Students study dance and anatomy and debate a frog's admission to a ballet company.
Can Frogs Dance?
Program Summary A dance teacher and a science teacher ask seventh-graders to compare the anatomy of frogs and humans. Then a language arts teacher coaches the students in a lively debate about whether a frog should be allowed to join a ballet company.
The Integrated Instruction
Noël Grady-Smith, Dance Teacher Students at this age are beginning to understand that the body is not just a one-dimensional housing. It’s actually layers and layers of systems. We’re getting them to understand this information in a very hands-on kind of way. How does my human anatomy compare to other living things?
Burl Hammock, Science Teacher In the dance studio we looked at joints and muscles. Then in science we compared the frog’s systems to the human’s. When we do this collaboration, the students really have something to connect with.
Joan Celestino, Language Arts Teacher In language arts I’m trying to get the kids to use language and develop arguments supported by reasons. I was thrilled at the way they handled the debate about whether a frog should be allowed to join a dance company.
