Introduction
"Red River Valley" is an English Canadian square dance which is suitable for grade 3+.
As mentioned in the introductory page, "In English Canadian folk dance, the square dance is the most widely disseminated dance, popular from Newfoundland to BC". Students are expected to develop their cognition on English Canadians’ culture in regards to their folk dance — originated from Europe and has been brought here.
Square dance incorporates heads promenade, swings, courtesy turn, etc. dance movements, which contains a lot of partner interactions and movements. Although both circle dance and square dance focus on partner work, square dance is more difficult and complex as compared to circle dance since it includes switching partner in the movements. Therefore, square dance would take more time for students to learn. Nonetheless, once students master the movements of square dance, they are able to choreograph their own dance.
Dance
Rationale
The purpose of this unit plan is to allow students learn basic dance steps of English Canadians' square dance, and in the mean time, develop better cognition on English Canadians’ culture (or more precisely, 17th century European dance culture) as stated in the introductory page.
The unit displays the big idea "our physical, emotional, and mental health are interconnected" perfectly as students would develop affective and social domain through learning and practicing the dance movements (Physical and Health Education, 2015, Grade 3, Big Idea). Moreover, as stated in the introduction page, students are also able to learn and experience historical Canadian culture through a joyful and interesting way — music and dances, which are intrinsic motivations as interests.
The unit is a cross-curricular outcome as it incorporates PE (physical movements), music (dance, song and instruments), and social studies (learn about French Canadians' culture). If any relevant story books can be found, English language arts can be part of the unit as well.
The dance would be age appropriate for grade three and above as it involves partner work and group work which most students are able to do successfully at that stage in elementary school, and it challenges the students to a point where some moves take time to learn (e.g. heads promenade, swings, courtesy turn). Also, the cultural information and knowledge behind the dance can be accepted and learned by students at that age period.
Demonstration Video
Story Behind the Music
"Red River Valley" is a folk song and cowboy music standard of uncertain origins that has gone by different names — e.g., "Cowboy Love Song", "Bright Sherman Valley", "Bright Laurel Valley", "In the Bright Mohawk Valley", and "Bright Little Valley"— depending on where it has been sung. Edith Fowke offers anecdotal evidence that the song was known in at least five Canadian provinces before 1896. This finding led to speculation that the song was composed at the time of the 1870 Wolseley Expedition to Manitoba's northern Red River Valley. It expresses the sorrow of a local woman (possibly a Métis) as her soldier lover prepares to return to the east.
Source cr: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_Valley_(song)
Dance Routine
Introduction
Part A
(1-8) Lines of three walk forward, bearing right and passing the opposite set of dancers, to meet a new line of three.
(1-8) Join hands with the new line to form a circle of six; walk eight steps.
(1-8) The center dancer in each set of three then swings the dancer to her or his right.
Part B
(1-16) Repeat the steps from the first two acts of counts in Part A.
(1-8) Four girls (or four people on the ends of the two lines) join right hands across the center between the two lines to form a right-hand star; walk clockwise once around; drop back into place on the last two counts to clear the way for the next eight counts.
(1-8) The two center dancers do-si-do; partners face and walk around each other, starting right shoulder to right shoulder.
Part C
(1-16) Repeat the steps for the first two sets of counts in Part A.
(1-8) The two dancers on the right of the three person lines facing one another change places by passing on the right shoulder diagonally across the set.
(1-8) The two dancers on the left side of the lines change places by passing on the right shoulder diagonally across the set.
Repeat the entire dance with new partners each time.
*NB: Boys and Girls in this dance can be changed into leading partners and following partners in order to avoid sexism.
Scope: CAPS
Sequence: Block Plan
Assessment Strategies
Formative & Continuous Assessment
Formative assessment will be made out throughout the lesson by regularly observing student progress and adjusting activities to suit student needs.
- Video Recording (if applicable)
- Teacher Observation and Reflection
- Ask students questions to assess their progress
At the beginning of each lesson, ask students what they learned last class to help them review and build understanding.
In the end of each lesson, ask students what they have learned in the class to have them recall and think back.
Student Self-Assessment
As mentioned above, debrief with students in the beginning of the class and also the end of the class to help them assess through themselves. Also, have students self-assess in the end of the unit.
Summative Assessment
At the end of the unit, assess students summatively to find out the specific shortcoming of individual students to build up better learning.
An overview of all new concepts learned is also completed through the questions posed in the closure.
References
BC Ministry Education (2015). Physical Education and Health in Building Student Success: BC’s New Curriculum. Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/home
Rink, J. (1998). Assessment in the instructional process. In Teaching physical education for learning (pp. 255-280). St. Louis. Missouri; McGraw-Hill.
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/folk-dance/
https://acme-corp.com/teamGuest/R/2_426/sd101/Square%20Dancing%20101.htm