Context
My service learning project was completed with Danah Brown at Blue Ridge Elementary School in the Fall 2005 semester.  We worked with three fourth grade classes to plan a holiday program in which each class would perform a song and dance of their choice.  The students also worked on creating costumes and came up with the idea to teach their families the dances as the service part of their project.

In completing this project, students are extending their learning from their CMC projects and are also learning more about the local traditions of North Carolina and the mountain region.  Students did the research and work to plan their project, which helped their learning become more meaningful to them.

Impact
This project can be used to reinforce concepts that have to do with local traditions, art, and music (S.S. 5.01,5.02).  Students can complete this project or a similar project to help them understand both the significance of culture and art forms in their region, as well as to help them understand the importance of civic responsibility (4.03).  Students completing this particular project will learn about dances such as square dancing, line dancing, circle dancing, and the Virginia Reel along with bluegrass and other types of regional mountain music.

Alignment

Standard 4
Indicator 11:  This standard was addressed because students learned how to help their community through teaching important cultural traditions, which demonstrates them being responsible citizens. 

• Standard 7
  Indicator 7:  To meet this standard, the students and I designed a service learning project to assess their understanding of civic responsibility, as well as the cultural art forms and traditions of the mountain region.  The students were assessed both individually and as a group and demonstrated team and collaborative skills throughout the project.

• Standard 6
  Indicator 1:  I designed a dance for the students to perform in their holiday program, which demonstrates my understanding of the basic concepts, vocabulary, and techniques needed for dance.  In designing this dance, I researched and learned steps for circle dancing, which is native to the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
  Indicator 2:  This project shows my understanding of art form of folk dancing from the North Carolina mountains.  I learned that this dancing was originated when settlers first moved to the mountains and mountain natives still perform these dances to this day.

• Standard 11
  Indicator 2: The students' understanding of the humanities was enhanced by learning about music and dance that are historically significant to the area.  The students learned how these things played into the lives of past generations, as well as how they continue to play a part in the current lives of mountain residents.

• Standard 12
  In designing my service learning project as a dance native to North Carolina culture, I integrated the arts into the fourth grade curriculum.  Students in fourth grade must understand North Carolina culture past and present, which I addressed by teaching them a dance native to their region and culture.

• Standard 16
  Indicator 1:  This indicator was met in designing and completing this project because students went above and beyond what they usually do in learning social studies content. They organized and carried out a program which incorporated teaching and held this event after school.
  Indicator 7:  As a facilitator for this project, I encouraged students to participate in service learning by having them design and complete a project of their choice which involved their CMC program and other aspects of the mountain culture.