Anthropology, Dance, and Education: Integrated Curriculum in Social Studies. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Karli; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Vissicaro, Pegge; Fredrickson, Lynda
• Is Part Of: Social studies. Volume 107:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 28
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Ancient Egypt -- sixth grade -- intervention study; History -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Histoire -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; 300.71
• DOI: 10.1080/00377996.2015.1094725
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0037-7996

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The integration of dance into K–12 curriculum can help students to learn better, encouraging deeper exploration and active engagement with content knowledge. The purpose of this intervention study was to determine how the integration of dance and social studies with an anthropological framework affects student learning of content knowledge in social studies, as well as student attitude toward the topic. An anthropological framework was implemented to foster respectful investigation of culture. As a supplement to a sixth-grade unit on Ancient Egypt, the experimental group received four intervention lessons, incorporating creative dance. Results show that at posttest the intervention group had significantly higher content knowledge than the control group, and qualitative student responses from the intervention group suggest extremely positive feelings toward experiences in the program. This suggests that incorporating dance into sixth-grade social studies with an anthropological framework can encourage student exploration and increase understanding of content.