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Music and costume materials.Supplemental information about the animals selected by the children. "Giraffes Can't Dance" text.

Boom Box.

Space suitable for active movement for the full class. Ensuring that the children are prepared for the scheduled activity wearing clothing that is appropriate for a full range of movement including floor work (stretching, extensions, yoga- type stretching.)

Ideally, our planning would include the opportunity: 1) To meet with the Teaching Artists to discuss vocabulary and potential links to curriculum they are focusing on in the classroom.
2) To introduce the books before the first workshop (preferred) or to indicate if the teaching artist would do it in the first session.
3) To plan time for research about the characters.
4) To schedule class time for the children to write about or discuss their experiences that might be similar to that of the main character.
5) To ensure that the children and their parents/caregivers are aware that they should be dressed appropriately for dance on the days of the workshops.
6) For the teacher to participate actively in the workshops.

I can communicate meaning through dance.
I can describe how dance is informed by life and learning experiences.
I can recognize and appreciate the differences in my classmates.
I can create a small performance based on the themes of the selected book.

The workshops will be built around the book "Giraffes Can"t Dance" by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Guy Parker"“Reese (1999). It is a book generally recommended for children ages 4 to 8, but has been successfully used with older children because the illustrations and the layout of the text are all about movement.
The giraffe feels awkward "“ afraid to dance because the other animals make fun of him. They are all preparing for an annual dance party and the giraffe slinks off into the jungle in embarrassment and comes upon a cricket playing beautiful music. Suddenly he can dance and is admired by the other creatures. After all, "We all can dance when we find music that we love."

The book is a simple story that serves as an excellent framework to: teach the children about dance forms in historical and cultural context; building vocabulary; to use the vocabulary of emotions and feelings to identify real life situations; and to research the animal characters and present findings in order to be guided in the creation and performance of basic choreography.
There are three major opportunities for vocabulary development.The first is a vocabulary of emotion. The second is the basic language of movement. The third is the vocabulary of dance forms.
The exploration of these vocabularies is described below: The book depicts animals that are very happy, excited, and enthusiastic. Some were arrogant, some were unkind. The giraffe at first is shy, embarrassed, anxious, and timid. She (or he) lacked confidence in his (her) own abilities and was afraid to try. The cricket was encouraging, kind, inspiring and wise.
The children will use movement and position to express these feeling and attitudes.They will be asked to share similar experiences: times when they were afraid to try new things; when others picked on them; when someone as a teacher, or mentor encouraged them to succeed.

This reflection forms the basis for retelling their stories in their own words (preferably as a writing assignment supervised by the classroom teacher) and then to use movement to illustrate their story.

The children will learn and perform elements of dance that include locomotor and nonlocomotor movements. They will explore spatial relationships by positioning themselves high, middle or low while performing directed movements following different pathways. They will learn about positioning their arms and posture and alignment. They will be asked to make shapes, individually and in groups.

The book introduces the cha-cha, the tango, the reel, the waltz and rock "˜n" roll. The images of the giraffe evoke both classical ballet and hip hop. The children will learn the cultural context of these dance forms and be encouraged to suggest other forms of dance with which they are familiar, (salsa, jazz, swing, etc.). They will learn about the basic rhythm of these forms and link the dance to the characteristics of the animals that are represented.

The selection of music is an important reinforcement of dance and helps to underscore how dance communicates meaning.It uses dance as a metaphor for life's lessons.

The first workshop will introduce the animals and their characteristics using the illustrations and dance styles to set the stage for the children to share their own stories, building vocabulary as they move. They will be introduced to the music and basic movement patterns suggested in the book and share what they know of other dance forms.

It is hoped that between sessions, they will be asked to talk about, write or reflect on what they learned and the feelings they experienced in context.

The second session will build choreography that tells the basic story, with the children assuming roles of the characters, applying movements that illustrate their roles in the story. And they will be directed to "put it all together".

We apply the principles of CLOSE reading to the interpretation of text and use that approach and standards of dance pedagogy to teach across skill and grade levels.

Spectrum in Motion encourages the involvement of whole families. Parents/caregivers are welcome to participate in the workshops! (As is the teaching staff.)