The Ancient Greeks had it all: Olympic games, battle formations, chariot racing, Gods & Goddesses. There’s so much to explore from this exciting and influential period of history…

Your ‘Ancient Greeks’ Teaching Pack for Key Stage 2 Dance

Preview Lesson

Everything you need to get started:

6-week lesson plan
integrated music tracks
pupil assessment charts
curriculum objectives
learning outcomes
comprehensive teaching notes

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Lesson Preview

Name: Ancient Greeks (KS2)
Brand: dance notes
SKU: 648
Price: 32.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

This preview includes the lesson overview and first week’s planning in full. To access the entire plan, simply complete your purchase using the ‘Add To Cart‘ button. Alternatively, a Dance Notes Licence will give instant access to all resources for a yearly or monthly subscription.

Outline

The Ancient Greeks had it all: Olympic games, battle formations, chariot racing, Gods & Goddesses. There’s so much to explore from this exciting and influential period of history.

Curriculum Objectives:

Apply & develop a broad range of movement skills
Learn how to use these in different ways
Link them to make actions & sequences of movement
Enjoy communicating and collaborating with each other
Develop an understanding of how to improve
Learn how to evaluate and recognise own success

Learning Outcomes:

Use a variety of movements in isolation and combination
Develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance
Perform dances using a range of movement patterns
Compare and evaluate performances against previous ones
Demonstrate improvement to achieve personal targets

Week 1: Ancient Greeks

Week 2: Olympic Games

Week 3: Chariots

Week 4: Battle Formations

Week 5: Temples and Gods

Week 6: Perform

Week 1: Ancient Greeks

Starter

Discuss the theme of Ancient Greeks. What do we know already about the Ancient Greeks? What would life have been like?

Use pictures to help give ideas (optional).

Warm up

They To Me Are a Mystery

Improvise ways of moving as though in Ancient Greece. Choose words form the starter discussion to make a list. When the teacher stops the music and calls out a word, make a freeze-frame to represent that word.

Main

Wealth & Power

Which events were in the Ancient Olympics? Individually, choose 3 and create a movement for each.

In pairs, create a short phrase by linking together your movements. Make sure you have a strong starting and finishing position that you can hold still.

Half the group show at a time. Share what you liked and what you thought could be improved.

Cool Down

Time to Consider

Breathing in, stretch up towards the sky as though reaching for the sun. Then breathe out and relax, with your body doubled over, hands hanging towards your feet. Repeat 3 times. Then shake your arms and legs, as though flicking cool water off.

Key Vocabulary:

soldiers, battle, games, fighting, war, gods, temples, racing, javelin, long jump, discus, boxing, wrestling

Week 2: Ancient Olympics

TOP

To continue using this plan…

Dance Notes has given me the confidence to deliver Dance, something I have always struggled with or avoided. There are plenty of topics and themes to choose from and it is easy to use. Because there are no ‘rights and wrong’s about what children’s responses are, children were confident to join in and do what they felt and wanted rather than think ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘I can’t dance’. Some boys who can sometimes be disruptive were totally engaged in Rough and Tumble. Also, because children can choose their own movements, there were less ‘rules’. Children were back from school after lockdown and thoroughly enjoyed moving and expressing themselves to music. Because the music is there ready and the plans are written for you, there is no scrabbling around finding suitable music. I would previously avoid teaching dance as I didn’t have plans or music.

Trish

This is the best dance scheme of work that I have used in my 40 years of teaching and even better than a dance teacher that comes into school. The children are very engaged in dance and enjoy it much more than they used to do. By doing the dance moves they are able to understand how people used to live. I have had many students who find it difficult to work with others but dance notes helped them find the confidence to change. I have had students who were not willing to join in with dance but with dance notes they find it enjoyable. The notes are so clear and well structured and the tracks are available too so there is no need for new planning.

Pauline

It is so easy to use with loads of possible units that can be used across the year.

Dance Notes has massively helped my planning of cross curricular dance. The children have really enjoyed the lessons. They have been able to bring their learning from the classroom and turn it into performance which has been joyous to watch. My planning time was cut in half with the use of Dance Notes

Kelly

Easy to follow instructions with the music. Good pair and group work. Fits well with my Ancient Greece topic. Thanks so much! It’s a great unit – it worked so well I’m doing it again this year.

Anna