StrikeTime Dance Theater
Get ready to move, create, and learn with the StrikeTime Dance Theatre of Hope College. Students will explore the importance of conservation, diversity, geography, and compassion while learning about the creation process and how to discover their own movement from inspiration around them.
About The Course
Suggested Grade Level
K-5
Two Hope College student dancers, Vivien and Elayna, will transport students on an adventure to the Galápagos Islands to learn about taking special care of plants, animals, and wildlife. We’ll have storytime together and they’ll share behind the scenes footage and stories about dance rehearsal plus their struggles not being able to dance as a troupe during the pandemic, and the surprising positives that came out of having to rethink the way they have typically operated.
We’ll learn more about the unique culture of the Galápagos Islands in a bilingual reading of Marsha Diane Arnold’s book Galápagos Girl. We then take what we learned to get up and get moving with Vivien and Elayna as we learn about different movements of the world around us.
They’ll also unpack the StrikeTime Dance Theater’s process of creating its newest digital dance performance in partnership with the Little Read Lakeshore. This annual, month-long community-wide reading program creates and fosters a culture in which reading matters to children, families and those who support, advocate for and work with children.
Course At A Glance
- Course Materials
- Learning Targets
- Before Viewing
- After Viewing
- Optional Project Extension
A Video Guide
The basis of these projects all revolve around a tailored video that you will show your class.
Objectives
- Explore the importance of conservation
- Comprehension & Reflection
- Empathy and Compassion
- Common Core Language
- Movement and Dance
- Geography, Social Studies, Science
- Latinx/Hispanic/Mexican/Diversity
The Process
Our StrikeTime program is designed to help students (K – 5th) practice empathy and positivity, both now and post-pandemic. This project will prompt students to think about ways that they are already working to protect the environment, and also learn about new ways to help with conservation in their community.
The learning guide also features an invitation for hands-on activities inviting students to utilize recycled, everyday materials to create their own works of art! You could even take it one step further and challenge your classroom to go on a local clean up, picking up trash in areas that you love and care about!
What Students Will Take
- Crucial SEL (Social-Emotional Learning)
- Learn to practice empathy
- Positivity + hope both now and post-pandemic
- Meeting the everyday challenges and needs of students
- Bringing people of different backgrounds/locations together
- Learning to express themselves creatively
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