Dance 3 - Lesson 5

In Year 1's Dance 3, Lesson 5, the objective is for pupils to create and rehearse simple dance phrases that evoke the seaside experience. The success of the lesson is gauged by the pupils' ability to explore and respond to stimuli imaginatively, listen and respond to music, and coordinate a sequence of actions. They also learn to provide feedback on their peers' dances using basic dance terminology with guidance from the teacher. Key vocabulary for the lesson includes terms like 'motif', 'phrase', 'gesture', and 'movement', as well as words that relate to the beach, such as 'sea', 'waves', and 'driftwood'. The equipment required for this lesson includes gymnastic mats for the cooldown and seaside-themed music, like Debussy's 'La Mer', to inspire the pupils' movements.

The lesson starts with a 10-minute warm-up where the teacher models various travelling steps and body part exercises that encourage pupils to work together and follow instructions. The main part of the lesson, lasting 30 minutes, involves reminding pupils of the seaside dance topic and using items from a beach bag to stimulate ideas for dance phrases. Pupils are then asked to create motifs and develop them into dance phrases that represent different beach activities. They work in pairs or small groups to devise their own movements, which they then perform to the class with the added ambiance of seaside music. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute cooldown, repeating the 'Body Parts' activity from the warm-up and incorporating stretching and breathing exercises to relax the pupils before they return to their next class.