Teaching Social Studies Through Dance
Social Studies in the elementary classroom is one of the most diverse curricula, and can be taught in so many fun and unique ways. Dance can easily be incorporated into almost any unit of Social Studies, as students can use it express their learnings, demonstrate concepts and ideas, and respond to current events (Akenson, 1991). Using such forms of exppressions can be a great benefit for students who are looking for alternative methods of showcasing how
and what they’ve learned.
Dance also relates to the Social Studies curriculum because it fosters social awareness. NDEO (2012) states that dance provides an environment where students endure social encounter, interaction, and cooperation. Students learn to communicate ideas to others through the movement of their bodies. By incorporating dance into the classroom, students learn to work within a group dynamic. Students practice cooperation and learn to understand themselves in relation to others.
Dance can be applied everywhere in Social Studies, however, for the purpose of this assignment we chose to focus on the cultural aspects of dance because culture is something that is learned throughout all grades of the Social Studies curriculum. There are many cultures around the world therefore leaving endless possibilities to incorporate the study of cultural dances into the classroom. McCutchen (2010) explains that both Social Studies and dance focus on the nature of human expression throughout history and in different cultures. Dance universally expresses social, historical, cultural, and familial aspects, this leads to gaining insights about the people who create cultural dances. Therefore Social Studies and dance both carry the same goals, making it easily relateable. NDEO (2012) also states that, “dance is a natural method for learning and a basic form of cultural expression. Children learn movement patterns as readily as they learn language. Just as all societies create forms of visual representation or organize sounds into music, all cultures organize movement and rhythm into one or more forms of dance. Yet, while our educational systems for early childhood include drawing and singing, they often neglect to include dance. It is essential that education provide our children with the developmental benefits and unique learning opportunities that come from organizing movement into the aesthetic experience of dance.” This is another reason we are focusing on cultural dances and promoting dance in the classroom.
We found many informative and easy-to-use videos that can help any teacher find a way to include some form of dance in their cultural Social Studies lessons. From discussions to research projects to actual application of skills, students will be getting a new and exciting perspective on various world cultures throughout the ages and across the globe. Through our research, we found evidence that using art forms such as dance as a means of teaching social concepts can foster a heightened sense of democratic citizenship (Engle and Ochoa, 1988) as it allows students to become more aware of how people and societies function in various regards.
While keeping in mind the importance of building and maintaining an inclusive classroom, teachers can find innovative ways to fit dance into a cultural Social Studies unit. For example, having students research their heritage and discuss the history of their ancestors’ use for dance would be an excellent research project idea, and it would generate discussion, thought, and questions for students to share with one another.
When trying to include dance in a Social Studies lesson, or anywhere in elementary classes for that matter, teachers must always be prepared to have students who are unwilling to participate in dance related activities. In order to encourage those students to get involved in such lessons, teachers should find ways to engage students right from the very beginning of their lesson. Enthusiasm and a positive, upbeat attitude are essential if you want all of your students to enjoy this sort of activity. Of course, modelling is the best way to get students active and willing to participate in a lesson,
especially when it comes to something like dance. Teachers, even if they have little or no dance experience, should always demonstrate for their students, encourage their progress, and praise positive behaviour.
When planning Social Studies lessons that involve dance for elementary students, it’s important for teachers to remember that something like dance in the academic classroom can be daunting for most students, so keep it simple! Make it clear to students that should they ever take part in a dance experience, they are not being marked on ability, but simply their participation and willingness to try something new. If teachers make the effort to come up with a lesson with attainable goals and fun learning outcomes, using dance in Social Studies should be a positive, rewarding experience for everyone involved.