Experience the world of animals and trees in the tropical rainforest, working in pairs, groups and together as a class. But why are the trees being felled and why do we need them?
Your ‘The Rainforest’ Teaching Pack for Key Stage 2 Dance
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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Outline
Experience the world of animals and trees in the tropical rainforest, working in pairs, groups and together as a class. But why are the trees being felled and why do we need them?
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
Unit Contents:
Week 1: Destruction of the Rainforest
Week 3: Animals of the Tropical World
Week 1: Destruction of the Rainforest
Starter
What are rainforests? Where in the world are they found? Why are they important? Why do you think that rainforests matter?
Warm up
Walk to one side of the room and jog back to the other, in your own time. When the teacher calls out one of these words, do the following:
- ‘Duck’ – bend, as if under branches
- ‘Jump’ – leap, as if over logs and branches
- ‘Stepping stones’ – bounce in long strides
- ‘Waterfall’ – make turns
If you hear a word when you are walking, perform the movement slowly. If it’s when you are jogging, do it more quickly.
Children will be moving at different speeds but all performing the same movement.
Night Crossing
Imagine you are exploring a rainforest. As you travel, what movements will you use?
Encourage the children to discuss their ideas.
Her are some suggestions:
- Move branches to the side, using large arm movements – use changes of direction, high and low movements and changes in speed.
- Take rapid, quiet steps on the balls of you feet – moving more quickly along your pathway.
- Make small jumps over branches and duck under low-hanging branches.
- You may come to a waterfall – turn slowly as you stand under the water, then more quickly.
- Balance over zigzagging stepping stones.
- Climb a rock.
Main
Is There a Doctor in the House?
Why are trees chopped down? How does this affect the animals of the rainforest?
Split into two groups: half of you are going to be the forest and the other half the machines that cut down the trees (at the end we will change the groups over, so all have a chance to be trees and machines).
I Think I’ve Seen The Future
‘Trees’: stand in the middle, twisting around one another with some space in-between. Perhaps make a swaying movement.
‘Machines’: create machines in small groups of 4 or 5. Work closely together in your groups, sharing your ideas.
Is There a Doctor in the House?
Machines: move around the trees in your group of 4 or 5.
Give some time for the machines to see how they are going to move.
- Machines: once you have moved around the whole circle of trees, pretend to cut them down.
Now remove the trees. You could do this with a careful carry or drag – or simply lay them still on the floor.
Cool Down
Uncertainty Prevails
Similar to the warm up; walk to one side of the room and jog back. The teacher will call out ‘trees’ or ‘machines’. Make the following response when you hear each word:
- ‘Trees’ – sway from side to side and fall safely to the floor.
- ‘Machines’ – perform rigid machine-like movements using your whole body
Flexibility stretch: from standing, stretch to each side. Roll down through your spine: aim for your hands to touch the floor with your legs straight. Slowly roll up through your spine. Rise and lower, with your heels off the floor. Repeat and hold, keeping your balance.
Key Vocabulary:
balance, pathway, explore, level, direction.
Week 2: Ant Colony
To continue using this plan…