Judy Seely -- 8th Grade –- Arts Integration Lesson
Chemical Reactions and Movement
Desert Harbor Elementary
The students defined the four types of chemical reactions and how the elements exchanged places during the reactions. Then, they became
elements/compounds and imitated the process of moving from one type of reaction to another.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Teaming/Planning: Ms. Seely and Mrs.
Thomas identified key components of each
type of chemical reaction and planned a
lesson that incorporated movement.
Step 4
Art focus: The students practiced each of the
four elements of movement (Body, Energy,
Space, and Time)
Student Planning: Students collaborated
on the choreography that demonstrated the
four types of chemical reactions
Revise/Performance: Students perfected
their movement piece, then presented their
depiction
Step 5
Direct Instruction: The students discussed and
organized the components of the four types of
chemical reactions and the exchange of
elements and/or compounds.
Step 6
Assessment: Students verbally assessed every
group for the components of each reaction
Science Learning Objectives
Lesson Objective: The students will define the four types
of chemical reactions and imitate the atoms’ movements.
Strand 5 Physical Science: Understand physical and
chemical properties of matter.
Concept 1: Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter
SPO 3. Identify the following types of evidence that a
chemical reaction has occurred.
SPO 4. Classify matter in terms of elements,
compounds, or mixtures.
Learning Objectives
Arts - Dance
Strand 2, Concept 4: Students understand how the
human experience influences and is influenced by dance,
and apply dance to understand ideas across disciplines.
Strand 3, Concept 1: Students interpret how dance
communicates and conveys meaning.
Student Reflections
“Creating the chemical reaction dances really helped me learn how
it really works. I think that doing physical activities helps
students grasp the concept that we are trying to learn.”
“I thought that the dancing part of science was a good way of
learning and remembering certain parts of the lesson.”
“Whenever I get lost when thinking about chemical reactions, I go
back to the dance we did. The movements we did helped me
remember synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and
double replacement.”
“I have always remembered things better if I was doing them with
my body. If we would have done it just on paper, I know I
wouldn’t have remembered it.”
“During our time doing chemical reactions, we did a little
dance. Acting things out makes learning much easier.
While testing, I can think about the dance to remember the
parts.”
Teacher Reflection
“There aren’t many teaching strategies that are as beneficial as
the arts when it comes to reaching the majority of the different
learning styles of the students. Science lends itself to the
students that think logically and mathematically.
Incorporating the arts into science, helps those students who
learn spatially, musically, and bodily-kinesthetically to learn
as well.”