I am thinking of bringing Dance Dance Revolution to my intermediate level classroom.
Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is a Konami video game that was released in arcades in Japan in 1998 and is now available on various home entertainment systems, including Playstation, Wii, and Xbox.
Players stand on a dance platform with arrows pointing up, down, left, and right. When listening to music and looking at a computer screen, players must tap the corresponding arrows on the beat.
There are different levels of difficulty, so the game can range from simple to challenging. On the Nintendo Wii, Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party includes the use of the Wii remote control. Up to 4 players must move their hands and feet to the beat.
Overall, DDR is a low-skill, high-interest activity that appeals to the video game generation, and as a teacher continually seeking innovative ways to meet curriculum expectations through technology, DDR is in my sights.
In April 2007, the NY Times reported on how some physical education classes are using Dance Dance Revolution to get seventh graders moving.
* 1,500 schools in West Virginia are expected to use the game by the end of the decade.
* “At least 10 states” in the US are using DDR as a “regular part of their physical education curriculum” to combat obesity.
* DDR appeals to school boards and educators as a non-competitive form of movement (compared to traditional sports).
You can use DDR as an after school club, to meet the daily physical activity (DPA) requirements, or as part of a physical education program.
* Most of the students will be looking at the screen and practicing moving to the beat while waiting for their turn on the mats.
* Depending on how much you are willing to spend, you could have up to 4 people playing the video game system.
* You can set the difficulty level for each player independently, which means that an expert and a beginner could be playing at the same time.
