Dance 2 - Lesson 5

In Year 3's Dance 2 - Lesson 5, students are invited to dive into the world of the circus and learn to express themselves through dance. The lesson's learning objectives centre around the ability to learn and rehearse dance phrases as a group, drawing inspiration from circus performances. To achieve success, pupils must explore and respond to stimuli with imagination, coordinate a sequence of actions, and provide feedback to their peers using simple dance vocabulary, with the teacher's guidance. The key vocabulary introduces terms such as 'phrase', 'circus', and 'audience', along with movement descriptors like 'clumsy', 'pathway', and 'agility', to name a few. The lesson requires equipment such as gymnastic mats for the cool-down, streamers or ribbons for visual effect, and music to set the tone for the circus-themed dance.

The lesson begins with a warm-up where the teacher sets out a dance zone and models various travelling steps like skipping and galloping, encouraging pupils to move using different pathways. A playful 'Beans' game has the children perform actions based on types of beans called out by the teacher. The main part of the lesson involves pupils improvising and rehearsing dance routines based on circus performers such as clowns, strongmen, tightrope walkers, and acrobats. The teacher facilitates discussions about these characters and their roles, particularly focusing on the ringmaster, who guides the audience through the circus experience. Pupils get the chance to create and perform their dance phrases, taking turns to receive and give feedback, which they can use to refine their performances. The lesson concludes with a cool-down session that includes the 'Beans' activity from the warm-up, followed by stretching and breathing exercises to help pupils relax and unwind after their energetic circus dance exploration.