Dance 2 - Lesson 3

In the third lesson of Dance 2 for Year 1, pupils embark on a creative journey to express the essence of summer through dance. The learning objectives are centred around crafting a simple dance phrase that captures the narrative of the season. To achieve success, the children are encouraged to explore and imaginatively respond to various stimuli, coordinate a sequence of movements, and engage with music. With the assistance of the teacher, they also learn to observe and provide feedback on each other's performances using basic dance terminology. The key vocabulary introduced includes terms like 'phrase', 'seasons', and various weather conditions associated with different times of the year, enriching the pupils' language related to dance and the theme of the lesson.

The session is structured to include a warm-up where children engage in activities such as 'Visit To The Zoo', mimicking animal movements to get their bodies moving. The main part of the lesson involves the children discussing and embodying summer activities through improvisation and composition of dance phrases, set to Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons'. They work in pairs or small groups to create and perform their dance sequences, offering each other constructive feedback. The lesson concludes with a cool-down phase, incorporating stretching and breathing exercises to relax the pupils' muscles and calm their minds, preparing them to transition back to their regular class activities. This holistic approach to dance education not only fosters physical development but also nurtures creativity, collaboration, and reflective thinking.