Dance 2 - Lesson 4

In Year 1's Dance 2, Lesson 4, the students embark on a creative journey to express the narrative of Autumn through dance. The learning objectives for this lesson include the ability to craft a simple dance phrase that captures the essence of the season, with success criteria focusing on the exploration of movement ideas, coordination of actions, responsiveness to music, and the ability to give and receive feedback using basic dance terminology. The key vocabulary introduced to the pupils encompasses terms such as 'phrase', 'seasons', and various weather conditions. To facilitate the lesson, the teacher prepares the space with gymnastic mats for the cooldown and suggests Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons' for musical accompaniment.

The lesson commences with a warm-up in the designated dance zone, where the teacher models various travelling steps like skipping and galloping, and pupils mimic animal movements such as the heavy stamping of an elephant or the hopping of a rabbit. The main activity involves discussing the season of Autumn, with pupils exploring and improvising movements that represent falling leaves, using different body parts and dynamics to embody the theme. The children then partner up to choreograph a dance phrase, reflecting the qualities of the music, and perform their sequences, offering each other feedback. The lesson concludes with a cooldown activity that includes a repeat of the animal movements and a guided stretching and breathing exercise, ensuring pupils are calm and ready to return to class.