Dance 1 - Lesson 1

In the first lesson of a dance series for Year 1 students, the objective is to create a short dance phrase inspired by the colour yellow. The lesson's success criteria include students being able to explore and repeat different movements with coordination, respond to stimuli imaginatively, and provide feedback on their peers' performances with the support of a teacher using simple dance vocabulary. The lesson equips students with key vocabulary such as 'phrase', 'pathways', 'energy/weight', and various movements like 'skipping', 'galloping', 'running', and 'marching'. To facilitate this, 15 gymnastic mats are laid out, and colour-themed books are suggested for inspiration. The warm-up involves setting up a dance space, modelling travelling steps, and a 'Remote Control' activity where students respond to commands like 'Play', 'Fast Forward', 'Rewind', and 'Pause' to vary their movement around the space.

The main part of the lesson focuses on discussing the colour yellow, its associations, and the feelings it evokes. Students are encouraged to think about the sun's movements and how it makes them feel, using these ideas to create dance movements that express rising, turning, spreading, and sinking. They explore these concepts through improvisation, creating their own short dance phrases and mirroring movements with partners. A performance opportunity allows pairs to showcase their dance phrases to the class, with the class teacher modelling how to give constructive feedback based on the success criteria. The lesson concludes with a cool-down activity that repeats the 'Remote Control' exercise, followed by stretching and breathing exercises on safety mats, encouraging students to focus on the sensations of their bodies as they inhale and exhale. Leadership opportunities are woven throughout the lesson, inviting students to demonstrate movements, call out commands, and participate in guiding their peers during activities.