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Time in Dance

Seventh graders explore the element of TIME in dance — tempo, rhythm, accent, duration, and phrasing — the timing choices that give a dance its structure and musicality.

Grade 7Elements45 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…

  • ✓Name time elements.
  • ✓Explain each part.
  • ✓Match terms to meanings.
  • ✓Use time in dance.
Essential Question

Dance doesn’t just move through space — it moves through TIME. Tempo, rhythm, accent… what are the parts of time in dance?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Time Element

Project this and match each time element to its meaning — tap a term, then tap its meaning.

⏱️ Match each time element to its meaningTry it
Element
What It Means
Now tap its meaning!
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 — Moving Through Time

5 min

Dance moves through TIME as well as space — what are the parts?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Vary a move’s timing.
  • Ask what changed.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Notice.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Time in Dance

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Time Element.
  • Match each one.
  • Find them in dance.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Find.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

13 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Change the tempo.
  • Add an accent.
  • Play with phrasing.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tempo it.
  • Accent it.
  • Phrase it.
4

Perform — Perform

11 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform with clear timing.
  • Show an accent.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Show it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a time element.
  • Explain it.
  • 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:Pr4.1.7

Use time elements in movement.

NCAS
DA:Cr1.1.7

Explore timing choices.

NCAS
DA:Re7.2.7

Analyze time in dance.

NCAS
DA:Re7.1.7

Notice timing in dance.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Element + meaning cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is ___.”
  • Use dance clips.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with tempo and accent.
  • Match one pair at a time.
  • Use clips.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Choreograph with time shifts.
  • Add syncopation.
  • Analyze a dance’s timing.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🎵Music
  • 💻Match the Time Element
  • 👟Open space
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

timethe timing element of dancetempohow fast or slowrhythma pattern of movement and pauseaccentextra emphasis on a movedurationhow long a move lastsphrasinggrouping movements like sentencesbeatthe steady pulsemusicalitymoving well with music
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 tempo in dance?
How fast or slow the movement is.
QUESTION 2
What is an accent?
A movement given extra emphasis.
QUESTION 3
What is phrasing?
How movements are grouped, like sentences.

Reflect: dance in time.

Have students take one movement and perform it with two different tempos. A printable time 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.

🃏 Time in DanceFlip
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.

📝 Time in DanceQuiz
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.

🖨️ Time in DancePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: accent, beat, duration, musicality, phrasing, rhythm, tempo, time
  1. how fast or slow
  2. the steady pulse
  3. the timing element of dance
  4. extra emphasis on a move
  5. a pattern of movement and pause
  6. moving well with music
  7. grouping movements like sentences
  8. how long a move lasts

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is tempo in dance?
  2. What is an accent?
  3. What is phrasing?
Answer key — Part A: 1) tempo · 2) beat · 3) time · 4) accent · 5) rhythm · 6) musicality · 7) phrasing · 8) duration
Part B: 1) How fast or slow the movement is. 2) A movement given extra emphasis. 3) How movements are grouped, like sentences.