Dance 3 - Lesson 3

In Year 3's third lesson of Dance 3, the children are introduced to the concept of canon in group dance sequences. The learning objectives are centred on pupils understanding and applying the use of canon, as well as being able to copy, remember, and perform dance movements within specific counts as part of a group. The lesson is structured to encourage teamwork and coordination, with the success criteria focusing on the pupils' ability to work together effectively to create a unified dance sequence. The key vocabulary for this lesson includes terms such as 'canon', 'count of 8', 'fluid', 'influence', 'right angle', 'direction', and 'down stage', all of which are crucial to understanding the technical aspects of the dance choreography. The equipment required for this lesson is music that reflects different weather conditions, setting the atmosphere for the dance.

The lesson begins with a 10-minute warm-up, where the class teacher guides the pupils in small groups to perform movements that warm up the entire body. This is followed by an exercise where pupils move around the room embodying various adjectives called out by the teacher, such as 'rigid', 'light', or 'calm'. The main part of the lesson, lasting 30 minutes, involves the class teacher demonstrating a sequence of movements inspired by the motion of a kite, which the pupils then replicate. The class practices the sequence multiple times to ensure everyone is familiar with the steps. The key teaching point of the lesson is the introduction of the canon technique, where pupils perform the same sequence in groups of four, starting at different times to create a staggered effect. Each pupil is assigned a number, and they begin the sequence in order, creating a domino effect of movement. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute cool-down, where pupils are asked to walk around the room and then quickly form groups of varying numbers when prompted by the teacher, demonstrating their ability to work together and create unified poses.