Moving and exploring
Students start the year by exploring how their bodies move. They try big and small movements, fast and slow, and learn to dance in their own space without bumping into friends.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students discover that their bodies can tell stories. Students try out shapes, speeds, and ways of moving, then connect what they make to songs, books, or moments from their own lives. They also watch others dance and share what they noticed or liked. By spring, students can make up a short dance about something familiar, like a rainstorm or an animal, and show it to the class.
- Creative movement
- Body shapes
- Dancing to music
- Watching and sharing
- Telling stories with movement
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Making up dances
Students begin inventing their own movements. They turn ideas like animals, weather, or feelings into short dances and start putting moves together in an order that makes sense to them.
- 3
Dancing with others
Students practice dancing with partners and in groups. They watch what classmates do, copy movements, and learn to share the space while music plays.
- 4
Sharing and watching dances
Students perform short dances for the class and watch others perform. They talk about what they saw, what the dance reminded them of, and what they liked about it.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Pre-Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect what they know from everyday life to their dancing. A memory, a feeling, or something they noticed outside can become a movement in class.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Dance connects to the world around it. Students begin to notice how dances they see or perform tie to a place, a celebration, or a story from real life.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect what they know from everyday life to their dancing. A memory, a feeling, or something they noticed outside can become a movement in class. | DA:Cn10.pk |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Dance connects to the world around it. Students begin to notice how dances they see or perform tie to a place, a celebration, or a story from real life. | DA:Cn11.pk |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with their own ideas for movement and start turning those ideas into a simple dance or gesture.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students choose movements and put them together to make a short dance. They decide what comes first, what comes next, and how the dance ends.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students practice a movement or short dance phrase more than once, then decide when it feels ready to share.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with their own ideas for movement and start turning those ideas into a simple dance or gesture. | DA:Cr1.pk |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students choose movements and put them together to make a short dance. They decide what comes first, what comes next, and how the dance ends. | DA:Cr2.pk |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students practice a movement or short dance phrase more than once, then decide when it feels ready to share. | DA:Cr3.pk |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose a dance or movement to show others, deciding what feels right to perform and share.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a dance move, then try it again to make it a little better before showing others.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a short dance to share a feeling or idea with an audience, using movement as their message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose a dance or movement to show others, deciding what feels right to perform and share. | DA:Pr4.pk |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a dance move, then try it again to make it a little better before showing others. | DA:Pr5.pk |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a short dance to share a feeling or idea with an audience, using movement as their message. | DA:Pr6.pk |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look at a dance and share what they notice about how the body moves. This is an early step in learning to pay attention to movement and talk about what they see.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a dance and say what they think the dancer is trying to show, such as an emotion or a story. There are no wrong answers, just reasons.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a dance or movement and say what they liked and why. They start to notice what makes a performance feel interesting or fun to watch.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look at a dance and share what they notice about how the body moves. This is an early step in learning to pay attention to movement and talk about what they see. | DA:Re7.pk |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a dance and say what they think the dancer is trying to show, such as an emotion or a story. There are no wrong answers, just reasons. | DA:Re8.pk |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a dance or movement and say what they liked and why. They start to notice what makes a performance feel interesting or fun to watch. | DA:Re9.pk |
Common Questions
What does dance look like for four-year-olds?
Dance at this age is movement play. Students copy animal movements, sway to music, freeze and go, and make up their own shapes with their bodies. The point is to notice how the body moves and to feel comfortable moving in front of others.
How can I support dance learning at home?
Put on music and move together for five minutes. Try fast and slow, big and small, high and low. Ask what the song makes them want to do, then copy each other's moves. That counts as real practice.
Does my child need to learn specific dance steps?
No. The focus is on exploring how the body moves, not memorizing steps or routines. Skipping, spinning, stretching, and balancing all count. Formal technique comes much later.
How should I sequence dance across the year?
Start with body awareness and personal space, then add the elements one at a time: speed, level, direction, and shape. Mid-year, bring in short movement stories tied to books or seasons. End the year with simple share-outs where students show a movement idea to the class.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can move in time with music, control starting and stopping, and show at least two contrasting movements such as fast and slow. They can also watch a peer dance and say one thing they noticed.
My child is shy about dancing. What helps?
Start side by side instead of face to face, and let them watch before joining in. Scarves, ribbons, or a stuffed animal partner give shy movers something to focus on besides themselves. Comfort builds with repetition.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Personal space and freezing on a signal. Many students need repeated practice keeping their movement inside their own bubble and stopping their bodies when the music stops. Build these into warm-ups all year.
How is dance connected to other learning?
Movement supports counting, rhythm, listening, and following directions. It also gives students a way to act out stories and feelings before they can write them down. A two-minute movement break often resets focus for the next activity.