g., walking, running, crawling) to explore space.
16. Create and repeat patterns of movement.
17. Demonstrate freezing of movement in space.
18. Appreciate that physical expression can enhance language.
19. Demonstrate qualities of energy.
20. Create appropriate personal physical warmup routines.
21. Demonstrate the ability to extend a movement.
22. Translate words, images and emotions into movement.
23. Demonstrate non-verbally the who, what, where, why and when of a story.
24. Demonstrate understanding of mood, and communicate mood.

Human beings use movement every day and yet lack the ability to use to their full body to their
advantages. By exploring different types of Drama such as Dance drama and clown, students will
be able to explore and play with expressing themselves, storytelling, and using their bodies to
communicate. This is important not only in the classroom because as we go through each lesson
and mini units, students will gain the knowledge and practice to tie everything together for their
final performance in Creative Movement but students will be able to fully express and
communicate in a world where voices need to be heard…in other words through expressionist
movement. Drama, especially movement, should enhance the depth of expression and reactions
(Impulses). Following one’s impulses or natural instinct (follow your gut) is so important in today’s
world and promotes self-regulation in students to take with them as they find their own path in
todays society. Students learn to appreciate, understand, and voice non-verbal communication
which fosters natural development and growth in an atmosphere that is, “non-competitive,
cooperative, supportive, joyful yet challenging” (Alberta Curriculum Drama)

Unit Objectives and skills:

Tableau: Students will be able to develop how to be still and create through stillness.
(Grade 10)

Dance Drama: Students will be able to enhance their ability in following their impulses and
exploring different ways of moving their bodies. Working collaboratively with others to create a
story.
(Grade 10, 20/30)
GLO’s:
1. Display the ability to be still.
4. Perform a physical warmup.
8. Extend flexibility.
9. Display increased ability to balance.
13. Use levels (high, medium and low).
14. Create physically shapes in space.
16. Create and repeat patterns of movement.
18. Appreciate that physical expression can enhance language.
22. Translate words, images and emotions into movement

Final assessment in Dance Drama:

Clown: Students will be able to explore their own flexibility and challenge who they are. Create a
clown walk and persona. Use a clown hat, prop, costume in variety of circumstances. Create a
comic character voice. How exaggerated movement and voice create a comic character.
(Grade 20/30)

Final assessment in Clowning:

GLO’s:
3. Recognize the necessity for physical warmups.
4. Perform a physical warmup.
5. Demonstrate effective breathing techniques.
6. Recognize when to use specific breathing techniques.
10. Demonstrate focus, concentration and energy in all movement and gesture.
11. Demonstrate the ability to move isolated body parts.
12. Demonstrate knowledge of elements of space.
13. Use levels (high, medium and low).
14. Create physically shapes in space.
15. Use basic locomotor movements (e.g., walking, running, crawling) to explore space.
18. Appreciate that physical expression can enhance language.
Mask: Students will explore the neutral mask and character masks to develop characterization
skills and enhance emotional capabilities within themselves and their characters.
(Grade 10)
GLO’s:
5. Demonstrate effective breathing techniques.
6. Recognize when to use specific breathing techniques.
10. Demonstrate focus, concentration and energy in all movement and gesture.
11. Demonstrate the ability to move isolated body parts.
18. Appreciate that physical expression can enhance language.

Final assessment for Masks:

(In progress)

Creative Movement (Animal Studies): Students will be able to explore and enhance their own
knowledge about what their bodies can do. Animal studies explores embodying many different
kinds of animals and morphing it into characters using animal tendencies. By exploring different
ways animal move, can help develop ways students can create new and existing characters in
different unique ways.

GLO’s:
1. Display the ability to be still.
2. Demonstrate understanding of basic anatomy.
3. Recognize the necessity for physical warmups.
5. Demonstrate effective breathing techniques.
6. Recognize when to use specific breathing techniques.
7. Display proper body alignment.
8. Extend flexibility.
9. Display increased ability to balance.
10. Demonstrate focus, concentration and energy in all movement and gesture.
11. Demonstrate the ability to move isolated body parts.
12. Demonstrate knowledge of elements of space.
13. Use levels (high, medium and low).
14. Create physically shapes in space.

Final Creative Movement assessment in Animal Studies:

(In progress)