Dance 2 - Lesson 2

In the second lesson of the Year 4 Dance 2 series, students are encouraged to select and explore a variety of movements inspired by the dispersal methods of different seeds. The lesson's objectives are to enable pupils to creatively respond to stimuli, repeat and link actions with coordination, and provide feedback using simple dance vocabulary with the teacher's support. Key vocabulary introduced includes terms such as 'phrase', 'seed', 'dispersal', 'wind', 'water', 'animal', and 'explosion'. To facilitate the lesson, equipment such as gymnastic mats for the cool-down session, seed pictures for visual reference, and music suggestions like 'Morning' from Grieg's Peer Gynt suite are recommended.

The lesson begins with a warm-up where the class teacher sets out the dance zone and models different travelling steps, such as skipping and galloping. The 'Sweet Shop' activity has pupils moving around in various ways, responding to commands that mimic the properties of different sweets, like bubble gum and toffee. Transitioning to the main part of the lesson, the focus shifts to the life cycles of plants, with an emphasis on seeds. Through discussions and imagery, students explore the roles of seeds and the various ways they can be dispersed, including by wind, water, animals, and explosive mechanisms. Pupils then work individually or in groups to create dance phrases that showcase these seed dispersal methods, culminating in performances where they give and receive feedback based on the success criteria. The lesson concludes with a cool-down activity, which includes a repeat of the 'Sweet Shop' exercise and guided stretching and breathing exercises to relax and reflect on the session.