Key Stage 2

Roam the landscape as Stone Age hunter-gatherers. Become hunted yourselves by terrifying predators. Then develop civilization by making discoveries such as the wheel and the usefulness of fire.

Arriving on these shores in longships, the Vikings raided villages & worshiped many gods. Sure to evoke dramatic, dynamic and contrasting ideas, this topic will really get your pupils moving!

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?

What do we know about outer space? If we created a planet, what would it be like? How do aliens move? Pupils collaborate to physically explore these and other ideas…

Discover the world of ancient Egypt through dance. Experience this advanced yet harsh regime, where slaves were set to work on monumental constructions.

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…

Do battle with the most organised of forces: the Romans. Learn attack & defense formations with these expert warriors. This is a great way for your pupils to experience spatial and group work… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Investigate and recreate the Mayans’ structures, their agriculture, gods and writings. Then imagine what happened to this amazing civilisation. What caused it to disappear?… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Explore suspension, fall & release.  Embody the flow and movement of the river and the resistance of a dam. Then, using poetry as a stimulus, work together to create a group improvisation…

Images from World War II generate ideas about the thoughts and feelings of those involved. Use these to stimulate dynamic dance movement featuring solos and group work… Lesson download: includes 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Learn how the Anglo Saxons lived. Imagine what their dwellings, work and pastimes were like. Then become warriors, defending your King and paying tribute to your many gods… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Can’t engage boys in dance? Think again! Let’s face it; all children like to Rough & Tumble. This scheme appeals to & harnesses boys’ (and, of course, girls’) innate spirit of adventure, mischief and cunning.

A fun look at traditional dances from around the world. Starting with styles from Mexico, Argentina, India, China & Russia, use these to create improvisations – solo and in groups…

Learn how the Industrial Revolution saw Victorians enjoying great innovation. But children also had to work in mines & factories. Through dance, explore machines, transport and childhood… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Explore attraction, repulsion and the forces behind them: a great way to approach partner work, moving through the space and combining into groups. Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Explore the chocolate-making process. Then search for a coin to buy a ‘Wonka’ bar. This wins the golden ticket and you meet the Umpa Loompas. Which leads you into a wonderful mouth-watering landscape.

Create your own machines with the whole class. Enjoy this truly dynamic dance exploration, incorporating solo, duet and group work. And there’s plenty of interaction and lots of contrasts to discover too… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Looking at the time of the Tudors, learn how dance can reflect cultural and historical context. Compose movement in pairs and build into small groups, developing spatial and rhythmic patterns… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Silly clown routines, tightrope, juggling, trapeze: it’s all here at the circus. And what a fun way to explore travelling, balance, support, transitions and – of course – performance… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Let electricity spark movement ideas! Investigate magnetism, lightening strikes, coils and circuits. This fascinating and compelling force is surging with ideas for dance… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Derive ideas from science using text, images and poetry as stimuli. Children personify the characteristics of rocks & soil through movement. Then explode in a volcanic eruption!… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Meet and become the colourful characters from the classic tale ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Have a tea party with the Mad Hatter, then play cards with the Queen of Hearts! Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Gain understanding of the environment through movement. What is recycling? If we know how water moves and how plants are effected by the sun, can we stop pollution & save energy? Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Evolve from solo sparks into flames. Then duet with other flames, building into a group fire.  Explore the contrasting qualities of ice & fire: the fluidity of water with the rigid, angular qualities of ice… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Discover Britain before the Romans came: Iron-Age Celts farming the land, building settlements, making garments, fighting fiercely and worshiping strange gods. Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

What qualities do growing plants have? Combine with one another to reflect & explore these ideas. Taking turns to lead small ‘farming’ groups, develop movement ideas on the theme of Plants & Growing… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Hoist the rigging, sweep the decks, build a ship: we’re setting sail! The busy confines of early sailing vessels provide an ideal platform for developing movement vocabulary, individually and in groups… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

In Rebecca Elliott’s ‘The Last Tiger’, Luca befriends a lone animal. The tiger brings colour and magic into her dreary life. Using these ideas and images, children create their own imaginary world…

Use famous landmarks to generate ideas, then focus on the South of this amazing continent –America. Colourful traditions, rich landscape and varied wildlife inspire all kinds of movement… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Join India’s Festival of Colours – the ‘Holi Festival’. Fizz and pop as you burn your worries on a bonfire. Create a celebratory dance. And throw colours to signify fire, mischief, light and calm.

From pirates, to fishing boats, shark attacks to storms, it all happens at sea. Work individually, in pairs and in larger groups to immerse yourselves in this watery theme…. Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

How do light & dark places make us feel? What do we see in the night? And in the day? Working in pairs, become shadows and reflections. Together in groups, can you block-out the light?…

‘Monsters’ is a fun way to learn about interacting, spatial awareness, performance and choreography – for this monstrous dance, pupils can also make their own masks!

From tearful goodbyes, to working in the fields and factories, how was life at home during World War I? And what was it like in the front-line trenches? Through movement, relive this iconic period in world history… Lesson download: includes 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Baghdad has a rich and exciting history. Children first represent the Tigris and nearby Euphrates. They then explore how the city grew here and subsequently came under attack.

What are photos for? How do we frame them? Where do we put them? How do celebrities pose  for selfies? Are we photographs? This snappy topic develops into solo, duet & group work… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

The composer’s travels in Zimbabwe inspired the music for this lesson. Whilst there, he learnt  the greetings of the Mashona people. You can now use these African greetings to  create your own circle dance. Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Castles are formidably physical. They are also home to lots of action: attacking, defending, tournaments and the bustle of daily life. Explore these through solos, duets and group work.

Create moves based on traditional dances from these beautiful islands. Find out who the real pirates of the Caribbean were. Then, set sail in your very own pirate ship.

How does it feel to have friends? How do we make friends? Let’s move together to form connections, finishing in one big, supportive group dance.

Taking music, text and images as their stimuli, pupils work solo, with partners and in groups to explore the Africa theme. And, in so doing, they try their hand at simple choreography…

How would you represent the giant wooden horse, with soldiers hidden inside, at the Battle of Troy? Here you can find out. And learn how combat can lead to some surprising moves… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

How does it feel to have friends? How do we make friends? Let’s move together to form connections, finishing in one big, supportive group dance.

When we think of ‘building’, do we mean a physical structure? Or the act of creating one? Pupils experience building small units of movement into a whole, structured dance… Lesson download: 6-week plan, mp3s and supporting documents

Natural disasters are generally best avoided but, from the safety of our dance space, let’s look at weather and volcanoes to discover a world of varied, dynamic movement.

Let’s take a look at the iconic painting by Japanese artist Hokusai – The Great Wave. Can you recreate it using your body? We’ll join together in duets and groups to do this.