Math Dance: Teaching Common Core State Standards of Mathematics through Concert Dance and Creative Movement

Abstract

This study focuses on how participants understood specific Common Core State Standards of Mathematics over the course of roughly two months when they engaged in concert modern dance and creative movement used to teach these standards. Weekly instructional rehearsals yielded copious notes that show the participants’ growth in understanding, and pre and posttests in the form of concept maps demonstrate the participants’ understanding before and after they learned the standards through dance. In all cases, the participants seemed to have a deeper understanding of the standards at the end of the project, and they often had a more precise understanding of related mathematical concepts as well. Many of the participants showed a more positive attitude for mathematics by the end of the study.