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Alpha-bod

Subjects

Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts
--Dance, Music
--Visual Arts
Educational Technology
Physical Education
--Exercise/Movement

Grade

K-2
3-5
6-8
9-12

Brief Description

Students will enjoy this lesson that exercises their bodies as well as their creativity.

Objectives

Students will

  • think imaginatively and creatively as they experiment with using their bodies to form the (capital) letters of the alphabet.
  • work cooperatively, responsibly, and respectfully as part of a team/group.

Keywords

alpha-bod, alphabet, human alphabet, movement, creativity, imagination

Materials Needed

  • digital cameras (one for each group of students)
  • PowerPoint or another software program for creating slideshows (optional)

Lesson Plan

Arrange students into groups. (Four might be an ideal-sized group for this activity.) Call on one group to come to the front of the class and use their bodies to form the capital letter A. You might have the individuals try to do this on their own first; then challenge the group to work together to use two or more of its individuals to form an A. They might do this on the floor or standing up. Use a digital camera to snap a picture of the students forming an A.

Then provide a digital camera for each group and challenge the group members to work together to use their bodies to create each (capital) letter of the alphabet and to snap pictures of the letters they form. Some letters might involve single persons from the group, while others might involve two or three group members. Before you send students off to start the activity, you might want to work with them to create some ground rules/guidelines for the activity. For example:

  • Make sure all students in the group get plenty of opportunities to take part in forming the letters, to direct the formation of letters, and to take pictures of their groups forming the letters.
  • Take photos against as plain" a background as possible. Letters will not pop" as clearly against busy backgrounds as they will against nice plain backgrounds.
  • Dont do anything that could be dangerous or hurtful in any way. All students must have one foot firmly planted on the ground as they work to form the letters.
Once all groups have taken their pictures, the groups might create slideshows that present all 26 of the letter images they created. Or you might put together slideshows of each groups letter A creations, each groups letter B photos, and so on.

Students might choose their favorite picture of each letter to put together into a class book or to form a class bulletin board. (Be sure all groups are fairly represented in the display.)

More Human Alphabets
You might share these additional human alphabets" at the end of the lesson:

Assessment

Assess students based on 1) their creativity/use of their imaginations and 2) how well they worked cooperatively and responsibly to complete the project.

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Dance
GRADES K - 4
NA-D.K-4.1 Identifying and Demonstrating Movement Elements and Skills in Performing Dance
NA-D.K-4.3 Understanding Dance as a Way to Create and Communicate Meaning
NA-D.K-4.4 Applying and Demonstrating Critical and Creative Thinking Skills in Dance
NA-D.K-4.7 Making Connections Between Dance and Other Disciplines
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-D.5-8.1 Identifying and Demonstrating Movement Elements and Skills in Performing Dance
NA-D.5-8.3 Understanding Dance as a Way to Create and Communicate Meaning
NA-D.5-8.4 Applying and Demonstrating Critical and Creative Thinking Skills in Dance
NA-D.5-8.7 Making Connections Between Dance and Other Disciplines
GRADES 9 - 12
NA-D.9-12.1 Identifying and Demonstrating Movement Elements and Skills in Performing Dance
NA-D.9-12.3 Understanding Dance as a Way to Create and Communicate Meaning
NA-D.9-12.4 Applying and Demonstrating Critical and Creative Thinking Skills in Dance
NA-D.9-12.7 Making Connections Between Dance and Other Disciplines

FINE ARTS: Theatre
GRADES K - 4
NA-T.K-4.3 Designing by Visualizing and Arranging Environments for Classroom Dramatizations
NA-T.K-4.4 Directing By Planning Classroom Dramatizations
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-T.5-8.3 Designing by Visualizing and Arranging Environments for Classroom Dramatizations
NA-T.5-8.4 Directing By Planning Classroom Dramatizations
GRADES 9 - 12
NA-T.9-12.3 Designing by Visualizing and Arranging Environments for Classroom Dramatizations
NA-T.9-12.4 Directing By Planning Classroom Dramatizations

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts
GRADES K - 4
NA-VA.K-4.2 Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.K-4.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-VA.5-8.2 Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.5-8.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 9 - 12
NA-VA.9-12.2 Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
NA-VA.9-12.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.9-12.5 Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
NA-VA.9-12.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH: Physical Education
GRADES K - 12
NPH.K-12.1 Movement Forms
NPH.K-12.3 Physical Activity
NPH.K-12.5 Responsible Behavior
NPH.K-12.6 Respect for Others
NPH.K-12.7 Understanding Challenges

TECHNOLOGY
GRADES K - 12
NT.K-12.1 Basic Operations and Concepts

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    08/21/2010



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