When we were first told we needed to create a lesson that combined dance and science, we were stumped. How on earth is that going to work? But after some brainstorming, the dance and science activity we created was a lot of fun.

We chose the grade 5 topic of Properties of Matter & Changes in Matter. For us this made the most sense because words associated with Changes in Matter also sounded like description words for dances, like melting, freezing, floating, etc.

Our first activity introduced (or refreshed) the concept of particles in solids, liquids, and gasses. Students may not know, and many adults forget, that particles in solids move as well as the particles in gasses and liquids. So we played a game where if we said gas, the particles (or students) needed to move quickly around the room like a gas particle. If we said liquid, the students would move slowly around the room like liquid particles. Lastly, if we said solid, the students would move, but only slightly with vibrations or shaking. This activity taught us that the particles in a solid are still moving slightly, even if we can't see it.

Our consolidation activity was fun because groups brainstormed the different ways something might have a change in their state of matter. How can something go from a liquid to a gas? from a solid to a liquid? from a liquid to a solid? etc. This is where we got those fun buzz words that sound like dance moves: melt, freeze, rain, drip, float. The students then used those words to create a dance sequence, showing the class at least 5 changes in matter.

This sort of activity would be a lot of fun to do at the end of this science unit so that students are able to demonstrate their knowledge and share the information that they remember. Also, by learning and practicing a tricky concept with movement, they will be much more likely to remember it later on in their lives.

Teaching dance is not something that is new to me. My first experience with teaching dance was when I was 15 years old and I was working at the dance studio I was a part of my entire life. I was teaching ballet and jazz to little kids who wanted to be there to dance, and many of them had already taken other dance classes before.

That was easy! Teach something to a bunch of kids who really really want to learn and are excited about it. However teaching dance in a school would be a lot more difficult. Dance is one of those subjects that students are either really into, or really really not into at all.

How was I going to motivate students to learn something that they were embarrassed to try, thought they couldn't do, or thought they were going to suck at? 

The Ontario Ministry of Education (2009) states that students are expected to learn the creative process to help them learn and apply knowledge and skills in the arts. All students have the ability to be creative and as educators we must support and guide students into reaching that potential, despite their previous notions about a subject.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Education (2009) "sometimes it is more about asking the right questions than it is about finding the right answer" (p. 19).

Dance is a subject that many students feel uncomfortable with at the start, but by going through the steps of the creative process, they will gain the confidence and the skills they need to succeed in dance. One of the most important things that an educator can tell a group of students in a dance class is that there is no right or wrong answer, everyone's movements and ideas count.



The creative process is something that is crucial to an arts lesson or unit, but it can be implemented within many subject areas. The creative process is so student centred; students are free to move from one step to the next within the process as they see fit, even moving backwards if they need to, all while receiving feedback and support from the teacher. This process is useful as students work through a dance lesson, but could also be extremely beneficial in an inquiry based literacy lesson or social studies lesson.

By guiding students to create their own answers and lead their own learning, teachers are allowing students to build the confidence and enjoyment in dance that may not have been there before.