Dance 3 - Lesson 4

In the fourth lesson of Dance 3 for Year 4 students, the aim is to master the hand jive. This engaging lesson has clearly defined success criteria, ensuring that pupils not only perform in unison but also create their own choreography in the same style and work effectively with a partner. The key vocabulary for this lesson includes terms such as 'hand jive', 'rhythm', 'unison', and 'beats', which are essential to understanding the movements and timing. To set the mood, rock n roll music is chosen by the teacher to accompany the dance activities.

The lesson begins with a 10-minute warm-up where students, in small groups, are encouraged to perform movements that engage the entire body, from head to toe. The teacher prompts the students with various adjectives like 'rigid', 'light', 'heavy', and 'calm', each eliciting a corresponding movement style. After warming up, the main activity spans 30 minutes and is dedicated to learning the hand jive. The teacher may show a video or demonstrate a sequence involving thigh patting, clapping, crisscrossing hands, and thumbs-up gestures. Students then pair up to devise their own unique hand jive sequences, incorporating five different movements and concluding with a creative finishing pose. The pairs present their hand jives to each other, offering and receiving feedback. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute cool-down where students form groups based on called-out numbers and create static poses, promoting awareness and control as they prepare to leave the hall.