Four lessons for KS2 students using the theme of Tribal Dance - linking to the Haka and African dance. The lessons come in a simple step-by-step format with the first exploring different formations & analysing the types of action typically found in traditional tribal dances like the Haka. The following lesson uses Question & Answer to communicate the competitive situation. The third lesson uses contrast and complement to create a battle & the final lesson reflects celebratory dances of Africa.
All the lessons come with a suggestion for the music that could be used and they can be linked to create a narrative dance.
There are links to examples on YouTube to help you illustrate the cultural links - but the lessons do not require the teacher to dance - but please feel free to do so if you feel confident!
A single dance lesson plan what would be suitable for upper ks1 or lower ks2.
The lesson introduces the animals involved in the traditional story & how they move - then it progresses to use ‘the race’ to identify which order the years appear in the Chinese calendar.
The plan could be easily split into 2, if your lessons are short or your children are younger.
Each section of the lesson comes with hints & suggestions to enable you to deliver it successfully as well as the key skill being developed at that stage. Further to this there is a recommended piece of music that should be easily accessible through platforms such as iTunes, Spotify or YouTube
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.
Aimed at EYFS children.
A simple rhyme covering travelling in a car, on a bike, on a train or in a plane. Each comes with an obvious associtated action, such as miming using a steering wheel for driving - but this is complemented with a different aspect, in ‘cars’ levels are incorporated.
The rhyme can be used as a stand alone activity or ‘filler’; but with each of the 4 verses there are notes on how the actions can be explored and developed. This will suit a wide range of instrumental tracks such as ‘Walking With Elephants’ by Ten Walls; ‘Belfast’ by Orbital; ‘The Baby Elephant Walk’ by Henri Mancini; ‘Axel F’ by Harold Faltermyer.
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 dance lessons using the story of Rama & Sita as the stimulus for creative movement ideas suitable for dance or drama.
Each lesson comes in a step by step format to help the teacher structure the work, there are hints and tips along the way & the key skills for each element of the lesson is identified in a column on the side.
Suggested music is also included which is easily accessible via iTunes or Youtube.
The lessons can be amalgamated to create a performance piece covering the whole story.
Each lesson has been written by a dance specialist - if you require any extra help or advice please feel free to contact me via the email address on the notes.
A collection of themed dance lessons suitable for KS1.
The lessons are very active, creative and require the teacher to simply set tasks and describe what they see.
6 step by step lesson plans to support the non-specialist teacher to deliver a high quality, creative dance experience.
Each lesson plan comes with a link for suitable music as well as a breakdown of the skills that each section of the lesson focuses on.
The lessons follow the story, the first covering the children’s evacuation to their Uncles house; the second playing hide & seek & Lucy discovering Narnia; the third with Edmund following Lucy & meeting the Witch; the fourth looks at the characters that the witch has turned to stone; the fifth where winter turns to spring & the final plan covers the battle. It is not essential to cover every lesson.
A ks2 resource that allows students to engage with science themes & ideas through movement, therefore embedding the learning through the physical.
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 for each lesson, along with a link for iTunes - the music should also be available on other platforms such as Spotify & YouTube
The lessons can be delivered in any order to complement the work you’re doing in the classroom.
Creative dance lessons in a step by step format for those under confident with teaching dance. The lessons include ‘Sparklers’, ‘Rockets’, ‘Helicopters, Pistils and Comets’ & ‘Guy Fawkes’.
The lessons come with a suggestion for music that is easily sourced via the internet.
The lessons include guidance for the teacher - e.g. when to add music, the sort of feedback you might give and how you might arrange sharing/feedback opportunities.
If you require any further information or support please feel free to email me - my address is included with the notes.
Each lesson has been tried and tested in a number of primary schools & they do not require the teacher to dance a step!
Making a Move is an easy to use collection of 30 dance ideas for the primary teacher. They allow non-contact, socially distanced physical education, interaction with peers and contains creative, curriculum support as well as well-being enhancing content.
Each plan is in an easy step by step structure where the teacher simply asks questions to enable the children to generate movement ideas. The skills of each section are identified to aid with assessment & progression, as is a suggestion of suitable music – just hover your cursor over it for an embedded hyperlink.
The lessons are ‘stand-alone’, yet include ideas for differentiation that could be used to develop the work over several sessions.
These dance lessons enable children to…
• Respond creatively & expressively to ideas
• Work collaboratively without contact
• Consolidate learning in other subject areas
• Make learning active and engaging
• Include children of different ages, levels of experience or physical ability
7 dance lessons aimed at ks2, that cover the science area of ‘The Living World’ focusing on ~
Animals
Plants
Micro-organisms
Life Cycles (seeds)
Food Chains
Ecosystems
Renewable/non-renewable energy
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 for every lesson, along with a link for iTunes - the music should also be available on other platforms such as Spotify & YouTube
6 dance lesson plans covering the themes of The Spanish Armada, Slavery, Greenwich Meantime, The Lunatic Line, Spices & The Spice Trade.
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 & an I-Tunes link for suitable music is included - however, this would also be available on other platforms such as Spotify or YouTube.
4 dance lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “The Lost Happy Endings” by Carol Ann Duffey. These cover
Jub’s Job
Meeting the Witch
Alternative Endings
The Golden Pen
All of which link closely to developing literacy skills.
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 lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “The Train to Impossible Places” by P G Bell. These cover
A Train in the House
Gravity
Negative Spaces, Tunnels & Worm Holes
Shipwreck
All of which link closely to developing science & literacy understanding.
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 lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “Ice Palace” by Robert Swindells. These cover
Winter Weather
Journeying Through the Snow
Encounters Along the Way
Freezing & Melting
All of which link closely to developing literacy skills.
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 lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “Nibbles” by Emma Yarlett. These cover
Nibbling & footprints
Goldilocks & the 3 Bears
Little Red Riding Hood
Jack & the Beanstalk
All of which link closely to developing literacy skills.
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 lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “Can We Save the Tiger?” by Martin Jenkins. These cover
The Partula Snail
Vultures
Bison
Kakapo
All of which link closely to their understanding of the impact man has upon the animal environment.
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 lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “I’m Going to Eat This Ant” by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros. These cover
Wriggling, Stinging, Twisting & Turning
Sandwiches, Straws & Smothered in Mint Sauce
Splattered, Scoop, Sun dried…
Tongue-tied & Twisted
All of which link closely to developing literacy skills.
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.
6 dance lesson plans covering themes & ideas from “The Lorax” by Dr Seuss. These cover sections of the story
Way back in the days
But those trees! Those trees!
The Super-Axe Hacker
The loved living here. But I can’t let them stay.
Let me say a few words about the Gluppity-Glupp
The very last Truffula Tree of them all.
All of which link closely to their understanding of the impact man has upon the environment.
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.