DANCE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Topic: Tiddalick the Frog
Context: This lesson is targeted at grade 3 and 4s. It has a focus on Indigenous Australians
in particular a focus on the dream time story Tiddalick the Frog. This lesson will also
incorporate a literacy component with the use of a story book, students will need to be able to
identify with the character and understand how they think and move. Students will need to
have the skills to improvise and structure movement ideas and create their dance sequence
which encompasses an element or character from the story Tiddlick the Frog. Students also
will need to have some prior knowledge of indigenous culture, in particular, why Indigenous
people use dream time stories. This lesson could be used as part of an Indigenous and
Torres Strait Islander inquiry unit or a way to incorporate a cross curriculum priority. The
overarching purpose of this lesson is to learn about Indigenous culture through dance
movement. By using dance as a teaching tool, it helps to engage kinaesthetic learners, get
the students out of their seats and get them out of their comfort zones.
Theme: Specific movement/dance content
The theme of the lesson surrounds the story of Tiddalick the frog. The students are required
to come up with a short dance sequence that encapsulates elements and characters from the
story using body actions and movements. They will need to work together in groups to
choreograph the dance using safe dance practice. They will need to perform the dance using
technical and expressive skills to communicate the ideas of the dreamtime story.
Learning outcomes the children will be able to:
Improvise and structure movement ideas for dance sequences using safe dance practice, the
elements of dance and choreographic devices (VCADAE025)
Use choreographic devices to organise dance sequences, and practise body actions and
technical skills (VCADAD026)
Identify how the elements of dance and production elements express ideas in dance they
make, perform and view (VCADAR028)
Perform dances using technical and expressive skills to communicate ideas and intentions to
an audience (VCADAP027)
Assessment
Formative Assessment: The students will be assessed in their ability to work together to
come up with movements and dance sequences that are related to either elements on the
story (e,g water) or the characters of the story (e.g frog, kangaroo, worm, kookaburra)
Summative Assessment: The students will be assessed on the final group performance, how
readable the characters are, how well their ideas are expressed through the body actions
and their technical skills.
Curriculum Mapping:
WHAT - content HOW strategies and approaches
Warm up Kinesthetic tune-up COMPLETE THE GUIDELINES FOR EACH
Students will play a game of Tiddalick chasey. ACTIVITY
The chaser will be Tiddalick and the other
students will be water drops. They need to run Organization: How will you establish
away from Tiddalick so he doesnt drink them expectations about behaviour, responsible
up. When Tiddalick catches them they will dry and safe use of the space, stopping cues
up and curl up on the floor. To release the and safe dance practices?
water droplets, another water drop must run
around them twice and they can join the game Pace and length of each activity?
again. Tiddalick chase will be a fast paced game
and run for about 5 minutes.
Introduction of the concept/theme: Students will watch the video for 5 minutes
The students will watch the story of Tiddalick Students will be 10 minutes to create their 4
the frog in the form of a video. The video will step movements for each characters
help give the students an idea of how the students will have 20 minutes to create their
animals move to inspire them for the dance short dance sequence
sequence. Students will have 20 minutes to perform
and watch the performances of their fellow
students
Using the Content Descriptions for Dance,
what aspects of dance curriculum will you Management of children in the space safely
address? for each activity?
Exploring and Expressing Ideas Each group will have their own area of the
Dance Practices room to work in
Present and Perform Teacher will be moving around the room,
making sure the students are working well
together
Links to General Capabilities: How will your
lesson specifically address:
Creative and Critical Thinking: Students will
use their critical and creative thinking to create
their performances. The need to be creative
when they are coming up with their dances
and critical of how well these moves can be
interpreted
Intercultural Understanding: Students will
learn intercultural understanding through the
Indigenous dream time story
Literacy Learning: Students will need to be
able to interpret the story and understand how
the characters think and move.
Culminating Dance/Play - Presentation
How will you structure and present their
movement phrases/scenes and bring it to a
presentable form?
Introduction- students create dance
movements for each character.e.g can you
create a 4 step movement for Tiddlalick?
Development- students put their moves
together to create a short dance sequence
Resolution- students perform the their dances
to the class
Discussion Memory integration
What did you have to consider to make sure
you and the other students are safe when
creating your dance sequence?
What dance elements do you think you could
add to your performance? e.g canons
