Lesson Focus: The Arts Learning Area/Strand: Year Level: 3-4 Duration: 5 hours
Dance approximately
Overview:
This activity will introduce the students to Dance as they work in the same groups from the previous
activity.
Using their original music composition and rattle drums, the students will choreograph, perform and
respond to their visual Arts activity.
ICT’s have been incorporated into this sequence as the students will record their progress using ICT.
Students must watch videos, participate in whole class activities and work in their small group from
the previous activity.
This activity will take approximately 5 hours.
The Year 3 HASS unit of Exploring places near and far will be integrated throughout the activities.
Prior Knowledge of learners
Students know the Elements of Music Art and Design
By the end of Year 2, students describe the effect of the elements in dance they make, perform and view and
where and why people dance. Students use the elements of dance to make and perform dance sequences
that demonstrate fundamental movement skills to represent ideas. Students demonstrate safe practice
(ACARA, 2016).
Lesson Objective/s
Develop an in-depth awareness of the body through using different body parts, body zones and bases.
Demonstrate technical skills such as accuracy and awareness of body alignment.
Explore the concepts of direction, time, dynamics and relationships through groupings, objects and
props.
Develop an in depth understanding of fundamental movement skills.
Utilise complex movements by adding and combining them with fundamental movement skills.
Explore, make and respond to dance by developing meaning and interpretation of elements and
forms, including shapes and sequences of dance routines.
Utilise expressive skills, such as projection and focus, to express meaning when performing dance for
an audience.
Understand how dance is used to express culture and history
Evidence of Learning:
Declarative Knowledge:
Understand how ideas are conveyed through dance.
Explore how dance is used to illustrate stories.
Develop understanding of practices.
Procedural Knowledge:
Identify how ideas are conveyed through dance.
Choreograph a student-devised dance.
Perform a student-devised dance.
Key Question for Years 3 and 4
How can we use our different types of body movement with music to communicate a story or idea?
Links to Curriculum
The Arts – Dance
Improvise and structure movement ideas for dance sequences using the elements of dance and
choreographic devices (ACADAM005).
Practice technical skills safely in fundamental movements (ACADAM006).
Perform dances using expressive skills to communicate ideas, including telling cultural or community
stories (ACADAM007).
Identify how the elements of dance and production elements express ideas in dance they make,
perform and experience as audience, including exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
dance (ACADAR008).
Cross-Curriculum Focus and Links: HASS: Year 3
Exploring places near and far
The location of Australia’s neighbouring countries and the diverse characteristics of their places
(ACHASSK067)
The similarities and differences between places in terms of their type of settlement, demographic
characteristics and the lives of the people who live there, and people’s perceptions of these places
(ACHASSK069)
Mathematics Year 3: Numeracy
Estimating and calculating with whole numbers.
Understand and use numbers in context
Recognise and use patterns and relationships.
Describe, continue, and create number patterns resulting from performing addition or subtraction
(ACMNA060)
General Capabilities
Literacy
Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
Text knowledge
Grammar knowledge
Word knowledge
Visual knowledge
Numeracy
Recognising and using patterns and relationships
Using fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and rates
Using spatial reasoning
Resources
YouTube Video: Chinese lion dance in 10 basic steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=PI5fm_m3BTY
YouTube Video: Dragon Dance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFcU1nCWC2c&t=2s
YouTube Video: Ethnic Folk Dance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4JM3GpYwfY&t=104s
YouTube Video: Children dancing to rattle drums - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpX307FrYmc
YouTube Video: Body Percussion Chinese - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZvw1QKydF8
iPad
Dance map teacher example
Planning Dance Movements in Sequence worksheet
Mind map teacher example
Reflecting on Dance worksheet.
Differentiation strategies
Continue to use the same groups so that students with lower abilities and lack of confidence in the
Arts are group with familiar, more confident peers.
Share my own strengths and weaknesses within the Arts subjects. Share tactics that worked for me in
order to encourage students who are uncomfortable.
Allowing students to process the lessons content individually, in pairs, in small groups and as a whole
class, to cater for their variety or learning and personality types.
Allow reflection time to help students process new information.
Group students with similar learning styles to encourage collaboration through common thinking
processes.
Extension activity
Lesson Introduction Explain to the students through a whole class discussion that the rattle drum
Introducing the topic was used as an effective tool by shop owners to attract people out of their
Engagement of the houses so they would spend money. However, musicians use it as a
learners percussion instrument to harmonise with other ancient instruments.
Display videos of different dances on the interactive whiteboard for the whole
class to observe. These dances include the dragon dance, ethnic folk dance
and young children dancing to rattle drums.
As a class, draw a table with three columns for the three different videos
displayed. Ask for student input and their thoughts to write in the table. Use
questions to guide the students learning. For example, what type of
movements did you see, what parts of the body are being moved, or are the
movements slow or fast etc. An example of what the table should look like can
be seen below.
Analysis of Different Dances
Lion Dance Dragon Dance Ethnic Folk Children dancing
Dance to rattle drums
… … … …
… … … …
Lesson Body Activity 1: Whole Class
Delivering the Body percussion Chinese
content through https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZvw1QKydF8
specific strategies As a whole class, the students will attempt this body composition to
music. It will be challenging due to the past pacing rhythm.
Emphasise to the students that their own dances do not need to be
this fast paced.
Ensure all students understand that their movements should not be
slow.
Firstly, watch the video and observe the types of movements.
Following on, have a slow run through the video, pausing it frequently
to practice the body composition. Then after a few attempts try to
complete it fast.
Activity 2: Small Group Work
Students will split into their small groups from the previous activities.
Each group should find their own space. They can sit on the carpet or
join some desks together in order to feel comfortable.
Create a mind map for brainstorming ideas for choreography on A3
piece of paper. Each student from the group has a different coloured
pen to distinguish their ideas and so the teacher can give feedback.
Teacher should demonstrate an example on the board. Explain to the
students their expectations for the activity. This expectation is that
their mindmap should be detailed, even if they decide not to do some
of the ideas in their final dance presentation.
Attach example mind map
Activity 3: Small groups
In the same small groups, students begin to plan their dance movements in
more detail. They may use the ‘Planning Dance Movements in Sequence’
worksheet to create a draft whereby they modify their initial ideas. A final
plan should be written using this same worksheet and handed to the teacher
in order to provide feedback.
Following on, the students create a simple dance map. Show an example to
help the students understand this new concept further.
Explain to the students through discussion that dance maps allow them to
plan their choreography and effectively visualise it. The dance map will
illustrate the dance movements on the stage from a bird’s eye view. In turn,
students can visualise whether they are using the full area of the stage or
staying in one spot and modify any ideas they had in the brainstorming
session. The students may need to go back to their Planning Dance
Movements in Sequence worksheet and make any changes if necessary. This
may be a challenge for students to complete individually. Therefore, the
students can work together in their small groups to complete a simple version
of a dance map that highlights their movements.
Activity 4: Small groups
Students will be allocated sufficient time to rehearse their dance.
They will listen to their peers’ thoughts and ideas to modify and
improve choreography.
They will be given support from the teacher and receive feedback on
their choreography.
Lesson Conclusion Conclusion:
Concluding activities Reflection: Reflecting on dance worksheet
Summarising the Elicit a whole class discussion whereby students can share their experiences.
lesson Below are some guided questions that can be used.
What are your past experiences with dance?
What were your first thoughts when you were told you had to
complete this task?
Do you have a culture and/or traditions that you would like to share
with the class?
Have you heard your parents or grandparents talking about dances
they did in the past?
Was your dance the same to any of the other groups?
Does anyone think it is a good idea to incorporate dance into lessons?
This reflective task will allow students to introduce their cultural perspectives.
As a result, the whole class can learn about another culture from their peers.
Following on, the students will complete their own individual reflection. This
can either be shared with the class afterwards or given to the teacher to read
and provide feedback.
Extension Activity: Invite a Chinese elder into the classroom to discuss
Chinese dance, art and music culture. Students may be able to gain an
understanding of how dance, art and music are used to express Chinese
culture and history.
Teacher Example Mind Map:
Teacher Example Dance Map:
