3 Dance lessons suitable for upper KS1 or lower KS2 based on the Kenneth Greene novel The Wind in the Willows.
Each lesson is creative & simply requires the teacher to ask the children questions to inspire them to move - all of which are laid out in a simple step-by-step format.
The first lesson uses the idea of the river, it’s bank & the plant life often found in such settings. The second lesson uses Mole’s spring clean as a starting point, this is developed into partner work as we introduce Ratty & their journey down the river. Finally we meet Toad in the episode with this motor car & travelling haphazardly along the country lanes.
Music is suggested for each lesson which is easily accessed via the internet, but feel free to add your own!
The lessons are designed to keep the children moving throughout the lesson & to develop their own ideas.
A key stage one resource where the 4 lessons encourage the children to explore and develop their own movement ideas (you don’t have to dance a step - unless you want to!)
Each lesson comes in a step by step format with notes and prompts for you to ensure the children are developing their skills - and each lesson also comes with a recommended piece of music that is easily accessed via the internet.
Lesson One includes Autumn leaves falling & bonfires with curling smoke.
Lesson Two uses the angular shapes & sudden actions of Jack Frost.
Lesson Three is the swirling patterns of snow, gusting and settling.
Lesson Four looks at travelling through the snow & links with arctic explorers such as Scott of the Antarctic.
Each section of the lesson has a clear aim, these might involve physical skills such as balance or control; performance skills such as projection or focus; teamworking skills such as cooperation or giving feedback; or choreographic skills such as mirroring or strucutring their work.
For KS2 students, the 3 lessons use movement to highlight and embed knowledge & understanding of the story. Can be used with or without music.
Each lesson comes in step by step form to help teachers develop a logical progression to their work, there are also hints & tips to enable you to challenge and support the learning of your students.
For KS1 & KS2 teachers delivering dance.
The document looks at the skills that I would be hoping children would achieve by the end of each academic year - I’ve broken them down into Physical Knowledge; Physical Skills; Creative/Choreographic Skills and Interpersonal Skills.
The overview spans from nursery to Y6.
Teaching The Tempest by Shakespeare? Want to bring it to life?
4 dance lessons based on key sections from the plot to help the children understand & recall the text more easily.
Each lesson comes in a step by step format that requires the teacher to set creative tasks (all included) to allow the children to develop their imagination and team working skills. There are tips and guidance along the way to help you anticipate any potential problems. Music is suggested with each lesson plan with a link to access it from either Youtube or iTunes.
The lessons could be further linked together to create a performance piece.
These 3 dance lessons cover themes of plate tectonics & how this affects Japan, Mount Fuji (volcanoes), The painting The Great Wave & tsunamis as well as the Japan being known as ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’ & its flag.
All lesson plans are written in a step by step format taking you through the lesson logically, but with the focus being on the children generating the movement ideas rather than you teaching them ‘steps’ for them to recreate.
With each section of the lesson there are hints and tips along the way regarding how to structure sections, or things to look out for… the key skill(s) of each section is also identified. There is a suggestion of the type of music you might use & a link to it… this is purely to save you time… feel free to select other music that you might prefer or think more suitable for your group.
The lessons can be delivered in any order & they could be amalgamated at the end to create a ‘Japan’ dance.
2 Dance lessons aimed at KS2 that use the science themes of
How sound travels & how we hear
Pitch & Volume
The lessons come in a step by step format that simply requires the teacher to set tasks & ask questions which allows the children the opportunity to respond creatively and develop their team working skills as well as consolidating their knowledge and understanding of the key scientific principles covered.
Each lesson plan comes with a suggestion of the music you might use + a link to that track on iTunes, but the music should be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.
There are also hints & tips along the way to enable you to stretch the more capable or support the lesson experienced. This task based approach is highly inclusive & allows children to work at their level.
Three easy to follow dance lessons written with the non-specialist in mind. Each lesson plan comes in a simple step by step format that keeps the children very active & encourages them to use their imagination & creativity throughout but requires the teacher to simply ask questions & set tasks.
The lessons can be delivered in any order & they cover ‘The London Underground’; ‘The River Thames’ and ‘Big Ben’. Each lesson comes with extra ideas that can be used if there is time in the lessons, alternatively the lesson could be repeated & these extra tasks could be used to progress the theme.
The lessons come with suggestions for suitable music - these are easily accessed through the internet & will complement the movement ideas & style.
3 lessons aimed at upper ks2 or ks3 that introduce the students to the Lindy Hop and how it connected with other dance styles of the time.
Each lesson includes some taught movement material which is then developed to enable the students to have some creative input and problem solving opportunities.
Each lesson plan comes in a clear, step by step form with hints & tips along the way as well as an identification of the skills involved in each section of the lesson.
Further to this there is a suggestion of music that you may wish to use (easily available via iTunes, Spotify, YouTube or many other platforms.
In order to further support learning I have include links to examples of Lindy Hop/Swing Dance fromYoutube.
3 creative dance lesson plans covering the topic of ‘Australia’.
These focus on
The Great Barrier Reef
Land Animals
Boomerangs
…which can be delivered in any order.
Each plan enables the teacher to deliver the lesson simply by asking questions & setting creative tasks for the students - this encourages imaginative responses, high levels of engagement, opportunities for students to work together, share ideas, analyse and evaluate.
The lessons are written in a clear formula & include hints & tips along the way as well as the key skill of each section being identified in the right hand column.
This method of working is very inclusive of children with different physical abilities and levels of experience - it also includes an i-Tunes link for suitable music - the tracks suggested would also be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.
A step by step guide to enable those who lack confidence in delivering dance.
The lesson is clearly structured but allows the children to be fully active throughout the lesson, creating their own movement in response to ideas from the story.
The plan includes a guide of what you hope to see for each element of the lesson to help you assess the children and develop their skills.
There is a music suggestion for each lesson.
The lessons would fit with themes such as habitats, polar regions, winter; but individual lessons within the plan also look at explorers, winter sports, penguins & snow.
4 dance lesson plans covering themes & ideas covering ‘Natural Disasters’.
These cover
Plate techtonics/earthquakes
Volcanoes
Tsunami
Cyclones & floods
All of which link closely to their understanding of the environment & they can be delivered in any order.
Each plan enables the teacher to deliver the lesson simply by asking questions & setting creative tasks for the students - this encourages imaginative responses, high levels of engagement, opportunities for students to work together, share ideas, analyse and evaluate.
The lessons are written in a clear formula & include hints & tips along the way as well as the key skill of each section being identified in the right hand column.
This method of working is very inclusive of children with different physical abilities and levels of experience - it also includes an i-Tunes link for suitable music - the tracks suggested would also be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.
4 dance lessons aimed at ks2, based on the book ‘Ariki and the Island of Wonders’ by Nicola Davies focusing on ~
Leaving Turtle Island
A Storm at Sea
The Wonders of the Island
Danger on the Island
Each lesson plan is written in a detailed, step by step approach where the children are encouraged to work creatively and often co-operatively, this also assists with inclusivity and allows students to work at their own level. Hints & tips are included along the way to help you sustain the pace of the lesson, as well as a guide to the skills being developed in each section.
A suggestion for suitable music is included, along with a link for iTunes - the music should also be available on other platforms such as Spotify & YouTube
Four creative dance lessons suitable for upper ks1 or lower ks2 based on Jill Tomlinson’s story ‘The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark’ .
The lessons focus on Fireworks, Campfires, Stars and The Black Cat
These lessons have been written with covid 19 restrictions in mind & whilst still allowing the children to work together they do not require physical contact, limit travelling around the space and the activity level is moderate & sustained rather than high impact.
Each lesson follows a simple step by step format where the teacher is simply required to ask questions to stimulate movement ideas in the children; there are hints & tips along the way to guide the teacher how long each task might last & what they can do to further support learning. Further to this the skills that each section of the lesson focus upon are noted in a column on the right.
Each lesson has a suggestion of a piece of music that would suit - there is also a link to iTunes - but the music should be easily accessible on other platforms such as YouTube or Spotify.
The lessons can be performed in any order & you do not need to cover all of them.
4 creative dance lesson plans for ks2 covering the story of ‘Macbeth’ by Shakespeare.
These focus on key events in the story through the perspective of
The Witches
Lady Macbeth
Lord Macbeth (and Banquo)
Macduff.
Each plan enables the teacher to deliver the lesson simply by asking questions & setting creative tasks for the students - this encourages imaginative responses, high levels of engagement, opportunities for students to work together, share ideas, analyse and evaluate.
The lessons are written in a clear formula & include hints & tips along the way as well as the key skill of each section being identified in the right hand column.
This method of working is very inclusive of children with different physical abilities and levels of experience - it also includes an i-Tunes link for suitable music - the tracks suggested would also be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.
Dance lessons for ks1 & 2 based on Fireworks, Bonfires & Guy Fawkes.
All come with suggested music & step by step lesson plans that require the teacher to simply set tasks by asking questions & this allows the students to be creative and is very inclusive of different abilities.
Five creative dance lessons for KS2 children based on the Tudor themes of The Battle of Bosworth, The Spanish Armada, Tudor Houses, The Tudor Rose and Jousting.
Each lesson is in a step by step format but simply asks the teacher to set creative tasks for the children - so you don’t need to dance a step yourself! The work helps to embed their knowledge and understanding of the topic as well as develop their physical and choreographic skills.
Each lesson comes with a suggestion for the music you might like to use - there is an iTunes link on the sheet to help you access it quickly & easily.
The lessons can be performed in any order & you don’t need to complete them all.
4 dance lesson plans covering the themes of Inheritance, Variation, Charles Darwin & Endangered Species.
Each plan enables the teacher to deliver the lesson simply by asking questions & setting creative tasks for the students - this encourages imaginative responses, high levels of engagement, opportunities for students to work together, share ideas, analyse and evaluate.
The lessons are written in a clear formula & include hints & tips along the way as well as the key skill of each section being identified in the right hand column.
This method of working is very inclusive of children with different physical abilities and levels of experience - it also includes an I-Tunes link for suitable music - the tracks suggested would also be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.
This pack includes 4 dance lessons for KS1 or lower KS2 based on the book ‘The Dragon Machine’ by Helen Ward.
Each lesson focuses on a section of the text and comes in an easy to follow step-by-step format, with hints & tips along the way & a clear indication of the skills they will be focusing on in every section of the lesson.
At the end of the plan there is a suggestion of a piece of music that will complement the lesson (with the link to Youtube) to make it easy to access.
An additional lesson could easily be added consolidating the themes and ideas from the previous lessons.
4 dance lesson plans covering themes & ideas linked to the theme - ‘The Americas’.
These cover
Rainforests
New York (grid system & landmarks)
Longitude & Latitude
The Stars & Stripes
These can be delivered in any order.
Each plan enables the teacher to deliver the lesson simply by asking questions & setting creative tasks for the students - this encourages imaginative responses, high levels of engagement, opportunities for students to work together, share ideas, analyse and evaluate.
The lessons are written in a clear formula & include hints & tips along the way as well as the key skill of each section being identified in the right hand column.
This method of working is very inclusive of children with different physical abilities and levels of experience - it also includes an i-Tunes link for suitable music - the tracks suggested would also be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.