Dance - Minibeasts - Lesson 4

In the fourth lesson of the Reception dance series themed around 'Minibeasts', young learners are introduced to the concepts of mirroring and symmetry through dance. The lesson aims to teach students to work in pairs to choreograph movements that reflect these principles. Success is measured by the pupils' ability to cooperate with a partner to create mirrored movements, demonstrating symmetry and shapes in their dance. Key vocabulary terms such as 'unison', 'symmetry', 'mirroring', and 'line of symmetry' are introduced to enrich the children's understanding of the dance concepts. Equipment needed for the lesson includes minibeast posters and music recommendations that complement the theme.

The lesson commences with a warm-up where the class forms a circle and follows the teacher in a 'follow the leader' style activity, with children taking turns to lead. The main part of the lesson focuses on exploring the movement of butterflies, encouraging children to move gracefully around the room with arm movements that mimic the fluttering of butterfly wings. The highlight of the lesson is when children pair up to practice mirroring, a technique that reflects the symmetry of a butterfly's wings. They are challenged to create and perform a sequence of movements in unison to a count of 16. The lesson concludes with a cool-down session where the children follow the teacher's instructions to stretch and relax their bodies, preparing to transition out of the dance activity.