DEL Dance and Literacy:
Creating Connections

Year 2: DEL Dance and Literacy: Creating Connections

Welcome to the DEL Dance and Literacy: Creating Connections Curriculum, the second curricular module of the DEL Dance and Literacy Curriculum Project developed by the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL).

Informed by guidance from literacy specialists and dance education experts, this integrated dance and literacy curriculum aims to improve foundational literacy skills through dance and movement learning. The curriculum is anchored in the NYC Blueprint Dance Literacy Standards, NYS Anchor Standards, and NYC ELA Next Generation Standards.

The DEL Dance and Literacy: Creating Connections curriculum emphasizes language learning objectives such as vocabulary-building, reading comprehension, and speaking and writing skills, which are integrated into the dance learning process.

A Guide to Our Curriculum:

On this page, you will find a series of instructional webinars side-by-side with the free curriculum and other resources to support YOU in implementing the DEL Dance and Literacy: Creating Connections curriculum and fostering students’ language and literacy skills through dance learning!

We recommend moving through the content in the following order:

Introduction to the DEL Model

with Ann Biddle

In this webinar, Ann Biddle provides an overview of the DEL Model of dance education, and explains how the DEL model supports literacy skill-building through providing a shared vocabulary for movement, exploration and dance making.

Each lesson in the DEL Dance and Literacy Curriculum follows the DEL Lesson Plan format. Watch this video to understand each section of the DEL Lesson Plan!

Click here to access printable DEL Basics Charts:

Language Scaffolds and Literacy Strategies

with Jennifer Stengel-Mohr

Supporting Student's Language Development

In this webinar, Jennifer Stengel-Mohr describes 3 key principles of support for multilingual learners - Awareness, Amplification, and Accommodation - and shares explicit language scaffolds that educators can use to support language development.

Supporting Student's Literacy Development

In this webinar, Jennifer Stengel-Mohr describes the 5 elements of literacy development, and shares literacy strategies that support students' engagement, comprehension and understanding.

Click here to access the Language Scaffolds and Literacy Strategies Glossary:

Supports for Diverse Learners

with Sandi Stratton-Gonzalez

In this webinar, Sandi Stratton-Gonzalez shares strategies that support access to learning for all students.

Click Here to Access the Supports for Diverse Learners Guide:

Curriculum by Grade Level:

First, take a look at the DEL Dance and Literacy: Creating Connections Dance Unit Overview:

Now, Jump to Your Grade Level!

Note: When downloading any curriculum documents, we recommend downloading in PDF form to avoid formatting shifts.

Pre-K: Hush!

Curriculum Writer: Daria Fitzgerald

Click below for the Pre-K Curriculum!

Pre-K Lesson 1, modeled by Daria Fitzgerald

K-2: Thank You, Omu!

Curriculum Writer: Carina Rubaja

K-2 Lesson 1, modeled by Carina Rubaja

Click below for the K-2 Curriculum!

3-5: Drawn Together

Curriculum Writer: Dawn DiPasquale

Click below for the 3-5 Curriculum!

3-5 Lesson 1, modeled by Danielle Staropoli

Curriculum Writer: Sandi Stratton-Gonzalez

D75 K-2 Lesson 1, modeled by Sandi Stratton-Gonzalez

Click below for the D75 K-2 Curriculum!

District 75 (D75) schools in New York City provides highly specialized instructional support for students with significant challenges, such as: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Significant cognitive delays, Emotional disabilities, Sensory impairments, and Multiple disabilities

D75 3-5: Dancing Connections

Curriculum Writer: Sandi Stratton-Gonzalez

Click below for the D75 3-5 Curriculum!

D75 3-5 Lesson 1, modeled by Sandi Stratton-Gonzalez

DEL Teacher Toolkit and Family Guide:

DEL Teacher Toolkit

To supplement the DEL Dance and Literacy Curriculum, DEL designed a digital Teacher Toolkit for dance educators to use to provide literacy supports in the Pre-K-5 dance classroom.

The Toolkit includes:

A set of 81 printable/projectable DEL Dance and Literacy Picture Cards in both English and Spanish that illustrate dance vocabulary.
A series of printable/projectable DEL Basics charts in both English and Spanish that can be used to describe, embody, and create dance in the classroom.
A Language Scaffolds and Literacy Strategies Guide for educators
A Supports For Diverse Learners Guide for educators

We invite you to use these resources as tools to enhance the literacy strategies in your dance classroom!

DEL Dance and Literacy Family Guide

See below a DEL Dance and Literacy Family Guide in both English and Spanish to share with families!

This guide includes fun activities for families to support their children’s literacy development through dance, and includes printable picture cards to support vocabulary building.