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Pathways

Second graders learn that dancers travel along pathways — straight, curvy, zigzag, circle, spiral — the invisible lines they trace as they move through space.

Grade 2Space30 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 dance pathways.
  • ✓Match paths to shapes.
  • ✓Move on a path.
  • ✓Use pathways in dance.
Essential Question

When you move across the floor, you make a path — straight, curvy, or zigzag! What are the different pathways you can 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 Pathway

Project this and match each pathway to what it looks like — tap a path, then tap what it looks like.

💃 Match each pathway to what it looks likeTry it
Pathway
What It Looks Like
Now tap what it looks like!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Create · Perform · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Trace a Path

4 min

When you move you make a path — what paths can you dance?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Walk a curvy path.
  • Ask what shape it made.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Guess.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Pathways

8 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Match the Pathway.
  • Match each one.
  • Trace them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Trace.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

8 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Dance a straight path.
  • Dance a curvy path.
  • Dance a zigzag.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Straight!
  • Curvy!
  • Zigzag!
4

Perform — Perform

6 min

Children perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Dance a pathway for others to guess.
  • Move smoothly.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Dance it.
  • Guess.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

4 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a pathway.
  • Trace it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Trace it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Dance).

NCAS
DA:Cr1.1.2

Explore pathways in space.

NCAS
DA:Pr4.1.2

Move along different pathways.

NCAS
DA:Re7.1.2

Notice pathways in dance.

NCAS
DA:Pr5.1.2

Practice moving in space.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Pathway picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “This is a ___ path.”
  • Trace in the air.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with straight vs. curvy.
  • Walk the path.
  • Match one pair.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Combine two pathways.
  • Draw your path.
  • Make a pathway dance.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 💃Pathway cards
  • 💻Match the Pathway
  • 👟Open space
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

pathwaythe line you move alongstraightright from here to therecurvybending and windingzigzagsharp back-and-forth turnscirclea round ring pathspiralwinding in smaller circlesspacethe area you move intravelto move across the floor
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 does a straight pathway look like?
Going straight from here to there.
QUESTION 2
What does a zigzag pathway look like?
Sharp turns, back and forth.
QUESTION 3
Name a dance pathway.
Straight, curvy, zigzag, circle, or spiral.

Reflect: dance a path.

Have children dance a curvy path and a zigzag path at home. A printable pathways 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.

🃏 PathwaysFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 PathwaysQuiz
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.

🖨️ PathwaysPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: circle, curvy, pathway, space, spiral, straight, travel, zigzag
  1. right from here to there
  2. the area you move in
  3. the line you move along
  4. sharp back-and-forth turns
  5. bending and winding
  6. to move across the floor
  7. winding in smaller circles
  8. a round ring path

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What does a straight pathway look like?
  2. What does a zigzag pathway look like?
  3. Name a dance pathway.
Answer key — Part A: 1) straight · 2) space · 3) pathway · 4) zigzag · 5) curvy · 6) travel · 7) spiral · 8) circle
Part B: 1) Going straight from here to there. 2) Sharp turns, back and forth. 3) Straight, curvy, zigzag, circle, or spiral.