Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Dancing Parallel and Series Circuits

How could students "translate" their knowledge of parallel and series circuits into creative dance pieces?

First of all, students discussed what they knew about how electricity moved in a parallel circuit and a series circuit.  They looked at simple diagrams to clarify their thinking.
 

Students imagined that they could be one of the light bulbs in these diagrams.  How could they show each of these circuits?

They began by creating an 8 count sequence in a small group.  

As a parallel circuit, the energy flowed between all of the "pathways."  All of the dancers moved in unison.  Even if one dancer stopped, and the others could continue the sequence to show the flow of energy.  

In a series circuit, however, the students imagined that the flow of energy passed through each dancer at different times.  One dancer began their sequence, and the others started in a "contagion" or "canon" one after the other.  In this way, the dance showed how the energy flowed through the circuit.  

Students used some of the following dance concepts:
 Shapes (based on poses of professional dancers)
 Use of various body parts
 Energy: sharp or smooth energy
 Weight: powerful or delicate 
 Levels: high, middle, low
 Use of varying relationships
 Choreographic devices: canon

They are learning to collaborate in small groups to express their ideas.  By using classroom concepts in dance, they nurture their creativity and make new connections in their learning.

These videos are not their final work, but a snapshot of where they were at during their class. 



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