Philosophical Statement:

    We believe that physical education should provide opportunities for students to learn knowledge, a wide variety of movement skills and attitudes that can be incorporated into daily life in hopes of promoting healthy( cognitively, socially, physically and emotionally) lifestyles.  Our dance unit is organized to provide knowledge, develop dance skills and foster positive attitudes towards dance.  Furthermore, it is our hope that this unit will allow for students to use, and enjoy, dance outside of the school setting.  We believe that an effective dance unit, is one aspect of physical education that will aid students live active, healthy lifestyles.


Rational for out Unit Plan:

    We have built our Unit to best achieve our learning objectives.   We feel that it is important to plan lessons that work slowly and  progressively towards those goals.  By beginning with a simple line dance, we hope that the students will learn very basic rhythm and footwork while both gaining a sense or accomplishment and certain level of confidence in their abilities.  In these first three lessons of line dance (see block plan) students will be able to work on their own  and in groups which will hopefully create a learning  environment that will allow for more difficult skills and concepts to be taught.
    The largest part of out unit will conclude with 7 lessons of Jive.  We feel that it is important to teach a dance that the students will enjoy and ba able to use outside of the school setting.  As Jive has remained popular over decades and generations it is a great choice. Jive dancing can vary  from relatively simple to very acrobatic and complex. It provides opportunity of participation at many levels. This will allow students to participate,  at their own level, within the same  lessons and unit.  Furthermore, a social or partner dance, provides opportunities (if utilized by the teacher) for students to dance with many different partners which could build social skills, acceptance of others and build social relationships.  We conclude with dance, which will allow for the students to experience the joys of learning a new skill without the classroom feeling. This will hopefully give the students the confidence attend public dances and hopefully make the skills and concepts they have learned part of a schema that will lead to life long active living.