Unit Plan: Beginning Square Dance and Line Dance

St. Margaret’s Catholic School

Grades: 2-3

Penny Fahey, PES 364

February 25, 2010

 Objectives

 Each Student Will:

1. Understand and perform basic square dancing commands

(do-si-do, allemande, square the set, forward and back, circle around )

2. Understand basic square dance formation

(partner, corner partner, head couples and side couples)

3. Listen and follow commands of the caller

4. Dance the “Cupid Shuffle” without prompting

5. Cooperate with partners and group

Grading

25% Participation and attendance

25% Comprehension of square dance commands and formation terms

50% Performing dance steps correctly to music within a group

Schedule: Tuesday & Friday

Week 1: Introduce square dancing and command basics

Week 2: Building the square and command basics

Week 3: Dancing to music & Line Dancing Introduction

Week 4: Assessments (Square and Line Dancing)

Topic (Day 1/ Week 1): Introduction to basic square dance commands

Equipment: Poly spots of different colors (enough for half the class) and 4 cones; 2 fluffy, soft balls.

Introductory Activity: Find A Partner Game: have students spread out within an area created by the four cones. The poly spots are scattered within this area. Have students perform different locomotor skills to music (run, skip, slide, gallop) while the music plays for 1 minute. When the music stops, each student must find a poly spot closest to them and share it with someone else. On the final turn, those who share a poly spot will be partners in the next activity. (Pangrazzi & Beighle, 2010).

Teaching Cues

1. Keep moving! No stopping on a poly spot until music stops.

2. You must share the spot with a different person each time.

3. If you can’t find a partner, raise your hand.

4. Be careful while moving to not run into others.

Activity: Introduction to square dance calls. The unit will start by defining calls without placing students in a square formation. Have the partners stand facing each other, forming two lines of students standing shoulder to shoulder (with personal space in between).  Demonstrate each call to the class with a student and then have the entire class try. Once each set of partners can understand and demonstrate the three calls, play a game by calling out commands randomly.

• Forward & Back: Have partners take 4 steps towards each other and return to line by walking forwards and backwards.
• Do-Si-Do (without linking arms): performed by having students cross on the right side. Have each student place their right index finger on their nose as a reminder of their right side. Partners should walk towards each other, circle around on the right side and cross over to left side and walk backwards towards line.
• Allemande Left:  have students place their right fingers on their noses again. Tell them to use their other hand (left hand) to hold the elbow or forearm of their partner and then turn in a full circle so each partner returns to the same side.

Hang a sign listing what skills you will be testing them on at the end of the unit. Tell them that participation, attendance and effort will be counted, along with how well they understand the commands and positions; and how well they dance with the group.

Teaching Cues

1. Walk backwards; don’t turn around during do-si-do.

2. Listen carefully and go slow.

3. Do not pull on partners during allemande.

4. Keep personal space! Do not run into each other during forward and back or do-si-do

Activity: Freeze tag. Choose 2 students to be ‘it” and given them a fluffy ball (a snowball). They must tag another student with ball by tossing it at them or touching them with it. When tagged, the students are frozen until a “non-it” classmate unfreezes them. Try to give everyone a chance to be “it” if possible.

Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

Topic (Day 2/ Week 1): Review commands and introduction to circle / cardiovascular lesson

Equipment: 4 cones and poly spots for half of the class; jump ropes.

Introductory Activity: Jump Rope Cardiovascular Skill. Instruct students to retrieve jump rope placed on floor and line up on a specific line or spot (with plenty of personal space between). Be sure to have ropes on varying lengths for taller or shorter students. Explain that hearts beat faster and get stronger during exercise and that an easy way to check for the heart beating is through a pulse. Explain where either the radial or carotid pulse site is and have then count beats for 10 seconds. Then, have them jump forward towards the wall or another spot, turn around and jump back to check their pulse rates. Do the same by having them practice jumping in place at different speeds for up to 1 minute each interval. Finally, have them cool down by walking around and checking to see if their pulse rates had slowed down. Some second graders may not be skillful with a jump rope yet, so have them keep moving by jumping or hopping up and down without a rope.

Teaching Cues

1. Lightly touch pulse sites, do not press hard.

2. Do not use thumb, only first two fingers.

3. Keep moving, with or without a rope!

Activity: Review square dance commands and introduce circle right and left. Have students stand in a circle. Explain that where they are standing is their home and with each circle, they need to return to home. Join hands and circle left 1 time and return home; then circle right. Repeat a few times. Point out that everyone must WALK at the same rate to keep the circle shape; no running allowed. Then, to review commands, have students play the Find A Partner Game from Day 1, only when the music stops, they have to find a partner on a poly spot and perform a command you call out.

Teaching Cues

1. Keep the circle a circle, not an egg or bean shape.

2. Do not run! Walk at the same speed as others.

3. Listen carefully.

4. Pass on the right for do-si-do (finger on nose).

5. Hold left arm for allemande and complete full circle.

6. Walk backwards out of do-si-do. Do not turn around.

Activity: If students were cooperative during lesson, have them choose a favorite game (one not requiring extra equipment that is not already out), and let them know that they earned this through good behavior. The game has to be one played by the whole class and it is not free time.

Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

Topic (Day 3/ Week 2): Building the square and couple placement

Equipment: Create squares from poster board. Draw on each: 2 pairs of green spots placed across from each other (on sides 2 & 4 of the square); and 2 pairs of red spots placed across from each other (on sides 1 & 3). Create red and green ribbon bracelets (4 each). The two colors represent the side and head couples. I have found having students follow colors at first instead of remembering the couple name is very helpful.  You will also need one bowling pin for another activity.

Introductory Activity: Cat and Mouse. Pair up the students and have them face each other. The students should be in two lines standing shoulder to shoulder, with personal space. Have each line stand about 10 feet apart. One line is called mice, and the other cats. When you call cats, they must run and chase the mice, and when you call mice, they turn and chase cats. The students can only run back and forth in a line, not all over the floor. Have each keep track of how many times they tagged their partner.  (Pangrazi & Beighle, 2010).

Teaching Cues

1. Run back and forth only!

2. Listen carefully.

3. Keep moving!

Activity: Place the poster board squares on floor, so that the red spots are in the position as the head couples. Have 4 partners stand on each side of the square. Hand those in front of the green spots, the green bracelets and do the same with the red bracelets. The bracelets should go on the right wrists.

• Part 1 of the lesson: explain that this box formation is why the dance is called “square dancing” and it is important to maintain this shape and return to it after making a circle left or right. To get into this formation, the dancers will be told to “square the set.” Practice this by joining hands and circling left and right, squaring set between each circle.
• Part 2 of the lesson: point out that each person is now standing next to, and not in front of, their partners as last week; and each set of partners are now called couples. Have each couple turn to face their partners and do a do-si-do and return home (make sure the right shoulders cross). Then, have the students look at the cards on the floor and notice the color dots in front of them (which also match their bracelets). Explain that the green couples and red couples also dance together. Practice the forward and back between the red couples, then the green couples. Do the same with the do-si-do, watching that the students have room to circle around each other and walk backwards to home.   
• Practice the formation by calling out circle right or left, do-si-do with partners or color couples, forward and back, and squaring the set so the students can practice listening and responding to random commands.
• If you have more than 8 students (but less than 16), an even number of extra students can practice the dance in a separate group; and one student can watch the instruction given to the other dancers. Have these students substitute in the dance periodically to practice.

Teaching Cues

1. Make the walls of a box to square the set.

2. Do not run! Walk at the same speed as others.

3. Listen carefully and go slowly.

4. Always return home.

Activity: Steal the Treasure. Place a bowling pin in the center of the floor and choose two students to be guards. The guards must try to tag the robbers before they take the pin from the floor. The guards can move any distance away from the pin to tag players, but they must prevent robbers from picking up the pin (knocking it over doesn’t count). Tagged players, and those who knock over the pin without picking it up, are out of the game. If the pin is stolen, the game starts over with new guards and everyone is back in. (Pangrazi & Beighle, 2010).  

Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

Topic (Day 4/ Week 2): Review square formation and couple placement/ introduction to music

Equipment: Poster board squares and bracelets, song 1 of “Let’s Square Dance” (Guille, 2009) or other music with basic commands; 2 fluffy, soft balls.

Introductory Activity: Play Cat and Mouse again with different partners. These partners will form couples for square dancing. (Pangrazi, 2010).

Teaching Cues

1. Run back and forth only!

2. Listen carefully.

3. Keep moving!

Activity: Place cards on the floor and review the square formation, couple placement, and commands. Then, have the students try to dance to square dancing music with the basic commands (see Appendix B for music sources). You may wish to tell students that square dancing doesn’t have to be performed to country music and some music selections can be have a Latin beat or could even be rap music.  Also, the music will make reference to head (red) couples and side (green) couples, so they should listen carefully. 

Teaching Cues

1. Make the walls of a box to square the set.

2. Do not run! Walk at the same speed as others.

3. Listen carefully and go slowly.

4. Always return home.

5. Do your best and have fun.

Activity: Play Freeze Tag again ( from Day 1 /Week 1)

Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

 Topic (Day 5/ Week 3): Dancing to music/ introduction to the allemande left

 Equipment: Songs 1 & 2 from “Let’s Square Dance” (Guille, 2009), or music of choice.

 Introductory Activity: Cardiovascular lesson without jump ropes. Have students monitor their pulse rates ( from Day 2/Week 1) after completing 1 minute intervals of running all over, galloping, skipping, etc.  Complete activity with cool down walk and pulse check.

 Teaching Cues

1. Lightly touch pulse sites, do not press hard.

2. Do not use thumb, only first two fingers.

3. Keep moving!

4. Be careful and watch out for others.

 Activity: No poster board squares or bracelets will be used this week. The couples usually in the red positions will now be called head couples, and side couples will be in the green positions. Practice dancing with the song covered in the previous class. Then, introduce the allemande left by pointing out that each person has a corner partner on their left sides (opposite their regular partners). Practice the allemande left by holding the left forearm or elbow of the corner partner and circling around and back to home. Alternate having the students do the allemande with other commands, such as the do-si-do with partners. Try song 2 from “Let’s Square Dance” (Guille, 2009) which includes the allemande.    

 Teaching Cues

1. Hold left arm for allemande and complete full circle.

2. Corners are on the left, partners on the right.

3. Be sure to bow to the corner and partner after each dance.

4. Do not run! Walk at the same speed as others.

5. Listen carefully.

6. Always return home.

7. Do your best and have fun.

 Activity: Addition tag: designate 1-2 couples as “it” (depending on size of class). The couples join hands and must try to tag the other players. When someone is tagged, they must join hands with the taggers. When the taggers make a group of 4, they must break in half to create 2 groups of 2 taggers. Play until most of the players are tagged. A tag only counts when the hands are joined by the taggers. (Pangrazi, 2010).

 Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

 Topic (Day 6/ Week 3): Dancing to music

 Equipment: Songs from “Let’s Square Dance” (Guille, 2009) or other music you choose; “Cupid Shuffle” song (Lane, 2008). Signs designating right and left directions plus cards numbered 1-4 for each wall.

 Introductory Activity: Line dancing: Cupid Shuffle. After learning basic square dances, students will learn an easy line dance. The Cupid Shuffle is a popular, easy line dance with 3 basic moves. While it can be performed at any song at 146 BPM, it also has its own song by the same name (see Appendix B). To begin, hang up signs denoting left and right directions and hang a number on each wall. Have students line up shoulder to shoulder (with personal space), facing the right and left signs and Wall 1 sign. Explain that they will turn and face each wall during the dance.  

• Steps: Students step 8 times towards the right; then 8 steps left. Next, they should kick foot and tap heel to the floor 8 times (4 each side); finally, have them perform a mini-march while turning one-quarter turn towards Wall 2 (8 steps). These steps are repeated with every quarter turn until the students return to Wall 1, or until song ends. 

Teaching Cues

1. Watch and listen for cues.

2. Follow along with me.

3. Everyone must try!

4. Have fun!

Activity: Students will practice square dancing to the two songs taught with no cues from the teacher.

 Teaching Cues (before starting)

1. Be sure to square your set.

2. Listen carefully.

3. Do your best and have fun!

 Activity: If students have participated well with the dance lessons, allow them to choose their own activity (no new equipment allowed). The game has to be one played by the whole class and it is not free time.

 Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

 Topic (Day 7/ Week 4): Dancing practice and assessments

Equipment: Music for line dance and square dances; bowling pin; written assessment test; rubric forms.

 Introductory Activity: Line dancing: review Cupid Shuffle with song of the same name.

 Teaching Cues

1. Watch and listen for cues.

2. Follow along with me.

3. Everyone must try!

4. Have fun!

 Activity: Square Dancing Assessment (song 1; Guille, 2009). Assess about half (depending on size of class) the students without telling students which ones will be watched so everyone participates fully. Tell students you have been grading on participation and effort in each class and will be watching for it today as well. During the dance, watch for a clear understanding of the dance commands and square formation (the rubric is listed below in Appendix A). You may need to play the song twice to complete assessments. After the dance, have students complete a quick written assessment, matching terms with simple definitions (this could be sent home if you feel certain that students will return it).

 Teaching Cues

1. Do your best!

 Activity: Steal the Treasure (from Day 3/ Week 2). Place a bowling pin in the center of the floor and choose two students to be guards. The guards must try to tag the robbers before they take the pin from the floor. The guards can move any distance away from the pin to tag players, but they must prevent robbers from picking up the pin (knocking it over doesn’t count). Tagged players, and those who knock over the pin without picking it up, are out of the game. If the pin is stolen, the game starts over with new guards and everyone is back in. (Pangrazi & Beighle, 2010). 

Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing assessment.

 Topic (Day 8/ Week 4): Dancing assessments (line dance and square dance)

 Equipment: Music for line dance and square dances; rubric forms

 Introductory Activity: Assess students’ ability to dance the Cupid Shuffle without any prompting. Watch for participation and effort and ability to remember the steps. An assessment of the entire class should be possible since you will be watching each do the same dance for a period of time (see rubric in Appendix A).

 Teaching Cues

1. Do your best!

 Activity: Square Dancing Assessment, (Song 2; Guille, 2009). Assess the other half of the students like the previous class (see rubric in Appendix A).

 Teaching Cues

1. Do your best!

 Activity: Climbing Wall Fun! Allow students to explore the indoor climbing wall for the time remaining. Challenge them by making certain color handles off-limits, etc. If a climbing wall is not available, choose another game from the unit.

 Closing Activity: Stop a few minutes early for a drink break and a short discussion about the square dancing lesson.

References

Pangrazi, R.P. & Beighle A. (2010). Dynamic physical education for elementary school children

(16th ed.). New York: Benjamin Cummings

 Appendix A

 Square Dance and Line Dance Unit Rubric

Attendance & Participation (4 points maximum)

0 None

1 Poor: Has missed 4 or more of practices; unwilling to participate

2 Unsatisfactory: Has missed 2-3 practices; exhibits lack of effort

3 Satisfactory: Has missed 0-1 practices and participates fully in activity

4 Superior: Exceptional effort shown

 Comprehension of Terms (provided by written test and observation of dance) (4 points)

0 Severe lack of knowledge of most all terms and movements

1 Poor: Can recall only very few skills; no interest in learning

2 Unsatisfactory: Can recall 50% of terms; makes some effort to learn

3 Satisfactory: Can recall most all terms; makes good effort to learn 

4 Superior: Exceptional effort shown

 Performance of Dance with Group (use with both Square and Line Dancing) (8 points)

0 Lack of effort; negative comments and actions; refusal to dance

1 Poor: participates, but shows lack of interest; actions negatively affect group

2 Unsatisfactory: Participates but makes many mistakes that affect group

3 Satisfactory: Demonstrates good understanding movements within group; actively

participates

4 Superior: Exceptional effort shown

Appendix B

 I attended a square dancing workshop this school year at which licensed caller Dave Guille taught the basic dance commands. At the end of the workshop, he handed everyone a free CD of his calling the basic commands.

Guille, D. (2009). Let’s square dance: basic square dance figures (disk 1) [CD]. Cheyenne, Wyoming: (Dave Guille personal recording).

 I obtained the Cupid Shuffle, as well as other line dances, from a CD/DVD/Guide package by Christy Lane. The Cupid Shuffle song is included on the CD portion of the set. This set can be found through most physical education supply catalogues.

 Lane, C. 2008). Christy Lane’s line dancing today around the USA (DVD/CD/guide package). New York: Christ Lane Enterprises.