Format
Students will visit with a live interpreter of the persona of St. Nicholas as they learn about the many attributes that make him an important topic of study, and the origins of ritualistic gift giving at Christmas time and in Christianity in general. Dances will be demonstrated and taught in relation to different aspects of St. Nicholas’ history, and discussions will prompt students to analyze and appreciate moral values as they have been embedded in the legends of this famous saint.
Objectives
The participant will:
-Come to appreciate the influence/history of Saint Nicholas in western cultures.
-Develop an understanding of what makes a saint a saint in Christian traditions.
-Enjoy and appreciate stories and legends attached to Saint Nicholas’ persona.
-Participate in dances that embody different aspects of the St. Nicholas legacy.
-Understand that cultural traditions/folkways transform from their origins.
Standards Alignment
National Standards
Coming Soon
State Standards
Wisconsin Model Academic Standards
Dance
A.4.2 Define and maintain personal space and move safely in groups throughout the general space
A.4.8 Demonstrate movements using various pathways (such as straight, curved, zig-zag,
twisted, or turning) on the ground and in the air
A.4.9 Demonstrate rhythmic awareness by moving to a musical beat and responding to
changes in tempo
A.4.12 Demonstrate concentration and focus while moving
A.8.1 Explore and integrate the three elements of dance (space, time, and force) and
focus on the relationships of body parts to each other, dancers to each other, and
dancers to objects
A.8.2 Begin using the following movement skills and explain their underlying principles:
alignment, balance, initiation of movement, isolation of body parts, weight shift,
elevation and landing, and fall and recovery
A.8.4 Respond to rhythmic patterns with accuracy
A.12.3 Use increasingly complex combinations of locomotor and nonlocomotor
movements, emphasizing the elements of space, time, and force
A.12.4 Create rhythmic patterns and develop rhythmic accuracy
A.12.5 Create and perform combinations and variations in a broad dynamic range
Wisconsin Model Academic Standards
Social Studies: The Behavioral Sciences
E.4.4 Describe the ways in which ethnic cultures influence the daily lives of people
E.4.11 Give examples and explain how language, stories, folk tales, music, and other
artistic creations are expressions of culture and how they convey knowledge of
other peoples and cultures
E.8.3 Describe the ways in which local, regional, and ethnic cultures may influence the
everyday lives of people
E.12.8 Analyze issues of cultural assimilation and cultural preservation among ethnic and racial groups in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world events, rites of passage)