Framework for LEARNING
English Program
Course Overview
In Grade 8, the learner
- develops language and practices for making dance (Making)
- generates, develops, and communicates ideas for creating dance (Creating)
- develops understandings about the significance of dance by making connections to various contexts of times, places, social groups, and cultures (Connecting)
- uses critical reflection to inform dance learning and to develop agency and identity (Responding)
Although these areas are distinct, their recursive learnings are designed to be achieved in an authentic and interdependent way. They are developed, recombined, and transformed across novel and varied contexts to deepen and broaden learning, which becomes more refined, sophisticated, and complex with time and new experiences.
Guiding Principles for the Design of Learning Experiences and Assessment Practices
The Guiding Principles for the Design of Learning Experiences and Assessment Practices provide guidance to all Manitoba educators as they design learning experiences and classroom assessments to strengthen, extend, and expand student learning. Planning with the learner, the context, and the curricula in mind creates opportunities for the co-construction of inclusive learning experiences and assessment practices where the diverse learning needs, abilities, and interests of each learner are met.
Assessment for and as learning involve learners in the process and support learner reflection; assessment of learning (commonly known as summative evaluation) measures final outcomes. All aspects, when done well, contribute to informed teaching and reliable judgment of learner progress.
Guiding Principles for Evaluation and Reporting
The Guiding Principles for Evaluation and Reporting are currently still under development and not yet available. When completed, a notification will be added to the Manitoba Framework for Learning “What’s New?” page on the website.
Learning Outcomes
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8-DA-M1: The learner demonstrates an understanding of and a facility with the elements of dance (i.e., the body, space, relationships, and motion factors and gestures) in a variety of contexts.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Use movement to demonstrate an understanding of the body in dance: body parts, body shapes, and body actions.
- Use movement to demonstrate an understanding of space in dance: personal and general space, dimensions, directions, levels, and pathways.
- Use movement to demonstrate an understanding of relationships in dance: relationships among dancers and between dancers and objects.
- Demonstrate the understanding that motion factors (time, weight, and flow) and gestures in dance can be used to create an endless range of movement qualities.
- Use movement to demonstrate an understanding of expressive gestures (e.g., social, ritualistic, functional, emotional, character) in dance.
- Use appropriate dance vocabulary to label and describe elements of dance.
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8-DA-M2: The learner develops a facility with dance techniques.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Demonstrate dance techniques characteristic of at least one dance form (e.g., whole-body positions characteristic of jazz, foot positions for ballet, frame positions for ballroom, steps specific to tap dance).
- Demonstrate dance steps, techniques, and turns of various folk and social dances.
- Use appropriate dance terminology to label and describe dance techniques studied.
- Perform and demonstrate understanding of the roles of a whole-body warm-up and breathing in dance.
- Follow visual cues, learned notation, and musical cues in dance experiences.
- Perform grade-appropriate dances.
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8-DA-M3: The learner demonstrates musicality through dance.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Move in synchronization to the flow and structure (e.g., beat, accent, rhythm, phrasing, tempo) of a wide variety of music.
- Perform syncopation through body movements.
- Demonstrate rhythmic independence in polyrhythmic movement.
- Describe and analyze the formal and expressive qualities of dance music.
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8-DA-CR1: The learner generates ideas for creating dance using a variety of sources.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Draw inspiration from personal experiences and relevant sources (e.g., feelings; memories; imagination; themes; observations; visual stimuli; learning in other subject areas; cultural traditions; personal responses to current events, social and environmental issues, media, and technology) to ignite ideas and questions for dance creation.
- Consider other arts disciplines (visual arts, dramatic arts, media arts, music) and other subject areas to inspire and trigger ideas for dance creation.
- Generate multiple ideas, themes, and motifs for dance creation through exploration with movement, improvisation, and observation of others’ dance.
- Engage in collaborative idea generation/brainstorming as inspiration for dance creation.
- Collect and explore a wide range of resources (e.g., a choreographer’s process folio may include journal entries, sketches, or maps of dances, reflections on the choreographic process, photographs, videotapes, and/or analyses of how to refine dances) for stimulating and developing own dance ideas.
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8-DA-CR2: The learner experiments with, develops, and uses ideas for creating dance.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Experiment with movement and dance elements to test and elaborate ideas.
- Select, organize, and use a combination of ideas, elements, and techniques in creating own dances.
- Select and use a variety of choreographic concepts to develop and express ideas.
- Recognize serendipitous discoveries and incorporate them into own ongoing dance creations, as appropriate.
- Develop and extend dance ideas individually and in collaboration with others.
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8-DA-CR3: The learner revises, refines, and shares dance ideas and creative work.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Select and share dance work in progress to inform revisions.
- Revise, refine, and rehearse dance in response to peer feedback or self-assessment.
- Finalize and record (e.g., notate, videotape, photograph, describe, draw) original and interpretive dance works.
- Collaborate with others to select, program, stage, and perform dances with audience, setting, and purpose in mind.
- Apply legal and ethical arts practices (e.g., related to copyright, intellectual property) when consuming, producing, and sharing dance and other arts.
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8-DA-C1: The learner experiences and develops an awareness of people and practices from various times, places, social groups, and cultures.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Identify, describe, and compare dance from various times, places, social groups, and cultures (include dance from past and present and from global, Canadian, and Manitoban cultures, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit).
- Identify, share, and discuss examples of dance experienced through live performances and through various media.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the contributions of a variety of dancers and choreographers from own community, Manitoba, Canada, and various global contexts.
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8-DA-C2: The learner experiences and develops an awareness of a variety of dance genres, styles, and traditions.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Identify and characterize common dance forms, genres, and/or styles (e.g., modern, jazz, folk, social, ballet, tap, aerobic).
- Demonstrate an awareness of general characteristics of dance within groups (e.g., cultural, social, historical contexts).
- Describe and compare qualities of different art forms (e.g., dance, drama, literary arts, music, visual arts) within similar social, cultural, or historical groups.
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8-DA-C3: The learner demonstrates an understanding of the roles, purposes, and meanings of dance in the lives of individuals and in communities.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the multiple roles and purposes of dance in society (e.g., for recreation, persuasion, social commentary, religious or cultural expression).
- Examine and explain own purposes for creating dance.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the intended meanings and/or purposes of particular dances performed and/or viewed.
- Demonstrate an appreciation of dance as a means of experiencing and exploring the world and understanding the perspectives of others.
- Demonstrate an understanding of ways in which dance reflects, influences, and shapes issues and events, as well as traditions, values, beliefs, and identities of individuals and groups.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the impact of context on dance artists and their works (e.g., consider personal, social, cultural, geographical/environmental, historical contexts).
- Demonstrate behaviours and attitudes appropriate for performers and audience members in a variety of dance settings and contexts.
- Describe a variety of dance-related careers (e.g., professional dancer/actor, stage manager, choreographer, dance therapist).
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8-DA-R1: The learner generates initial reactions to dance experiences.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Take time to perceive dance experiences before sharing opinions and making judgments.
- Make personal connections to previous experiences with dance and other art forms.
- Express first impression of own and others’ dance (e.g., thoughts, feelings, intuition, associations, questions, experiences, memories, stories, connections to other disciplines).
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8-DA-R2: The learner observes and describes dance experiences.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Discern details about dance (e.g., elements [body, space, relationships], techniques, motion factors and gestures, movement qualities, and expressive gestures).
- Use appropriate dance terminology to observe and describe dance experiences.
- Recognize different noticings and build common understanding about dance.
- Demonstrate the understanding that noticing details enhances own thinking about dance, as well as appreciation, performance, and creation of dance.
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8-DA-R3: The learner analyzes and interprets dance experiences.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Analyze how dance elements are related, organized, and used to communicate meaning.
- Share and justify interpretations of own and others’ dances.
- Examine others’ interpretations to understand diverse perspectives and inform new thinking about dance.
- Co-construct criteria to critically analyze and evaluate dances, performances, and experiences.
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8-DA-R4: The learner constructs meaning and applies new understandings from dance experiences.
The learner is able to do the following:
- Justify own preferences, ideas, interpretations, decisions, and evaluations about dance.
- Recognize and respect that individuals and groups may have different preferences, ideas, interpretations, opinions, and evaluations about dance.
- Make informed judgments and choices for decision-making and evaluation.
- Identify ways that dance contributes to personal, social, cultural, and artistic identity.
Curriculum Implementation Resources
Grade 8 - Curriculum Implementation Resources: Web Pages
Grade 8 - Curriculum Implementation Resources: Multimedia
Grade 8 - Curriculum Implementation Resources: Documents