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Space & Formations

Sixth graders learn how dancers use space — pathways, levels, directions, and group formations — to design dances that are visually interesting and clear to an audience.

Grade 6Space45 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Use pathways & levels.
  • ✓Create formations.
  • ✓Move in directions.
  • ✓Design the space.
Essential Question

A great group dance isn’t just about the moves — it’s about how dancers fill the space together. How do dancers use pathways, levels, and formations?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Space & Formations Explorer

Project this and tap each idea. Have students learn how dancers use pathways, levels, and formations.

💃 Explore space & formations — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Create · Perform · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Filling the Space

5 min

A great group dance fills the space — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a group formation.
  • Ask how they use space.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Wonder.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Explore Space

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Space & Formations Explorer.
  • Note pathways.
  • Note formations.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Explain.
3

Create — Create

14 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Travel a pathway.
  • Make a group formation.
  • Change levels.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Travel it.
  • Form it.
  • Change it.
4

Perform — Perform

10 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform with formations.
  • Use levels and pathways.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Use them.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a way to use space.
  • Explain a formation.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Dance).

NCAS
DA:Pr4.1.6

Use space, pathways, and formations in dance.

NCAS
DA:Cr1.1.6

Explore spatial design ideas.

NCAS
DA:Pr5.1.6

Demonstrate spatial skills.

NCAS
DA:Re7.1.6

Describe how space is used in a dance.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Space + formation cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A ___ is ___.”
  • Use floor diagrams.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with levels vs. pathways.
  • Use diagrams.
  • Try one formation.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Design complex formations.
  • Map pathways on paper.
  • Choreograph spatial changes.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 💃Formation diagrams
  • 💻The Space & Formations Explorer
  • 👟Open space
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

spacethe area dancers move inpathwaythe route traveled on the floorlevelhow high or low you moveformationhow a group is arrangeddirectionthe way you face or traveldiagonala slanted directionmirrorto copy another dancerdesignhow a dance fills space
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a pathway in dance?
The route a dancer travels on the floor — straight, curved, or zigzag.
QUESTION 2
What is a formation?
How a group of dancers is arranged — like a line, circle, or V.
QUESTION 3
Name one way dancers add variety using space.
Changing levels, pathways, directions, or formations.

Reflect: design the space.

Have students design a short group dance idea using at least one pathway and one formation. A printable space sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Space & FormationsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Space & FormationsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Space & FormationsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: design, diagonal, direction, formation, level, mirror, pathway, space
  1. how high or low you move
  2. the way you face or travel
  3. the area dancers move in
  4. to copy another dancer
  5. how a group is arranged
  6. a slanted direction
  7. how a dance fills space
  8. the route traveled on the floor

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a pathway in dance?
  2. What is a formation?
  3. Name one way dancers add variety using space.
Answer key — Part A: 1) level · 2) direction · 3) space · 4) mirror · 5) formation · 6) diagonal · 7) design · 8) pathway
Part B: 1) The route a dancer travels on the floor — straight, curved, or zigzag. 2) How a group of dancers is arranged — like a line, circle, or V. 3) Changing levels, pathways, directions, or formations.