Blog Post 3: Integrating Mathematics and Dance

Mathematics and dance are closely related through terms such as pattern, sequence, shape and parallel. Moreover, through connecting movement to math, students are able to fully immerse their entire body into the learning experience, allowing for deeper and more critical thinking. Throughout this blog post, I will be exploring the various ways math and dance can be integrated into the classroom and the social-emotional and academic benefits of doing so.

It is evident that many students lack confidence in mathematics, however through integrating mathematics and dance students are able to connect their mind and body to guide their understanding. Mathematical strands such as shapes, geometry, counting and symmetry, align perfectly with the dance while removing the feelings of pressure that often occur throughout a mathematics lesson. Through this integration, students may better understand mathematical concepts through an increase in motivation to learn and deeper critical and creative thinking.

Recently, the Ontario curriculum added coding, as a strand to be learned across elementary and high school grades. Currently, many educators, including myself, are not fully confidant in teaching this new strand, therefore I decided to search out resources to see how coding can be taught through dance. Throughout my search, I came across this Resource. Which Provides a number of lesson plans and ideas for integrating mathematics and dance into to classroom. Below I have posted a lesson plan, inspired by this resource which shows how coding and dance can be integrated into a primary classroom.

Lesson Plan: Coding for Kids

Description: Working in groups, students will cut out a  series of 5 or 6 shapes. Each shape will represent a movement and students will write down the movement on their shape. For example jump, balance with one leg lifted, turn around, clap four times. The students will then put the shapes in a sequence, rehearse the movements together and then they perform the movements to music four times. To make the activity more challenging, the movement descriptions can be hidden. Overall, this minds-on activity can be used within a grade 1 classroom to introduce coding to students.

Grade 1
Curriculum Expectations: Coding

C3.2 

read and alter existing code, including code that involves sequential events, and describe how changes to the code affect the outcomes.


Furthermore, I will now be sharing the various strategies for integrating dance and math into the classroom, that was introduced during week 3 of our dance education course. Firstly, working in groups, we explored how patterns and dance can be combined. Together, we create a sequence pattern using our bodies (ABB, ABC, AAB

etc.) We then performed our dances to the class and asked our peers to guess what pattern they believed we were representing. Moreover, for the next activity, we explored symmetry using our bodies. Working collaboratively we created a dance sequence that included, symmetrical and unsymmetrical poses, as well as various transitions. We challenged ourselves, by incorporating different levels and ending our dance in a group symmetrical shape (ie. a circle). Overall, this activity would align with the following curriculum expectations posted below:


Grade 1

Curriculum Expecations: 

Geometric Reasoning

 E1.3 

construct and describe two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects that have matching halves


Curriculum Expectations:  

Location and Movement

E1.4 

describe the relative locations of objects or people, using positional language

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