Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Your ‘The Great Fire of London’ Teaching Pack for Key Stage 1 Dance

Outline

Starting with isolated flame movements; what happens when the candle burns down and the fire spreads? Discover improvisation, canon, work with props and more.

Top

Curriculum Objectives:

• Develop fundamental movement skills (agility, balance & coordination)
• Become increasingly competent and confident in moving the body
• Work individually and with others
• Engage in co-operative physical activities
• Explore a range of increasingly challenging situations

Learning Outcomes:

• Master a variety of basic movement patterns
• Develope balance, agility and co-ordination
• Perform dances using simple movement patterns

Unit Contents:

Week 1: Fire dance Improvisation

Week 2: Fire dance Improvisation with prop

Week 3: Pudding Lane

Week 4: Fire Dance

Week 5: Finalise The Dance

Week 6: Rehearse and Perform

Week 1: Fire Dance Improvisation

Top

Starter

Discuss briefly the story of The Great Fire of London.

Warm up      

(Spatial awareness, rhythm, direction)

Travel around the space using long steps (try to step in time with the music)…

• Walk for 8 counts and hold for 8 counts.
• Walk 4 counts, hold 4 counts.
• Walk 2 counts, hold 2 counts.

Extension: 6 counts, 5 counts, 3 counts – always holding for the same amount of time as walking.

Then, pick a child to choose a number between 1 and 8.

All perform together, according to the chosen number.

Now, each individually choose a number between 1 and 8 (so all moving at different times).  Try to count silently, in your heads.

Main           

1. Listen to the music and – in a kneeling position – improvise, pretending to be a burning fireplace, using your upper body only.

2. Again, restrict your movement but this time standing tall. Use your hands to represent a flame and your body and feet a candlestick.

Explain to children they are not to move from their personal space (they could stand on a spot or next to a bean bag to mark this).

What will happen if the wind blows? Show this with your body. Try using a quick, sharp movement at the end. e.g. a quick drop of the upper body, with you arms and head closing in.

What happens if the candle burns down slowly? E.g. slowly twisting and spiraling as you melt, go cold, and end in a still position.

3. What words can you think of to describe fire movement?

e.g. ‘flicker’, ‘fiery’, ‘ferocious’, ‘sparks’

Begin curled up in a ball. Try to move together with the music; firstly by isolating single parts of your body. Then – as the fire starts to spread – turn, roll, and jump to represent this. Remember to change direction: moving forwards, sideways and backwards. The fire then gradually dies down: slow your movement until you come to a still position.

4. Stand in a circle.

Choose two children to travel across the circle, passing each other as they perform fire movements until they have swapped places.

Let’s make a word-bank to describe fire. What words can you think of to add? What movements can you make to represent these words?

Cool Down

Discuss the children’s creative work and pick 4 or 5 children to perform, sharing their favourite flame-like movements. Encourage them to perform their movements at different speeds, first fast and then in slow motion. Choose another group of children to perform until all have had the opportunity to share their work.

Key Vocabulary:

flicker, spark, meeting, parting, slow motion

Week 2: Fire Dance Improvisation With Props

Top

To continue using this plan…

£32.99 – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart